Modified John Coker pads

[RocketRev]

GoPro was a sponsor at the first Spaceport America Cup competition and wanted to mount some cameras on the rails. Those are what I cam up to house the GoPro cameras..



Tony

Have to admit I loved the video. especially the "3, 2, 1, Wilson F/X Ignition." Can't help but enjoy that! LOL!

Brad, the "Rocket Rev.," Wilson

 

[Sluggo]

Amazed.

 

[cwbullet]

Pretty slick pads.

 

[tfish]

I just finished up 8 more of them today.

Tony

 

[tfish]

hopefully attached are the 3D drawings of the pads for Spaceport America Cup.

 

[tfish]

Figured out how to quickly add unistrut to the 1515...80/20 part number FBHSCS & T NUT 3320-15...

 

[rharshberger]

I need to take some pictures of the setup we use for Padzilla a 3" tubed Coker pad. The main rail is a Unistrut, and the 1010 and 1515 have "shoes" that slide inside the Uni, a single pin is removed to change from 1010 to 1515 (takes less than 30 seconds). Padzilla also has an adjustment to allow the rail to be tilted off vertical on the pivot axis up to 15° toward or away from the LCO/spectators.

 

[Troy3003]

How much weight would 3x3x .125 be able to handle you think? Needing to build a couple pads but the cost of 1/4" aluminum is a bit steep right now.

Edited to add that this will be aluminum

 

[rharshberger]

How much weight would 3x3x .125 be able to handle you think? Needing to build a couple pads but the cost of 1/4" is a bit steep right now.

Well TriCities's Rocketeers Padzilla is just such a pad (3"×3"×.083"), and it has had a 100lb rocket fly off it so far, very stable, each leg is 4' long and the upright is 6' long. Its built of steel though and welded construction, its heavy (about 75 lbs).

 

[tfish]

Getting another 8 pads ready for Spaceport America Cup...in a couple of weeks.

I weighed one of the pads.
40# 1/4" x 2' x 2' Blast deflector
44.4# Pad base
47# Boom and 17' of 1515 rail
9.4# Misc stakes block etc
141#


Tony

 

[tfish]

a couple of updates..

The unit strut bolted to the 1515 rail worked great. The first to use it was DeeRoc29 with his 250# P motor rocket https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/aquarius-flies-on-a-p.174907/#post-2325288
Second up was at Balls and the 2 stage team from Solvenia did 2 flights off it with P to O and 160#
Using the blast deflector flat adds alot of "stay put" to your pad as the rocket takes off..using the right size plate leaves very little damage to the sourondings.

Second. I've always wanted to attach 1515 and 1010 together..... without a lot of brackets. I figured it out the other day. A pack of 1010 sliding "nuts and bolts" and some 5/16 flat washers. You do need to drill some access holes to tighten things together. .

Tony

 

[tfish]

I figured out how to make a single leg attachment point for the 3 point guy lines.



Now no worries if the rocket has 3 or 4 fins..as with the old ..fork or wish bone ..mount.

This mounts quickly and securely to the backside of 1010 or 1515 rails

Yes...recycled..dog leash runs.

Tony

 

[tfish]

I do some 'work' for a local University with some of their NASA grants.
The current program https://n3.sonoma.edu/ uses Estes Big Daddy, AT E30-4 and Arduino payloads.
In August I got to go fly rockets 'at' the New York Hall of Science...and
I needed to bring the launch equipment.
I loaded up a check in bag with what I hopped would still be in the bag once I got to New York. 2 pads with 3/16 rods and 50 foot 'legal' launch system. I tossed in a couple of NAR magazines ..and stuff needed to fix or repair rockets.

The pads I took are prototypes of the pads we use at AeroPac.

I will be sending the Hall of science a couple of my new pads once I finish them..I'm going to name them 'Stealth pads' I was recently at the Edward's Air Show..and there were a lot of flat surfaces there..and all but the nuts and bolts were laying around in my shop..not being noticed.
5 pads..1 prototype, 2 for NY Sci. 2 for me..in case I need to air travel again.

Tony

 

[tfish]

hopefully attached are the 3D drawings of the pads for Spaceport America Cup.

@cwbullet
One of the files in the pad folder was corrupt.
It's fixed now...in the attached folder

CW..can you remove the old corrupt file and replace it with this one? Thanks!

Tony

 

[cwbullet]

Done and I added a link to the new post from the old one above

 

[tfish]

I figured out how to cleanly add adjustability to the legs of these new Stealth pads.

It rides/slides inside the unistrut legs..and locks in place via a thumb screw and blind nut.

The pads in action at my families fun fly with 2/3 of my kids/grandkids.

 

[tfish]

some photos..might be helpful for anyone thinking of build the big pads..

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mf3m3zU25eYucQF6T6n9_uULFqX7bRB2?usp=sharing
Tony