engine hooks ?

Zeus-cat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
4,874
Reaction score
1,197
I like the finger tab hooks mainly as I think they are made with stronger steel. I find the standard ones get bent easily if they stick out below the fins. The finger tab ones are usually easier to use as well.
 

dr wogz

Fly caster
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
9,178
Reaction score
5,062
Location
Land of Poutine!
I'm indifferent.

I like the finger part, for easier removal, but does sometimes gets in the way of igniter insertion, igniter leads, and I do believe it'll have a slight sway on the motor exhaust. Also, the finger hook part can be used to hang your rockets from a string suspended between two walls. (I did this in one place I lived, so they wouldn't get lost on the floor, ran a string and hung them up by their hook!)

I like the standard because of the clean look and no interferences, but they can be a bit of a pain (literally - like them catching under your finger nail!) when removing motors..
 

Nytrunner

Pop lugs, not drugs
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Messages
8,012
Reaction score
3,763
Location
Huntsville AL
Finger hook. Way more convenient, they can be bent to suit your needs, you can hang rockets by them, they provide a standoff from the plate.
 

TALON

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
1,489
Reaction score
64
I like the finger tab one. As stated above easier to work and never encountered a problem. However, last night I constructed a motor mount for a 2 engine cluster for my next Big Bertha. The mount came with 2 standard hooks, but I used 2 hooks with the finger tabs. I did this with OUT putting any thought into the ignitor/wire/clips and their interaction with the finger tab. I can see I will have to be careful when setting up on the pad.
 

Peartree

Cyborg Rocketeer
Staff member
Administrator
Global Mod
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
6,913
Reaction score
2,745
Location
Alliance, Ohio
I *generally* like the finger tabs because they're just easier to manipulate but there are times when the design of the rocket/motor mount just make them impractical so I make, and keep stocks of both kinds.
 

KennB

I-95 Envoy
TRF Supporter
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Messages
2,653
Reaction score
425
Location
Amesbury, MA
The finger-tab ones are easier to use (I like the idea of hanging the rockets from a string, too - thanks) but sometimes they can get hung up on the clothes pins we have used as stops on our launch rods. We're trying to use spent motor casings to keep the rockets off of the blast deflectors but some designs need the extra help.
 

Rex R

LV2
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
6,346
Reaction score
316
for the most part I'll use what is provided w/ the kit, however on occasion I will use the standard hook as needed. standard hooks can be had from erockets
Rex
 

dhbarr

Amateur Professional
TRF Supporter
Joined
Jan 30, 2016
Messages
8,713
Reaction score
3,104
I saw someone use the standard w/ a small knurled bead grub-screwed on. I didn't get a chance to ask about it, but it looked pretty handy.
 

jazzviper1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
1,042
Reaction score
413
Standard. I hate how far they stick out. I have been thinking of clipping mine.
 

Sooner Boomer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2011
Messages
5,193
Reaction score
3,358
Both, and none. It depends upon the rocket. I've had rockets that I built specifically for landing at "The Rock" (large asphalt parking lot) that have the motor mount up inside a fg-reenforced aft body tube. The tab on the hook gives extra leverage when trying to move it out of the way to pull a spent engine. Would not want the extra "stuff" on a minimum diameter rocket
 

K'Tesh

OpenRocket Chuck Norris
TRF Supporter
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
Messages
20,879
Reaction score
12,144
I have to say though that I was glad that I didn't cut off the finger tab when it came to my Mercury Atlas rockets. The finger tab allowed me to straighten them out and extend the engine hook to the current length of the E motors, instead of the shorter (short lived) versions that were introduced at the same time as the Mercury Atlas kits were released.
 
Top