Buttons or Lugs?

Greets. I'm in the process of building my first largish rocket (29mm) and am a bit on the horns of a dilema. I fully realize that this may be a religious discussion, but I need to know whether I should get some rail buttons (and if so, what kind) or just go ahead and use the LOC lugs I already have.

I live in an area where there are no rocketry associations, so I'll be trying to worm my way into the good graces of KCAR or SLAR for a launch anyway :) . Anyone have a reading on the average club? Is everyone using rails?

Anyway, give a look and send me some feedback

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the Sirius project. Thanks!

Reply to
Tanstaafl32
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KCAR has a small rail, and you're welcome to join us any time. Not sure where you live, but there is an active club in Columbia Missouri, too.

Rick NAR 85751 Kansas City Association of Rocketry -

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Reply to
Rick

Thanks for the reply and the feedback. I'm in Springfield, btw.

Any particular place that you regularly get the buttons? I've never used them before--are they sized in any way (particularly to fit KCAR's rail)?

Reply to
Tanstaafl32

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Reply to
Kurt

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Do you live near the Simpsons? 8-)

Reply to
Phil Stein

"Tanstaafl32" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

I guess someone should mention that the rail is a standard aluminum extrusion available from McMaster-Carr,in varying lengths. (If you want to make your own launch pad.)

Reply to
Jim Yanik

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Springfield, huh? Your closest launch site is probably Tripoli Prefecture #101 (Tripoli Mo-Kan)High Power Rocketry for Southeast Kansas & Southwest Missouri. Their launch site is over by Pittsburg, KS.

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prefect lives here in Kansas City and was very helpful when I asked for some HPR help.

Rick

tanstaafl - a Heinlein reference?

Reply to
Rick

One option I've not seen mentioned is Buttons AND lugs. (a bit more drag, but also a bit more flexible)

If you're using club pads, there might be times you can get rail sooner than a rod, but for your private launches, you might only have a rod.for example.

I'll tell you though, that once I started using rails, I never used anything else on birds larger than BP size, and added buttons to those birds that had LL's.

With a rail, there will be absolutely no "rod whip".

Reply to
AZWoody

Long ago I learned to NEVER believe absolutes. OK, almost never :-)

A rail is a heck of a lot stiffer than a rod. There will be a lot less whip using a rail than a rod. But unless both the rail and the pad it's mounted in are infinitely stiff and strong, there can still be some. You might not be able to detect it, but it WILL be there.

It's true of skyscrapers as well. The John Hancock building here in The Windy City sways as much as 18" at the top.

Reply to
Bob Kaplow

Next door. :)

Reply to
Tanstaafl32

Naturally, with the whole Springfield thing.

Reply to
Tanstaafl32

...and there was me thinking it might stand for:

There Aint No Such Thing As A Free LAUNCH

Gravity is a harsh mistress, after all ;)

Cheers,

Greebo

P.S. I've got most of the RAH books, but what's the Spr> Rick wrote:

Reply to
Greebo

The problem with buttons, is that there are several rail sizes. You gotta have the buttons to fit. In our club, we have many different size rails and rods, just pick your on the way out to the pad.

Can't say I've seen a 3/8" or 1/2" rod whip much.

Reply to
Wayne Johnson

It absolutely stands for No Free Lunch.

However, RAH was born about 2 hours north in Butler. When Starman Jones ran away from home, he actually travelled towards Springfield - which was a major railroad hub back in the 40's and 50's. I used to hang around with a girl that was supposedly a grand niece or some such.

Odd thing, the fellow in the next cube is from Butler and knows all about RAH even though he claims to have never fully read ANY book, sci-fi or otherwise.

Now then, your quote seem to be a combination of the title of the TANSTAAFL book (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress) and a line from the best cartoon ever made, The Tick. Kudos!

Greebo wrote:

Reply to
Tanstaafl32

Do you live on Evergreen Tarrace by any chance?

Reply to
tai fu

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