Single launch lug?

[Senior Space Cadet]

I've been cutting my launch lugs in half, and mounting two halves instead of two whole lugs.
The lugs come ridiculously long. I could use the 1/4" for a shower curtain rod (slight exaggeration).
The longer they are, the more friction and the more critical it is to have perfect alignment.
Ideally, I think I'd have two eyebolts mounted like rail buttons.
On my latest rocket, which is a 34" BT-55, I've kept the 1/4" lug whole, but am only mounting one near the balance point.
This will avoid any alignment issues. In my way of thinking, it is better to have one long lug than two that aren't in perfect alignment.
I have it glued on solidly. I wouldn't try this on anything bigger, but I really can't see how it won't work on rockets this size and smaller, but Murphy seems to love rocketry.
I suppose the safe thing would be to launch it before the club launch, to make sure nothing crazy happens.
Just wondering if anyone else has been crazy enough to try using just one lug?

 

[cwbullet]

I often do one longer launch lug or rail guide.

 

[rocketlabdelta]

A single launch lug is pretty common. I'm a big fan of rail guides and use them instead of launch lugs for almost everything.
https://rocketlabdelta.com/notes/rail-guides/You always have to use 2 (or more) button-style rail guides but you could get away with one, longer rail guide like the PML linear rail lug near the CG of the rocket if you really wanted to.
https://publicmissiles.com/product/hardware

 

[prfesser]

Most of Estes' rockets in the 60s-80s (or longer) had a single launch lug.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

If you use a single long lug, make it loose. A 5/16" ID for a 1/4" rod works well. This reduces the friction an prevents binding if the rod isn't perfectly straight.

 

[dhbarr]

I've been cutting my launch lugs in half, and mounting two halves instead of two whole lugs.
The lugs come ridiculously long. I could use the 1/4" for a shower curtain rod (slight exaggeration).
The longer they are, the more friction and the more critical it is to have perfect alignment.
Ideally, I think I'd have two eyebolts mounted like rail buttons.
On my latest rocket, which is a 34" BT-55, I've kept the 1/4" lug whole, but am only mounting one near the balance point.
This will avoid any alignment issues. In my way of thinking, it is better to have one long lug than two that aren't in perfect alignment.
I have it glued on solidly. I wouldn't try this on anything bigger, but I really can't see how it won't work on rockets this size and smaller, but Murphy seems to love rocketry.
I suppose the safe thing would be to launch it before the club launch, to make sure nothing crazy happens.
Just wondering if anyone else has been crazy enough to try using just one lug?

My TODO list, which is approximately infinitely long, includes remembering someday to try fishing rod guides.

 

[lakeroadster]

It all depends on the design.... form follows function. A 10" long rocket will have a different lug arrangement than a 4 ft long rocket.

I like to try to design the lug into the scheme of the rocket... thus making the lug look like a weapons pod, or adding two lugs for symmetry.