Stainless Steel Launch Rods FS

B. Martin wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

No, thanks. I have a few, and they are flexible like crazy. What good is a rod that won't rust if it bends over in the breeze?

1/8" x 3 foot and 1/4" x 4 foot and 1/2" x 6 foot are standard sizes that have worked fine for decades. Get those three sizes.

Tell the hawkers of SS rods to offer those as stock sizes for "rocketeers".

Jerry

Sorry, Jerry -- gotta part with you on this one, man. I have stainless 1/8,

3/16, and 1/4 inch rods, all four feet. I cut them down from six feet since they would sway on the pad under their own weight, forgetting about the mass and wind load of the rocket. The 1/4" rod is okay at four feet, but no more. And when I want to launch some medium power thing that is more than a pound or two I go to a stiff aluminum rod.

Is it possible that there are different hardness (read, stiffness) levels for stainless? There must be, otherwise why would my stainless S&W handguns hold up to .357 and .44 Magnum charges? Can we get rods fabricated from the same stuff?

You make a good point. Most of the rods I use are cold rolled steel and I keep 320 grit sandpaper in the range box along with WD-40.

But the rods in all consumer products we sell are two piece stainless (don't remember which grade) but they are threaded on the ends to screw together so the machining operation probably drove that material selection a bit.

I am not saying necessarily get stainless steel. I suggested shorter lengths than Shecter and others suggested to offset the rod whip issue.

1/8x36, 1/4x48, 1/2x72" for example.

But cold rolled is both stiffer and cheaper and is what I use on a regular basis.

Jerry

I use nothing but Stainless rods. They are no more or less flexible than plain rusty steel.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

NEVER use an aluminum launch rod. Never.

Stainless IS more flexible than cold rolled steel. It whips.

-Fred Shecter NAR 20117

-- ""Remove "zorch" from address (2 places) to reply.

And don't forget that there is one solution for those heavy models:

-- ""Remove "zorch" from address (2 places) to reply.

But not recommended by Estes :) They recommend 1/8" aluminum :)

I live imperfectly.

Next launch, Bob, take a look at my kit. I bring the two piece Estes 3.5' aluminum rod along with the stainless 4' rod. When I need to fly something heavy like the AQM-37A I use the aluminum rod. It is stiffer. You can test the flex out for yourself.

This should be in the FAQ.

tah

Actually, Estes has not used aluminum in years for the 1/8 rods, but did use aluminum for the 1/4 3 piece rods. They now use a VERY stiff steel rod with a shiny plating on the outside. These new rods started to show up when they switched to China. They are also a bit shorter (possibly 30 inches...).

-Fred Shecter NAR 20117

-- ""Remove "zorch" from address (2 places) to reply.

Why? It is a truism.