New Blast Deflectors

[CrazyModelGuy]

I currently am just doing smaller rockets not level 1. And the blast deflector that I just got with my new starter kit seemed to be as thin as my patience. LOL. So thankfully im a machinist......so I made more durable Blast Deflectors and 1 piece launch rods.

First photo is a size comparison from the stock deflector to the one I just made. Including the stainless standoff ring. It is 8" dia. x 1/16" thick 304 stainless steel.
Second photo is a 5" dia. x 1/32" thick 304 Stainless.

 

[crossfire]

They look very nice. I bet you could sell a lot of them.

 

[CrazyModelGuy]

They look very nice. I bet you could sell a lot of them.

I likely would. Unfortunately stainless sheets are incredibly expensive.

 

[crossfire]

I likely would. Unfortunately stainless sheets are incredibly expensive.

What would materials cost?

 

[CrazyModelGuy]

What would materials cost?

a 4' x 8' sheet of 11 gage or 1/16" is $240 plus freight. These were made from random left overs I found.

 

[Johnly]

I use electrical quad box blank off covers with a hole drilled in the center. Not spiffy SST. but they are available locally and cheap.

 

[CrazyModelGuy]

I use electrical quad box blank off covers with a hole drilled in the center. Not spiffy SST. but they are available locally and cheap.

Stainless holds up a little better verses the rocket exhaust gases and heat. But yeah. I used the stainless because it was available. and I know it will never rust.

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

I just buy a pot lid from a thrift store and remove the knob. A convenient hole for the launch rod.

 

[CrazyModelGuy]

I just buy a pot lid from a thrift store and remove the knob. A convenient hole for the launch rod.

Yeah I was looking at that option as well. But I also have a confession, the stainless hex standoff in the middle is reamed slightly larger than the launch rod it goes with., so the 3/16" rod is reamed to .196" So there isnt a ton of slop.

 

[ghostfather]

We use stainless steel pie pans as blast deflectors, mounted upside down with a hole drilled in the middle, just slide it down the rod. There's some slop, but they are large enough to protect anything underneath. Bought them at Walmart, but I'm sure you can find them at other places.
I imagine you could mount your stand-off ring on the pie pan, and eliminate the slop.

 

[Stretch]

I currently am just doing smaller rockets not level 1. And the blast deflector that I just got with my new starter kit seemed to be as thin as my patience. LOL. So thankfully im a machinist......so I made more durable Blast Deflectors and 1 piece launch rods.

First photo is a size comparison from the stock deflector to the one I just made. Including the stainless standoff ring. It is 8" dia. x 1/16" thick 304 stainless steel.
Second photo is a 5" dia. x 1/32" thick 304 Stainless.

View attachment 464235

View attachment 464236

 

[Stretch]

Also a machinist.....same thing, except I snapped up a piece of 1/4" × 32" dia titanium, and this things pretty much impervious to everything but a nuclear blast........= )

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

We use stainless steel pie pans as blast deflectors, mounted upside down with a hole drilled in the middle, just slide it down the rod. There's some slop, but they are large enough to protect anything underneath. Bought them at Walmart, but I'm sure you can find them at other places.
I imagine you could mount your stand-off ring on the pie pan, and eliminate the slop.

I like carbon steel pie pans as the larger diameter (8-9") protects the launcher better than the Estes 5" dia. Easy and cheap to replace. I find them at 2nd hand stores. New SS pans are too expensive.

 

[Rocketless]

Tractor Supply store, a replacement disc for implements, can get it with a 1 inch square middle for use with rails, if not in stock it is delivered to your door for free, it is concave

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

Tractor Supply store, a replacement disc for implements, can get it with a 1 inch square middle for use with rails, if not in stock it is delivered to your door for free, it is concave

I'll see if my brother has any old ones left on the farm. FREE.

 

[teepot]

I use an AR500 rifle gong. Inexpensive and impervious to everything. It has two holes at he top. I bolted it to the support for the rail.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

My launcher is a music stand with a Jacob's no-key chuck. I punched a hole in the bottom of a can* and use that - covers chuck perfectly.

*DelMonte whole kernel sweet corn.

 

[jqavins]

From Odd'l. Impervious to things like the acidic exhaust from composites, which will eventually attack even stainless. And it deflects exhaust sideways, not back up at the rocket upon first ignition.

I bought one years ago. Sadly, it's been discontinued by Odd'l. Surely someone else makes something like it. An inverted small flower pot would do decently well, but rounded at the top would be better.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

I use these on top of the regular blast deflector. Cheap and easy...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082R9PS95/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ghostfather]

From Odd'l. Impervious to things like the acidic exhaust from composites, which will eventually attack even stainless. And it deflects exhaust sideways, not back up at the rocket upon first ignition.

I bought one years ago. Sadly, it's been discontinued by Odd'l. Surely someone else makes something like it. An inverted small flower pot would do decently well, but rounded at the top would be better.

You might be able to use a hollow ceramic egg. Just drill a hole for the rod using a very sharp hard-metal drill bit

 

[jqavins]

Well, someone might; I've got the one I bought from Odd'l.

I think a grinder bit in a Dremel would be better than a drill.

 

[teepot]

I've got a ceramic blast deflector that came in an Estes launch kit several decades ago. I don't know if the still sell them.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

You might be able to use a hollow ceramic egg. Just drill a hole for the rod using a very sharp hard-metal drill bit

Where can you get a hollow ceramic egg? I guess you'd actually need a *half* an egg.

What about a metal funnel?

 

[ghostfather]

Where can you get a hollow ceramic egg?

I've got some we use as Easter decorations that are hollow, but have a relatively large opening at the bottom, so they can stand upright on a table. I think my wife might not miss one, but I won't push my luck. Not only that, but I could cut an "equator" around it with a dremel disk, and shorten it to half an egg.

What about a metal funnel?

That sounds plausible, if the narrow part of the funnel is relatively small.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I always thought a cymbal from a old drum kit would be great.

 

[jqavins]

Interesting idea. The chemistry is good, as the copper dominant component withstands hydrochloric acid from the exhaust of composites far better than iron does.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Well being a former drummer and musician most of my life, that's the first thing to come to mind.

 

[dr wogz]

A friend made an ashtray out of an old cymbal.

And he was then quoted: "No matter how big the ashtray, someone will always miss it.."

 

[tsmith1315]

I always thought a cymbal from a old drum kit would be great.

I plan to test that idea before long!

 

[jqavins]

Be sure to have it held above the bottom of the rod, but held little loosely on the rod, so vibration isn't too severely damped.