Piston/Tower Thought

[jetra2]

In the thread, "Another Rocket Contest Idea," GL-P was discussing launcher for the contest models and said:

A cheap one can be made out of some dowel and gluing that to a tube that is the same diameter as the rocket.

I was thinking - might you be able to incorporate a tower AND a piston in the same system, or would it not be necessary?

Jason

 

[solrules]

AFAIK, I think you get enough boost from the piston by the inital pressure to bring your rocket up to stable velocity without the need for any type of guide. I have never seen a piston launcher with a launch rod on it...sort of defeats the performance advantage

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by jetra2
In the thread, "Another Rocket Contest Idea," GL-P was discussing launcher for the contest models and said:


I was thinking - might you be able to incorporate a tower AND a piston in the same system, or would it not be necessary?

Jason [/B]

Wouldn't need it. The piston is like an internal tower.

 

[illini]

As I understand it, combining a tower with a piston is fairly common. The tower provides a bit more guidance after leaving the piston in order to ensure a straight boost. Micromister can surely give much more info on this.

 

[GL-P]

I'd have a piston and tower together because it keeps the rocket dead straight for max- alt. The only better thing I can think of would be to slot a slightly bigger tube so that the rocket slides in and out nicely.

 

[shockwaveriderz]

several of the BTC (Big Time Competitors) use adjutables rods within a pvc tube which acts as both a strutural form and a air break against any wind the first 6 feet or so.....they also usually have pistons sticking out the bottom......they sound like oomphhh when the rocket flies out...cool