Found Collection

Can any one help me figure out a way to make a launch pad that will launch
multiple rockets at the same time. Im sure someone has done this before. It
does not have to be fancy or high tech. I have been working with Cub scouts
groups in central Ohio and found that in big groups it may help ease some
boredom of "waiting  your turn" to launch if we can launch multiples. Also I
think the boys would like to have "grudge match" type launches and father
son rocket races, etc...

Any Ideas?

Hi, Mark;
  Go to www.nar.org  and check out their NARTS ( NAR Technical Services) files.
They offer several designs for launchers and controllers.
  Keep 'em flying, -Dave Stout-

A SawHorse is a good place to start, or a sawhorse look alike made of
PVC, make sure if you PVC you weight it.  If you want a quick sketch of
what I mean mail me.

Andrew Bronfein
Blackhawk R&D

Any good homecenter (Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.) has a nice galvanized stell
sawhorse that folds up for easy storage. These units cost less than $20 and
are very durable.
While your there pick up some large "L" brackets, some 1/4" bolts, some
wingnuts, and some wood (1" thick by 4" wide).

Cut a piece of wood so that you have a square. Drill a 1/4" hole through the
center and attach it to the "L" bracket with one of the bolts and wing nuts.
Drill a 1/8" hole in one side and a 3/16" hole in the other side. These
holes will be for the rod(s) to go into. Stick the rod that you need into
the proper hole and when you need the other size, simply pull out that rod,
spin the block around and use the other hole. Drill a 1/4" hole into the
sawhorse and mount the "L" bracket. For a blast deflector, use a clay
drainage tray, (like you would set a clay pot in). Just drill a hole in it
for the rod to go through.

--
--------->==============>
Greg Burke NAR #65584 Level 1
President -  Southern Area Rocketry (SoAR) #571
Event Director - NSL/ MWMSSM '99
Club site = www.SoAR571.com
Personal pages = www.mindspring.com/~soar571/

The truth will set you free, but first, it'll***you off!!
------------------------------->========================>

The state of Alabama has some nifty supports they use for when they
are mowing the right of ways......they have 4 legs, that fold out and
lock, into a very large footprint, then the base extends up on 4 heavy
springs, with a plate on top of that. They are adjustable for
inclines and uneven terrain, with just a wing nut. Made of square
steel tubing with a baked on powder finish paint....... and would very
easily fit into a decent sized car trunk.....I hate to ask the price
knowing what they usually pay, and as tempting as they look laying
along the roadways, the penalty would be to great  to pay.......but
they should make one fine heavy duty launch pad. Maybe I will check
one out again and  get the companies name that akes them and see what
they do cost!
foxeye

Whereabouts in central Ohio?  Our club, the Columbus Society for the
Advancement of Rocketry, NAR section 113, has a multi-rod launch pad.  You can
set up 8 rockets, although they can only be launched individually.  The
controller hooks up to the pad via a "cannon plug" arrangement, with the clips
attached to individual hookups on the pad.

For simultaneous launches, we usually just hook up our own controllers to the
rockets and everybody pushes their own button at the same time.  We also use
the pad for scout launches.  Call Larry Rice at (614) 235-1339 and tell him you
got his number from me to ask about possibly letting you use it.  We might even
be able to help out with your scout launches.

Email me if you have any questions.

John O'Donnell  NAR 60742  Sr. L2  CSAR Sec 113
Visit my web page at http://members.aol.com/Jon3854/index.html

"The last man to leave here was never heard from again, he won't be back this
way 'til 2010" - Planet P

Just finished my LOC IV modified for level 1 and need recommendations
for a good launch pad for it.  My "mantis" from aerotech just isnt beefy
enough to handle the weight (finished weight 31 oz).  I have looked at
the Vaughn pad and am impressed with it as I am planning on launching
larger rockets in the future.  I have also checked into scratch building
one and dont see this as too dificult a project.  

Any suggentions?

On a side note, I changed the aluminum rod in the aerotech pad to a
stainless one.  The stainless is much stiffer than the stock aluminum.
Call around to local metal shops to see what you can find.  A 12' length
of 1/4" round stainless only costs $2.78 and some of the shops will even
trim it to length for you for a minimal fee.  Well worth it for the
extra stiffness.

Dan Loegering
NAR in the mail...

Mark,

Not a good idea!  There are a number of problems here:

1) Confusion over who tracks what in the air.

2) Potential mid-air collision.  Keep in mind if one rocket knocks another
one off course badly enough or dislodges a fin you have an unstable bird
coming down fast.

3) Teach the boys safety first and a safe flight is one where everyone is
watching the same bird.  Remember a typical 2 stage rocket with C engines
will hit a max velocity of Mach .5.

4) Get more boys involved in doing the other chores at the launch site.
Have some track altitude.  Appoint a range safety officer.

5) Potential ground collisions.  Ever see two kids run to catch the same fly
ball?  Now have 2 or more kids trying to catch two converging rockets on
streamers.  Ouch.

OK - 'nough preaching.

BZ

Absoultely, strongly, adamantly disagree in the strongest possible
terms.

On the contrary, it is a VERY good idea.

At a recent UROC launch there were a couple of girls who liked flying
their Alpha's separately, but when they found out they could launch them
together--

<Gasp> Wee can doo that? <12 year old girl squeals>

Launch after launch and the girls were hooked (they burned up 16 A8-3's
between them)!  For some young girls being able to launch at the same
time is important because it is a 'together' thing.  For some young boys
it's a drag race sort of thing.  In any case the kids love it.  So do
the ***s.

Easily solved: "Kids, watch your own rocket".  Also this is best done
with A or B motors so they don't go too high.

I've seen dozens of drag race launches without a single collision.  I
think the chances of it happening vanishingly small.

Safety is important, but our safety rules exist to keep things safe
*when* things go wrong.  If the rockets flew perfectly every time you
could stand right next to the rocket and launch it with impunity.
Minimum launch distance, minimum launch site, audible five count, light
weight materials, all of it is designed to keep things safe when things
go wrong.

Let the boys and girls experiment.  Let them fail.  Tell them that it is
more useful and honorable to try and fail than to not try at all.

"A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are for." -- Admiral
Grace Hopper

These are all good things too.  No need to have one exclude the other.

Two, three or more boys and/or girls fall down and start laughing.
Maybe one of them starts crying.  *** comforts child.  Child gets over
it and won't even remember that it happened the next day.
--
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"Cal quarterback, Joe Kapp, used to call audibles that were just
 obscenities directed at the other team. I liked that." -- Greg Ennis
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