Nostalgia Time: Looking for info about launch pad

Centuri Power Pad. I think I have one somewhere in storage, but I'm afraid I don't have a photo available.

David Erbas-White

snipped-for-privacy@us.nomura.com wrote:

Try this for a picture. Centuri and estes catalogs that go waaay back.

Bill,

Didn't you say the other day (perhaps on another forum) that you had one of these but the terminals didn't line up with the battery you had? Looking at the pic, the PowrPad calls for a 6V lantern battery. But all the batteries I've seen in that form factor have always been 12V.

EG,

All the 6V lantern batteries I'm used to seeing have square tops (2.6"x2.6"x4"). From the Centuri page, there were apparently 6V batteries in that larger size as well. I'm wondering if maybe they were manufactured with the terminals in slightly different positions to keep folks from inadvertently connecting the wrong voltage (although using

12V is usually an improvement in rocket launchers).

Is that it? You think that's why your battery won't mate with your launcher?

Doug

Here's what I found after Googling for a while:

It's an ANSI or NEDA 918, also known as an IEC 4R25-2 (The -2 is very important.)

Vendor in the UK has them:

HTH. Doug

Here, I found the mechanical drawings on the web.

(12V) (6V)

About 10mm (.4") of difference in the terminal spacing, but the batteries are otherwise very close dimensionally.

Doug

Looks like that's what I'm up against. The 6V dimensions look to be perfect. I dug the launcher and battery out last night, but I haven't had time to look it over except to notice that it's an Eveready battery. I'll take some pics and post them at YORF later this week.

Hi, Bill,

Here's another source, this one in the States. Bill Richardson sent it to me:

It looks to be just right.

Doug

I got 6v batteries for my five Powr-Pads from Batteries Plus. I had to paint them red and white to look right but they are the exact dimensions for the launcher.

The Powr-Pads were a gift from the wife. Bless her.

Chuck W Sharc, NAR Section 613

Sharc, the section where two out of three certification flights always work just fine!

WoW. That's it! I can't believe it's been almost 30 years since I've launched a bunch of rockets that pad. I was speaking to my brother this past weekend, and I mentioned that I think it would be fun to launch a couple of rockets for the sake of some nostalgia. He thinks he might actually still have my Centuri Powr Pad along with some of my rockets, including some of my favorites, the Centuri SST Shuttle, Estes Andromeda and Nilke-X. I found the rockets FAQ and it made for some interesting reading. From what I seem to recall, a lot has changed. The mid-power and high-power rocketry seems very fascinating. Lots of interesting companies with web presence also, like LOC-Precision, Launch Pad, Public Missle, etc. All very cool. I think I'm going to order one of these mid-power scale rocket kits and give it a whirl. Now, doing a little research on the web, it seems as though a number of people just make their own launch pad using a camera tripod and a keyless drill chuck. Not that I really need it, but I've seen reference to an old article called Tripod Mount Launch Pad" design in "Sport Rocketry" (p. 20). by Bruce Levison. Would anyone have a link to where I could find and read that article?

Thanks

brett

Tripods have a notoriously high center of gravity and will tip over in a breeze or if there is side load (like when the rocket 'twangs" the rod).

You are much better off with a low center of gravity launch pad made from wood boards or PVC pipe.

Use a large blast deflector. Large ceramic tile is great. Cheap and easy to replace if it cracks.

-Fred Shecter NAR 20117

You should find a tripod that's older than you. That's what I used to use for my tower until someone broke the pan head at NARAM-21. It was solid enough to hold a 3' tower horizontally without tipping over. They don't make them like that any more.