Launch Rail?
 

Comrades:

Any idea who sells a Launch Rail?

Maybe 48"?

On-Line Vendor?

And rail buttons?

I bought 8020 extrusions from McMaster Carr. There's a distribution center close to me, and it's convenient just to buy from them.

Rail-buttons.com sells some rails. You could also try the 8020 store on Amazon.
-W

Got mine from Grainger. If there's a local Grainger near you they'll also ship for free to that location, and you pick it up. Saves big on shipping, especially here to Hawaii.
Here's a 6 ft. example:https://www.grainger.com/product/80...xtrusion-29NZ64

I have a soft spot for the Madcow rail buttons that Apogee sells. I am always paranoid that a screw alone will pull out of the airframe, especially with cardboard or the newer thin wall fiberglass. These solve that. After a few uses rail buttons can get a bit scrubbed out. These are also easy to change over without needing to glue anything again.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Build...3 l4og6ojqhde4

Thanks guys,

I do have a Grainger nearby. I'll check it out tomorrow.

I haven't talked to Martin Dorociak in a long time but X-Rockets still appears to be in buisness and sells 80/20 launch rail kits visit: http://www.x-rockets.com/launchrails.html

I now 3D print my own Nylon rail buttons :
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1493679
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3067689

Several TARC teams in the area have gotten their six footers here: https://www.sustainablesupply.com/8...010-72-C1552409

It's a little more expensive this year than last but it's still a killer deal including free shipping.

I second the suggestion of rail-buttons.com.

Mark,

For low power, I use the MakerBeam 10mm rail. Micro buttons fit this rail. It is available from Amazon in 900mm and 1500mm, in black or clear anodize. The 1500mm 2-pack is $29. I have the 900 in black, I just got the 1500 in clear.

MakerBeam 1500mm beam clear anodised (pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZNCCB...i_rRxmCbMP494FX

For mid-sized, and some larger low power, like BT-60, I go with mini buttons and use the 80/20 20mm rail, also available from Amazon. I’m planning to get the 2440mm rail listed below. It’s $32 shipped. I currently have a 1220mm (4’) rail, but need longer. For comparison, a 1010 rail is 1”, or about 25mm, so a 20mm rail is just a little smaller. But for midsized rockets, I think it just looks better than 1010 rail buttons.

https://www.amazon.com/80-20-20-202...%2F20+20mm+2440

The rail buttons are available from rail-buttons.com. Here is a picture of both micro and mini buttons, next to my black MakerBeam, and clear 20mm rail. For comparison, a 1/8” lug is shown. Micro buttons are tiny! As a test I flew my BT-80 Estes V-2 using micros. Worked fine.

The other picture is my Super Orbital Transport at NSL-2017, on my JawStand pad, with a friend’s 80/20 20mm, 2440mm (8’) long rail.

Also, you can get trapezoidal shaped “T” nuts that slip into the rail slots for mounting accessories like ducts, standoff, or attaching rail to pad.

For my 900mm MakerBeam, I epoxied base of it into a piece of brass tubing, fitted a lathe-turned dowel plug in the bottom, and bored a hole in dowel for a short piece of 3/16” rod. Then I can plug it into any stand, useful at club launches if I do not take my JawStand.

Final note. The exhaust duct is from Lowe’s. Who knew they carried model rocketry accessories? I’ve heard Home Depot also has them. :)

Hey, Lee.....have you had any binding issues with the micro buttons/rail? I tried them when they were first available and was disappointed because of the binding - and haven't tried them again. The shank that rides in the groove is long enough that the flanges don't keep it from angling and binding. So unless the rocket is hanging directly downwind (so that the wind keeps the buttons perpendicular to the plane of the rail face) performance really suffers. Or at least that was my experience. Your picture suggests that is still the case just from the proportions.

Bernard,

You may have jumped in on the micros before me. I seem to remember Randy Millikan saying the parts were tweaked on size. I have not had binding issues, but it may be due to me cutting down the spacer a bit, since it is a little wobbly. Not really a problem, I found a simple, and consistent way to do it. I bored a small hole in one of my aluminum rulers. I press the spacer in, and slice the top off with a razor blade or X-acto.

Shown are sizes of drill I used. Also, I bought some Plastruct I-beam (H-beam, maybe?) that fits MakerBeam rail nicely. I have not tried it on a model yet. I’ll get it out and post the Plastruct p/n.