For the American Rocketry Challenge teams that I mentor, questioning whether to recommend the purchase of the new Estes Pro Series II Launch Rail (which includes a tripod stand and blast deflector). Only want to get comments from those who have bought one from Estes and hopefully actually used it. No clue on how seamless the joint is between the 1010 rail joint is, how sturdy a platform is for ARC rockets, and how to angle the rail. Teams only use a rail for ARC rockets, that's all. Thanks.
Estes Pro Series II Launch Rail Ideal for ARC Teams?
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Scott_650
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Two members of the Model Rocketry, USA FB page, page admin Louie Berlin and page member Raymond Michael Caswell both have one and both have reported it’s much better in person than the pictures Estes posted - they both posted pix as well and it definitely looks better in those than what we’ve seen from Estes.
Jonathan,
It's been out such a short time that I doubt there's any in-use data outside of Penrose/Pueblo just yet. A couple of folks on YORF have said they've ordered them, so I'm looking forward to what they find.
It seems clear that tARC launches were what they had in mind in creating the thing, but I'm hoping that it is closer to the mark than some of their other offerings have been. And thanks to @Scott_650 for his report. It's encouraging.
If you want to build a rail pad for less (the last two of these I built — just before the end of last year — were about $110 each complete) I have an article in the May/June 2022 Sport Rocketry. Not quite as compact and with a single-piece rail. At the moment it's less expensive to order the side outlet elbow and the leg caps directly from Formufit rather than Amazon, and I get the rails at a local Grainger.
It's been out such a short time that I doubt there's any in-use data outside of Penrose/Pueblo just yet. A couple of folks on YORF have said they've ordered them, so I'm looking forward to what they find.
It seems clear that tARC launches were what they had in mind in creating the thing, but I'm hoping that it is closer to the mark than some of their other offerings have been. And thanks to @Scott_650 for his report. It's encouraging.
If you want to build a rail pad for less (the last two of these I built — just before the end of last year — were about $110 each complete) I have an article in the May/June 2022 Sport Rocketry. Not quite as compact and with a single-piece rail. At the moment it's less expensive to order the side outlet elbow and the leg caps directly from Formufit rather than Amazon, and I get the rails at a local Grainger.
@jrains, does your team launch on their own quite often? If you have a controller already, what pad are you using now?
We see a lot of teams show up at our club launches. We hold 2 launches a month in Feb and Mar, along with the last one in early April to accommodate the Spaceport, SLI and ARC testing that goes on in the early spring. We have 3 1010 rails in the LPR area just for the ARC teams. Very rarely a team will show up with their own pad.
That's our area, I have no idea what teams in other parts of the country do or what the availability to club launches are, a good 1010 pad of their own might be an excellent idea.
We see a lot of teams show up at our club launches. We hold 2 launches a month in Feb and Mar, along with the last one in early April to accommodate the Spaceport, SLI and ARC testing that goes on in the early spring. We have 3 1010 rails in the LPR area just for the ARC teams. Very rarely a team will show up with their own pad.
That's our area, I have no idea what teams in other parts of the country do or what the availability to club launches are, a good 1010 pad of their own might be an excellent idea.
Jeff,
In my area (Puget Sound) there is — weather permitting — one club launch a month on the only site that's both available and suitable. The next one is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow, under threat of rain, wind and even a bit of snow. The last one is scheduled for two days before final scores are due.
Most teams practice and qualify on other days than those, and that's why I've built a number of those tripod rail pads I mentioned, and why I, too, am curious about that new Estes release.
In my area (Puget Sound) there is — weather permitting — one club launch a month on the only site that's both available and suitable. The next one is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow, under threat of rain, wind and even a bit of snow. The last one is scheduled for two days before final scores are due.
Most teams practice and qualify on other days than those, and that's why I've built a number of those tripod rail pads I mentioned, and why I, too, am curious about that new Estes release.
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We prefer launching at Culpeper as Battlepark is a large launch site. We use TCV’s rails. The issue is that for some teams there is a reluctance to drive 90 minutes to a launch. That means flying from parks and farms here in Maryland that are closer, but not as expansive as Battlepark.
We have to drag our own equipment, which in my case is the Aldi bike stand that you’re probably familiar with. It mounts a 1010 rail and a blast deflector.
One of the teams I work with has a Rockwell JawStand for their 1010 rail.
My interest in the Estes rail launcher is that I have another school who has use it or lose it money that could go to buying the Estes stand
Thanks to TCV for supporting ARC, SLI, Battle of the Rockets and Spaceport teams.
We have to drag our own equipment, which in my case is the Aldi bike stand that you’re probably familiar with. It mounts a 1010 rail and a blast deflector.
One of the teams I work with has a Rockwell JawStand for their 1010 rail.
My interest in the Estes rail launcher is that I have another school who has use it or lose it money that could go to buying the Estes stand
Thanks to TCV for supporting ARC, SLI, Battle of the Rockets and Spaceport teams.
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I have one and confident it will be just fine for an ARC team.
The rail is two pieces but locks together with a bracket secured with 4 cap head screws and nylocks. ZERO issue with figment there.
Set up and break down is VERY quick. I have a “first look” video on my instagram “Theory_Rocketry”
Happy to take additional pictures if anyone wants them. Also have an Estes discount code (DNQ10) that will save you some money if you want to pick one up
The rail is two pieces but locks together with a bracket secured with 4 cap head screws and nylocks. ZERO issue with figment there.
Set up and break down is VERY quick. I have a “first look” video on my instagram “Theory_Rocketry”
Happy to take additional pictures if anyone wants them. Also have an Estes discount code (DNQ10) that will save you some money if you want to pick one up
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One note, I know that ARC teams can be very specific about the angle of the launch rail. The Estes pad is not “infinitely adjustable,” more it has 5 maybe 6 pre-set indents to place the rail in to provide an angle.
IMHO this should be more than sufficient for most all flights.
IMHO this should be more than sufficient for most all flights.
Capt. Eric
Well-Known Member
Here's a video of the one I got.
That actually looks pretty nice. At our local site, minor angle adjustments could be made just by sinking one of the tripod feet further into the soft grass (especially at this time of year, the field is pretty soft).
I presume there is no adjustment on the legs themselves from looking at your images.
The rail itself looks like it might be 80/20's 1050 extrusion (or a copy, perhaps). I didn't know that it existed until I looked just now. That would be stiff enough for sure. I was afraid, from the pictures on the Estes site, that it was just something bent out of sheet metal. I'm glad to be wrong about that.
Scott_650
Well-Known Member
Not to drift this thread too far but, as already mentioned, Estes sure didn’t do themselves any favors with the really bad pictures they released of this - it’s definitely not a good thing when random folks on FB put out better pictures of a product than the people trying to sell it!
When it comes to near infinite adjustability it’s hard to beat a tripod - just shifting it around onto different ground contours can give you just about any angle possible.
Do you have a rough guesstimate of how big/heavy of a rocket you dare put on it?
Hans.
Edit: I've found with other tripod designs that the width of the base of the tripod (along with the strength of materials) is the limiting factor. i.e. --- too big of a rocket and it tips over!!
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I bring blocks of wood with me to help with the infinite adjustment. This doesn't preclude teams from propping up the tripod legs with tools, you name it.
Thanks for all the info. My order is in!
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I would say 3 pounds or so.
Consider this a mid-power pad. Not a high-power pad to fly mid-power rockets. IMHO the first thing to give up will be the blast deflector, however, that would be easily replaced.
OK, thanks. I have some portly MPR, like 2 pounds, that I take to local club events that don't have their own pads. Bigger stuff I save for HPR club events.
Hans.
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you bet, I do not see ANY issues with a 2 pound rocket.
I got mine Thursday. Yesterday I showed it to Randy at eRockets. We agreed that it looks good for light individual or school use, as it folds up into a compact size, but for regular club use a heavier duty stand might be more durable. The blast deflector "spatula" seems flimsy, and may be easy to get burned through. Randy sold me a blast deflector that shouldn't be too hard to attach to the spatula:
Just got it..... A few notes:
1. Price. $170, IIRC. But it's a large box, and for grins, go to the USPS website and price out shipping on a 16# box, 40 X 8 X 9. It's over $100 for Priority Mail, which how I received mine. Now, I realize that Estes gets a commercial rate, but it still can't be cheap. Given that Estes gives free shipping on orders over $100, that shipping has to be built in to that $170 price. So including shipping, it's not quite as bad as it looks at first impression.
2. I'm quite impressed. Only a few weaknesses, as I see it. The blast deflector has been mentioned, but that's not a deal killer. The rest of the stand is either stainless or chrome plated. Parts of the tripod are held together with rivets, however they are not the type used to join 2 pieces of sheet metal. They are a solid shaft that holds the weight, only the very end flares out to fashion the rivet end. More robust than how they appear in the photos.
3. The rail is made from sturdy extrusions. The only complaint that I have is that the joining section is attached with 4 Allen head cap screws. It would be easy to lose them or their nuts in the field, let alone the Allen wrench. I need to find some wing nuts or some such.
4. It's configured so the rocket is over the space between the legs, not over a leg itself. Seems a touch tippy that way. It's easy enough to remedy, just rotate the bottom plate 60deg so the rocket is now over a leg. However it's not designed to be that way.
Anyway, I'm a happy camper. It's just what I needed for a portable rail that will fit in my trunk or back seat for local club launches.
Hans.
1. Price. $170, IIRC. But it's a large box, and for grins, go to the USPS website and price out shipping on a 16# box, 40 X 8 X 9. It's over $100 for Priority Mail, which how I received mine. Now, I realize that Estes gets a commercial rate, but it still can't be cheap. Given that Estes gives free shipping on orders over $100, that shipping has to be built in to that $170 price. So including shipping, it's not quite as bad as it looks at first impression.
2. I'm quite impressed. Only a few weaknesses, as I see it. The blast deflector has been mentioned, but that's not a deal killer. The rest of the stand is either stainless or chrome plated. Parts of the tripod are held together with rivets, however they are not the type used to join 2 pieces of sheet metal. They are a solid shaft that holds the weight, only the very end flares out to fashion the rivet end. More robust than how they appear in the photos.
3. The rail is made from sturdy extrusions. The only complaint that I have is that the joining section is attached with 4 Allen head cap screws. It would be easy to lose them or their nuts in the field, let alone the Allen wrench. I need to find some wing nuts or some such.
4. It's configured so the rocket is over the space between the legs, not over a leg itself. Seems a touch tippy that way. It's easy enough to remedy, just rotate the bottom plate 60deg so the rocket is now over a leg. However it's not designed to be that way.
Anyway, I'm a happy camper. It's just what I needed for a portable rail that will fit in my trunk or back seat for local club launches.
Hans.
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