Lakeroadster's Launch Pad Deflector Bucket

[rcktnut]

I'll bet you do some of your best work there. Nicely done and thanks for the constructive and helpful post. You sir are what makes the internet a breath of fresh air.

Sorry, could not resist. Nothing wrong with what your doing, just impractical in most cases. If your happy with it, good. Blast plates are there to protect what is beneath it probably more so than prevent fires.The ground around the launch pad is supposed to be free from combustibles in the first place. Most launch pads have vital components (pivot points, attachment points, fasteners, etc.) directly under the launch rod/rail. That blast plate is there to protect those parts. Take the blast plate off an Estes Port a Pad and see how long it lasts. I could never imagine my HPR launch pad with out a blast plate, thing would be a nightmare to keep maintained. Blast plate easy to clean, rest of pad not so.

 

[lakeroadster]

I could never imagine my HPR launch pad with out a blast plate, thing would be a nightmare to keep maintained. Blast plate easy to clean, rest of pad not so.

Off topic. This thread applies to LPR, says so in the very first post.

Would eliminating the deflector plate adversely effect the rockets performance of a LPR?

 

[rcktnut]

Off topic. This thread applies to LPR, says so in the very first post.

Doesn't matter what power, the pads are all basically designed the same with the "guts" directly underneath the launch rod. Yours is unique in that your launch rods are offset and you can get away with a bucket of water rather than a blast plate.

 

[cwbullet]

I change the name to make it more descriptive.

Good idea for a single pad. I have thought about a similar design a couple times.

 

[DAllen]

I don't know if this has been said already but the one thing I like about this design is the bucket of water right by the pad. If the grass catches on fire there's water right there. A lot of the sparks and such from a BP motor (especially if it cato's) are going to get caught by the bucket o water.

 

[lakeroadster]

Made some updates to the Launch Horse. Updated to a 5/16" dia. zinc coated rod, and made provisions to still utilize the standard launch rod. Also cut off the upper side plates that were sticking up above the 2 x 10.

When using the smaller launch rod, it will be located in the center, above the bucket, and the larger rod will be tilted out of the way, see the 3rd photo below.

The tilting mechanism makes loading the rocket quite easy.

In case you're wondering why there is an electrical outlet... I was going to make my own controller that utilized a regular extension cord. I've since bought a Pratt Hobbies Go-Box. It's American made, why not support those that support us?

 

[Daddyisabar]

When you are removing the blast defector because it is getting in the way of your rocket's tentacles, it is a sure sign you have a problem.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Made some updates to the Launch Horse. Updated to a 5/16" dia. zinc coated rod, and made provisions to still utilize the standard launch rod. Also cut off the upper side plates that were sticking up above the 2 x 10.

When using the smaller launch rod, it will be located in the center, above the bucket, and the larger rod will be tilted out of the way, see the 3rd photo below.

The tilting mechanism makes loading the rocket quite easy.

In case you're wondering why there is an electrical outlet... I was going to make my own controller that utilized a regular extension cord. I've since bought a Pratt Hobbies Go-Box. It's American made, why not support those that support us?

View attachment 524353View attachment 524354View attachment 524356View attachment 524357View attachment 524358View attachment 524359View attachment 524360

The water will be good to clean up the coat of soot left on the pad from all the BP motors. If it doesn't work out you could always convert to a pommel horse and work on your Thomas Flair.

 

[lakeroadster]

When you are removing the blast defector because it is getting in the way of your rocket's tentacles, it is a sure sign you have a problem.
View attachment 524403

Squidworth tested, Squidworth approved...

 

[lakeroadster]

Used the "Launch Horse" for the first time today. All went well. Launched 2 rockets over the water bucket, one powered by a D12-3, another with a F42T-8.

See how the smoke fills up the bucket and shoots it upward above the rocket. Kind of neat affect.

I didn't see any water splashing upward out of the bucket, or any indication of that by the horse being wet...

 

[cbrarick]

Just saw the thread. Interesting concept. Problem being that if there's a failure, the flaming bits you want to extinguish with your bucket of water will continue to burn, probably jump right out of the water.

I did some practice burns with my fire department. We used 38 mm grains. to actually put one out, we had to put it in a position that we could dump our tanker on the grain - all 4000 gallons, to put it out.. The problem with rocket motors is that they have their own oxygen, so water will only extinguish via cooling, and it takes a lot.

I applaud your thinking outside the box, but don't believe that it will solve the problem it's designed for. I guess you could test your bucket design by popping the nozzle out, adding a igniter and rig it to go into the bucket once it's lit. It would be interesting to see if 4 gallons would put out a A motor.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Sprinklers for scale, NASA style sound suppression. More competition scale points!

 

[lakeroadster]

Just saw the thread. Interesting concept. Problem being that if there's a failure, the flaming bits you want to extinguish with your bucket of water will continue to burn, probably jump right out of the water.

I did some practice burns with my fire department. We used 38 mm grains. to actually put one out, we had to put it in a position that we could dump our tanker on the grain - all 4000 gallons, to put it out.. The problem with rocket motors is that they have their own oxygen, so water will only extinguish via cooling, and it takes a lot.

I applaud your thinking outside the box, but don't believe that it will solve the problem it's designed for. I guess you could test your bucket design by popping the nozzle out, adding a igniter and rig it to go into the bucket once it's lit. It would be interesting to see if 4 gallons would put out a A motor.

Using a metal bucket, no water and eliminating the blast plate is an improvement. One of the issues is when the hot bits are shot down at the blast plate, and those hot bits get shot out around the launch site.