Need designs for new model rocket racks for our club.

[BenCook]

My local club is looking to replace our model rocket launch pads. Curious if you have designs that you can share that meet these criteria or something close to it.

1. 8 or so launch rods spaced apart on the pad
2. Ability to easily swap between launch rod sizes 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”
3. Adjustable angles for the pad or individual rods for wind conditions
4. Breaks down and sets up quickly.
5. Stores compactly.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smstachwick]

You can find videos of club launches all over YouTube, many with GSE clearly visible.

DART has individual pads mounted on camera tripods that we set up about 15 ft from each other in a semicircular arrangement. It works for us because the spacing allows for simultaneous loading and launching, but it likely won’t be of much help to you looking for a rack-type setup.

I will say, however, that that I’m extremely fond of our strategy of having electric drill chucks hold the rods. They set up, swap, and tear down easy. If you can find a way to mount them on a length of PVC pipe or a length of lightweight metal, then attach that to detachable legs, I think you’d be golden.

Our blast deflector plates are just ceramic tiles. They stand up to the heat and won’t short out your clips.

 

[cwbullet]

I have a design that easy to build and can be built in a weekend. You cannot aim them, but they are easy to build.

 

[BenCook]

I have a design that easy to build and can be built in a weekend. You cannot aim them, but they are easy to build.

Do you have pictures you can share?

 

[BenCook]

You can find videos of club launches all over YouTube, many with GSE clearly visible.

DART has individual pads mounted on camera tripods that we set up about 15 ft from each other in a semicircular arrangement. It works for us because the spacing allows for simultaneous loading and launching, but it likely won’t be of much help to you looking for a rack-type setup.

I will say, however, that that I’m extremely fond of our strategy of having electric drill chucks hold the rods. They set up, swap, and tear down easy. If you can find a way to have a mount them on a length of PVC pipe or a length of lightweight metal, then attach that to detachable legs, I think you’d be golden.

Our blast deflector plates are just ceramic tiles. They stand up to the heat and won’t short out your clips.

Thanks I have been thinking about and looking at drill chucks.

 

[Handeman]

Our club supports LPR and MPR fliers and also many TARC teams and FOGE Battle of the Rockets.

Because of that we vary how we set up our 8 LPR pads based on time of year and who we are supporting. On the last launch we used our standard portable saw horse modified to support five launch rails. LPR pads 1-5 were three 1/8" rods and two 3/16" rods. Pad six shares wire/clips with a 1010 rail and a 1/4" rod, pad 7 also shared a 1/4" rod and another 1010 rail and pad 8 was just a 1/4" rod.

 

[cwbullet]

Do you have pictures you can share?

I am cleaning them for NSL. You have my promise. There will be photos posted tomorrow and Sunday.

 

[UhClem]

DARS has been using this design since before I joined in 1996:
http://www.dars.org/gallery/cw102001/mvc-065.htm
It is built around a 2X4 and folding sawhorse legs. Unfortunately the legs vanished from stores several years ago. A pair of three pad rails and their legs fit into a custom built roll up denim bag. Ancillary parts (tilt/pivot heads, leads, blast deflectors, cable) go into another bag.

 

[BenCook]

DARS has been using this design since before I joined in 1996:
http://www.dars.org/gallery/cw102001/mvc-065.htm
It is built around a 2X4 and folding sawhorse legs. Unfortunately the legs vanished from stores several years ago. A pair of three pad rails and their legs fit into a custom built roll up denim bag. Ancillary parts (tilt/pivot heads, leads, blast deflectors, cable) go into another bag.

Thank you.

 

[cwbullet]

Our back up rack is simple. I got overcome by work this weekend and did not get to repair the rack.

It is simply a bank of drill chucks attached to rockwell saw horses.

 

[cwbullet]

My local club is looking to replace our model rocket launch pads. Curious if you have designs that you can share that meet these criteria or something close to it.

1. 8 or so launch rods spaced apart on the pad
2. Ability to easily swap between launch rod sizes 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”
3. Adjustable angles for the pad or individual rods for wind conditions
4. Breaks down and sets up quickly.
5. Stores compactly.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

2 newish launch racks for NSL.

 

[BenCook]

View attachment 517761

2 newish launch racks for NSL.

Thanks for sharing the pics. I have designed a system that is very similar. This is a video showing the concept of you are interested in lookin my at it.

 

[cwbullet]

Thanks for sharing the pics. I have designed a system that is very similar. This is a video showing the concept of you are interested in lookin my at it.

I like it. I may adapt ours from the JawHorse to this eventually.

 

[sghioto]

View attachment 517761

2 newish launch racks for NSL.

I don't see any mechanism for adjusting the angle, wasn't that one of your requirements?

 

[cwbullet]

I don't see any mechanism for adjusting the angle, wasn't that one of your requirements?

It would have been preferred but I elected to not added it. After using the pads, it might improve safety to not allow it.

 

[Ez2cDave]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164168892138