How to make a high power launch pad

[Joey Draney]

Does anyone have any ideas on what materials to use for a pad suited for level 1-2 and 10/10-10/15 rail buttons? I assumed you would use some sort of c channel but I wasn’t sure. All help is welcome, thanks.

 

[Handeman]

I don't think the 1010 or 1515 rail is as important as how heavy of rocket are you going to launch and how big of motor.

Our club has 1010 rails be we limit them to 20 lbs and K motors max. Not because of the rail, but because of the structure of the pad itself. The same goes for our 1515 pads, we limit them to 40 lbs and mid-sized L motors. A 50lbs L2 rocket with a large L motor would go to our trailer launcher with the 1515 rail inserted in the Uni-Strut rail if it needed 1515.

 

[JimByrne]

Does anyone have any ideas on what materials to use for a pad suited for level 1-2 and 10/10-10/15 rail buttons? I assumed you would use some sort of c channel but I wasn’t sure. All help is welcome, thanks.

Check out John Coker's site---I built several rail stands using a modified version of his design and they work great

 

[teepot]

I made a pad out of PVC tube. Looked like a spider with the rail coming out of the top. Now I have a Jaw Stand. A 2x4 in the jaws and a 1010 rail screwed to the 2x4. My heaviest rocket is about 5lbs on the pad. If I was going heavier I would hang some weight off the bottom of the stand or use sand bags.