Creative Blast Plate

[HeavyLight]

So I needed to make a new blast plate for my launch pad and was looking through a bunch of things. I had the idea to use one of my old Epee bell guards since I fence and have a lot of spare guards. So, I cut a hole and set it on my new rail launcher. It might not be big enough but I figured that the plate that comes with the Mantis is pretty small so it should do. Here's a picture for your approval or disapproval.

 

[new2hpr]

Looks cool! I just use a ceramic floor tile. Cheap, and you'll never burn through it.

 

[oddmanrockets]

as a teenager we used the curved downspout from rain gutters looked really cool on night launches

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Small flower pot. But the epee bell has more class. I like it.

 

[TheAviator]

Looks like it'll work for smaller diameter rockets. If you want more usable area, drill a hole in the side of the guard and bolt it to the rail.

 

[da killer klown]

I use a 12 inch by 12 inch 10 gauge plate of steel for mine

 

[billspad]

So I needed to make a new blast plate for my launch pad and was looking through a bunch of things. I had the idea to use one of my old Epee bell guards since I fence and have a lot of spare guards. So, I cut a hole and set it on my new rail launcher. It might not be big enough but I figured that the plate that comes with the Mantis is pretty small so it should do. Here's a picture for your approval or disapproval.View attachment 160176

Four hours have gone by and no one has posted "touché"?

 

[HeavyLight]

Four hours have gone by and no one has posted "touché"?

Touch right and bout. Salute and shake hands. :horse:

 

[JStarStar]

I use one of these; I use a big hose clamp to attach it to the launch rod. You can direct the exhaust so you don't get a faceful of smoke (if you don't want one).




I bought it 7-8 years ago for $4-5 bucks, but now it looks like they cost $10 or more at Home Despot. DO NOT use an aluminum pipe; those will burn through after a dozen or so launches. You want the steel ones.

:y::y:

 

[K'Tesh]

One old method was to take a tin can (say a very large can of tomato juice), split it down the length (not forgetting to clean the edges so no fingers get cut), bend it so that it forms a very curvy "W" shape, crease the metal in the center of the "W", and punch a hole for the launch rod.

 

[sghioto]

Metal Cutoff wheel from Harbor Freight
https://www.harborfreight.com/media...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_18035.jpg

Steve G

 

[K'Tesh]

If you want to stabilize that cut off wheel, you may want to take a lamp nipple, a pair of washers and a pair of nuts, and sandwich it together.

That's my plan for retrofitting my PPE blast plate.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

If you want to stabilize that cut off wheel, you may want to take a lamp nipple, a pair of washers and a pair of nuts, and sandwich it together.

That's my plan for retrofitting my PPE blast plate.

It's funny I'm reading this right now, because only a few hours ago, I bought these exact parts (lamp nipple, washers and nuts) and a 16" pizza baking pan for a blast plate.

 

[hball55]

Four hours have gone by and no one has posted "touché"?

En Garde!

 

[dave carver]

as a teenager we used the curved downspout from rain gutters looked really cool on night launches

I've used a 3" diameter 90* section of exhaust pipe. The really cool thing about useing it was it would blow out a smoke ring

 

[terryg]

Old frying pans or worn out saw blades.

Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using Rocketry Forum mobile app

 

[dave carver]

So I needed to make a new blast plate for my launch pad and was looking through a bunch of things. I had the idea to use one of my old Epee bell guards since I fence and have a lot of spare guards. So, I cut a hole and set it on my new rail launcher. It might not be big enough but I figured that the plate that comes with the Mantis is pretty small so it should do. Here's a picture for your approval or disapproval.View attachment 160176

When I first saw this title I thought you were useing an old SoundBlaster sound card

I just checked eBay, new ones are $9.50 shipped, not too bad to get what looks to be stainless steel. That would go well with the drill steel launch rods I've been accumulating...well...I got 1

 

[Winston]

One of the guys in a local clubs works where he can get used cut-off and grinding wheels. They aren't very expensive even if you have to buy them new:

https://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-10-7-inch-cut-off-wheels-for-metal-47576.html