Launch Rod Material

A steel rod would be enough. You want something that will flex as little as possible. They're only a couple bucks if you get them at Home Depot, and can easily be cleaned.

Why are you considering carbon-fiber?

No real reason, other than I already have a 48" long 1/8" rod. It seems less flexible than an aluminum rod; and I assume it is easier to care for than a steel rod (no rust). And I was intrigued by the passage in "the handbook" about tests showing that an aluminum rod actually whips less than a comparable steel rod.

Al rods are the worst case...Even if you consider a 1/4" rod.. You want "as stiff as possible".

If you don't want rust, use stainless steel (a slight bit more expensive). However, rust isn't really the problem! (many times). It's the gunk that will build up due to motor exhaust. Being able to run sandpaper or steel wool on the rod to clean it in the field is a good thing. In fact, cleaning the rod before a day of launching (reguardless of the material) is a good idea.

And I was intrigued by the passage in "the

From years of flying, I can't agree, unless the rod is made of very cheap steel! You ever seen flights off the AT (RCS) "Mantis" pad with the AL rods? A few bucks at HD will get you a steel rod...

Remember the "handbook" also says no EX motors, but fails to mention that in the early days, Stine was flying "EX" motors!

Are you going for the Cool Factor?

Wouldn't the CF rods be the stiffest you could get?..... I assume.... Could the motor exhaust, although only applied for a fraction of a sec., start eroding / degrading the epoxy in the rod? Over time I mean.....?

I got some new Grade 5 Titanium rods in 1/8 & 3/16 dia. in 6ft lengths.....Over-kill I know....:-) In the last month I've gone thru 2 steel rods......I always leave them out-side and they rust!!! I was forever sanding them clean.......even then I wouldn't get it all and I'd have a rust coloured streak down the rocket after launch.....

I thought the Ti rods would be easy maintenance.........The opposite occurred. I find myself 'REALLY' looking after them....Funny that.... :-)

The 1/8 rod is a little wobbly at 6ft but it worked great the other day. I wouldn't like to use it with high winds. 4ft would be better.

The 3/16 rod has a VERY small wobble at 6ft but it's pretty stiff.

Simple solution... It's called a length of PVC pipe with caps... Store the rods inside the tube, and then store it outside! (another HD expense - maybe $2-3!)

Are you serious? a 6' 1/8" rod? For modrocs, if you need more than a 3' rod, it shouldn't be 1/8"! If you find some reason you need a 6' rod, think

1/4"!

If you need a 6' rod, it should be larger than 3/16, unless you like watching rod wip.

Hey, my 10' rail is made of al, but it's also a rail! (Std rail buttons), and the biggest bird I've flown off it was ~ 75 pounds. I'm speaking from "a longer rod is not a good thing" knowledge. The 10' rail (or even my 3 or

5 foot rail) has zero wobble!

Have you all ever seen a launch rail?

That's right! I don't need 6ft lengths!!! I ordered both rods in a 4ft length dude! They sent me them in 6ft. I'll consider that to be good business.......I'm not willing to cut them to

4ft yet so 6ft it is!!!

I have a 8ft Standard Rail from BlackSky and it's used with a Impulse Aerospace Quad-Pod. Why would I launch an 18mm, foot long rocket from it???

For a launch rod, steel is a superior technology. It is cheap, stiff, widely available and replaceable. Demonstrated in VERY long term usage and storage (I have a rod almost 40 years old).

Probably the only improvement over a steel rod is a rail or tower which are stiffer, or a piston, which imparts net velocity.

Jerry

1/8x2-3' 3/16x3-4' 1/4x4-5' 3/8x5-6' 1/2x6-7'

Jerry

Tell stories. They are always enlightening.

I got rid of my Mantis almost as soon as one fell into my hands. What a piece of crap. That thing had more moves on lift off than Michael Jackson back in his thriller days. The real fun came in trying to determine just where in the hell that rocket would be heading when it finally came off the rod.

In article snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com, Jerry Irvine at snipped-for-privacy@gte.net wrote on 4/30/05 6:51 AM:

Here's some.

Click on "Hobbyshop Video".

Gary

**

That is a nice video.

Several aspects I particularly like.

Dissolve and animated graphics. God bless MacOS.

Fast paced music.

Very good launch audio but it still sounds "unrealistic and tinny".

Variety of propellant styles is well visible.

The time compress build is truly sweet. "Consumer interaction".

Areas for improvement

HD everything. DVD.

** Sandbags on the Mantis pad. After market report INCLUDED IN PAD BOX.

** Change out the Mantis pad rod for steel. After market report INCLUDED IN PAD BOX.

In production if you are married to AL, double its diameter and go with

7075. Change out the launch lug parts in kits. Bigger lugs still work with smaller rods.

Offer a rail guide specific to your kit slot. Rail too.

You need a 3 min version of the video for trade shows.

Last I checked you never did a powered landing yet.

Jerry

"Or, using Jerry's suggestion, you have an "infinite" number of choices."

- Gary/RCS

I actually use a three foot K&M brass tube (1/8" OD, 3/32" ID) and put a piece of 3/32" piano wire inside it. It flexes a little, but not too much. Very easy to clean and maintain. It resists the corrosive effects of sulfuric acid (residue from AP engines) better than straight carbon steel.

I also have a four foot 1/8" stainless rod, but it sways all over the place. I don't know what type of stainless it is, but it sure isn't the same stuff that my stainless firearms are made from. Test anything you arre thinking of using to see how much whip it has.

When the heavy beat started I was expecting Gary to pop in and start doing some disco. 8-)

At least you were never bored with it. ; )

Randy

In article snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Phil Stein at snipped-for-privacy@ArielSystems.spamsks.net wrote on 4/30/05 12:34 PM:

Brent McNeely composed the audio.

The original soundtrack was "High Roller" by The Crystal Method, but we couldn't afford to pay the license fee...

Gary

In article snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com, Jerry Irvine at snipped-for-privacy@gte.net wrote on 4/30/05 10:33 AM:

Brian did the editing. He does TV commercials now.

High compression required for slow connections resulted in some pixelation and compromised audio.

Sounds good. Maybe I'll get an HD camera for my birthday this year.

Already available.

Sand included!

We tried it actually. No noticeable improvement.

Got it.

True.

Enhanced consumer interaction.

Gary

what EX motors did stine fly?

the rock-a-chutes ?

by early- mid 1958 the rock-a-chutes had already been tested by BOE and given the title ICC toy propellant device....

shockie B)