Side Deploy Video

Discussion about deployment systems including altimeters, timers, air speed flaps, servo systems, and chemical reactions.
Billkuhl53
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Side Deploy Video

Post by Billkuhl53 »

I created a very short video of a launch of my side deploy rocket, it has been working consistently launch after launch.

[youtube][/youtube]


Bill Kuhl
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Re: Side Deploy Video

Post by WRA2 »

Looks good. A reliable deploy system is the biggest challenge in water rocketry and you have achieved one.

TH: for sharing the video PH:
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Billkuhl53
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Re: Side Deploy Video

Post by Billkuhl53 »

The system I came up with is much like others I have seen on the Internet. It is not as clean as the plunger push the nose off system I was trying before. I have also built the rocket so it will survive most crashes, another big plus. Next I would like to try this system in a smaller rocket, that is based on a samller bottle.
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U.S. Water Rockets1
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Re: Side Deploy Video

Post by U.S. Water Rockets1 »

Billkuhl53 wrote:The system I came up with is much like others I have seen on the Internet. It is not as clean as the plunger push the nose off system I was trying before. I have also built the rocket so it will survive most crashes, another big plus. Next I would like to try this system in a smaller rocket, that is based on a samller bottle.
We prefer to use a system which pushes the nose off because the type using a door does not withstand the wind speeds at the velocity our rocket achieves. The doors usually let air in and that blows the door off and/or creates a lot of drag. The problem with nose pushers is that you need to add extra length to the rocket to make room for the pusher mechanism. If the door could be made sturdy enough to stay sealed, then we could make our rocket shorter and lighter.
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Billkuhl53
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Re: Side Deploy Video

Post by Billkuhl53 »

If I could make the push-off nose work reliably, I would prefer that method. A longer push-off stroke might have helped.
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Re: Side Deploy Video

Post by Spaceman Spiff »

Billkuhl53 wrote:If I could make the push-off nose work reliably, I would prefer that method. A longer push-off stroke might have helped.
The problem I had was that I could not find a spring that would expand enough that had enough strength to push the nose off. I had found some springs that could compress to 10% of their relaxed size but they were too wimpy to push off the nose. A while later I found some stronger ones that were too powerful and I couldn't make them compress without breaking the servo latch. I had to settle for a longer spring that I could compress less but get the same stroke.
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Re: Side Deploy Video

Post by U.S. Water Rockets1 »

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
Billkuhl53 wrote:If I could make the push-off nose work reliably, I would prefer that method. A longer push-off stroke might have helped.
The problem I had was that I could not find a spring that would expand enough that had enough strength to push the nose off. I had found some springs that could compress to 10% of their relaxed size but they were too wimpy to push off the nose. A while later I found some stronger ones that were too powerful and I couldn't make them compress without breaking the servo latch. I had to settle for a longer spring that I could compress less but get the same stroke.
Try using a ring of evenly spaced rubber bands around the perimeter of the plunger. You can add or subtract rubber bands until you get the right tension.
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