Let's see your launch towers!

[Ez2cDave]

Ceramic cone is a Odd’l Rockets deflector. On many of my towers I use a center ground spike in the deflector. Back of the spike has been bored and threaded at 8/32. After the spike is installed I use a long 8/32 bolt to attach the cone. Helps redirect the bast quite nicely. Medalist tower always a classic. I miss my self adjusting Versitower.

The Versa-Tower looks like it would be EASY to "clone" . . .

 

[retortec]

Getting the rails to "float" properly was a bit of a challenge on the one I had. Fixed rail towers in my opinon are more efficient. The motor did not need to overcome the weight of the rail contact to set the rocket in motion. Sure looked cool though.

 

[RalfB]

Hallo, sind die Schienen nach der Einstellung nicht fixiert?

 

[Ez2cDave]

Hallo, sind die Schienen nach der Einstellung nicht fixiert?

Ich spreche kein Deutsch, aber Google Translate tut es!
I do not speak German, but Google Translate does!


ORIGINAL QUESTION :

( Hallo, sind die Schienen nach der Einstellung nicht fixiert? )
( Hello, are not the rails fixed after the adjustment? )


REPLY :

Die Schienen sind nicht fixiert. Die Dichtheit der Bolzen widersteht der Bewegung.
The rails are not fixed. The tightness of the bolts resists movement.

Dave F.

 

[RalfB]

Sorry for the German text. This has messed up my translator.
Are the screws tightened after adjustment or is the friction sufficient?

 

[Ez2cDave]

Sorry for the German text. This has messed up my translator.
Are the screws tightened after adjustment or is the friction sufficient?

Hi, Ralf !

The tension on the screws is pre-adjusted by the Rocketeer. Usually, the friction is sufficient and no re-adjustment is needed.

Dave F.

 

[RalfB]

Fine, that sounds good. I'll give it a try and build such a tower. This is ideal for the whole small models with their different diameters.
Greeting Ralf

 

[Ez2cDave]

Ralf,

If you send me an email, I will send you a Dropbox invitation to a large amount of tower information.

[email protected]

Dave F.

 

[David Schwantz]

Has anyone added something to the inside of the rails to reduce scraping on the rocket?

 

[Ez2cDave]

Has anyone added something to the inside of the rails to reduce scraping on the rocket?

That's an interesting idea . . . Maybe some type of Teflon tape or tubing, depending on the design of the rails. could be used.

Of course, it would need to be replaced, from time to time, since it would be exposed to the heat and exhaust plume of the motor.

Dave F.

 

[David Schwantz]

I have never used a tower, how much does it scratch the rocket? If at all.

 

[Ez2cDave]

Contact with the launch rails can scratch paint and damage decals.

 

[manixFan]

This has flown several times out of at 12' tower. It's a 3" MD rocket. Some of the damage occurred while the rocket was being loaded. The tower had teflon tape on the guides but it did not seem to help much.


Tony

tower rash:

 

[David Schwantz]

OUCH!!

 

[roytyson]

 

[jahall4]

Has anyone added something to the inside of the rails to reduce scraping on the rocket?

If you are using 10/10 (or other size) rail.
https://www.mcmaster.com/80/20-compatible-t-slotted-framing
Look down the page for slot covers.

 

[David Schwantz]

I does say that they are slippery and will reduce friction. Have you tried them?

 

[dhbarr]

IIRC UHMWPE is what's wanted here, quite slippery and reasonably tough.

 

[jahall4]

I does say that they are slippery and will reduce friction. Have you tried them?

Not yet, but will. This occurred to me as a way to integrate my regular 10/10 rail with 2 other rails to make a tower. Should be able to use the covers over rail that is not absolutely clean and make it easier to clean as a bonus.

 

[FredA]

Entire unit splits in half for "easy" transport and if we want only 10-foot instead of 20.
Guides pull out and squares fold down along the backbone tower for compactness.
Guides can be set for anything from 3" to 12" and can accommodate up to a 28" fin span.
Tested to R impulse.

 

[Ez2cDave]

If you are using 10/10 (or other size) rail.
https://www.mcmaster.com/80/20-compatible-t-slotted-framing
Look down the page for slot covers.

Nice find !

https://www.mcmaster.com/80/20-compatible-t-slotted-framing

Dave F.

 

[manixFan]

I looked at the wear strips, but at nearly $50 each, they were too expensive for my taste. The rocket I posted above was flown on a rail that used round metal pipe. Part of the issue is the base of the rocket is thicker than the top due to extra layers of fiberglass from tip-to-tip layups. I don't think we accounted for that when we sized the rail opening. I don't use tip-to-tip anymore so I have a more consistent diameter.

The new tower I am using was partially designed by another club member who used 1010 rails with a quarter round profile. It is very similar to Roy's posted above. However mine uses an additional 3 1010 rails around the outside to provide a separate support structure for the guide rails. I've sorta solved the tower rash problem by just not painting my rockets. Most of my MD are carbon fiber so I just wet sand it with 600 grit and then polish it with car wax.

However for BALLS this year I am actually painting a couple of my MD rockets. I'll have a better chance to see how the quarter round profile is on paint.


Tony

quarter round (rounded edge faces rocket):

 

[GrouchoDuke]

I’ve used several different sticky backed Teflon tapes from Amazon. They definitely cut down on the scrapes, but they don’t last very long.

 

[Steve Shannon]

I’ve used several different sticky backed Teflon tapes from Amazon. They definitely cut down on the scrapes, but they don’t last very long.

I wonder how thick felt strips would do.

 

[cwbullet]

Very good thread. I have always thought about build one.

 

[dhbarr]

I wonder how thick felt strips would do.

Furniture skates on the bird itself?

I would think they'd get full of sharp sticky crud on the rails.

 

[BarbaraConstantine]

What one of them can be launched for sure?

 

[GrouchoDuke]

I tweaked the design of my 3d printed 29mm launch tower end brackets a little. The updated version (v2) gives a little more room around the EMT mounts and also opens up the 1010 rail hole a little. The extra EMT spacing should mean you don't need to do any sanding/fitting of parts to mount your EMT. The hole sizing will make it easier & quicker to mount & unmount on rails.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2538353

 

[Dudeman247.]

Has anyone added something to the inside of the rails to reduce scraping on the rocket?

I've seen Kapton tape work well.

 

[retortec]

I have had resonable success with polishing the rail surface down to a 600 grit finish and adding hard car wax. Rail surfaces away get damaged much like a defector. Somthing easy to repair even on site has been a big help in minimizing damage to my rocket finishes. Not running to tight in the rails is an obvious advantage as well.