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  #1  
Old 08-29-2020, 07:30 PM
dholvrsn dholvrsn is offline
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Default "perigee" glider hooks

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  #2  
Old 08-29-2020, 09:26 PM
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Ez2cDave Ez2cDave is offline
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Originally Posted by dholvrsn


Nice Xerclod !

Dave F.
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  #3  
Old 10-04-2020, 04:40 PM
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georgegassaway georgegassaway is offline
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FWIW - I invented the Apogee Universal Pod Hook, around 1993 when Ed LaCroix owned it, for the Maxima Boost Glider kits.

I recalled at NARAM in 1992, when an A Div flier had a Shecter glider kit, using telescoping brass tubing for hooks, which jammed both flights and Red Baroned (pod stayed on). I wanted to come up with some hook design for the Apogee kit that would not need any assembly, that would work consistently. So consistently, that any glider could use any pod.

I originally had a twin hook design that had two totally different hook pairs. One had two hooks sticking out, and one had two slots. It worked, but it occurred to me later to make them universal, just one master part with both a hook and a slot.
And I designed them so it was practical to cast them using RTV molds and fast-curing casting resin.

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  #4  
Old 10-04-2020, 09:37 PM
Green Dragon Green Dragon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by georgegassaway
FWIW - I invented the Apogee Universal Pod Hook, around 1993 when Ed LaCroix owned it, for the Maxima Boost Glider kits.

I recalled at NARAM in 1992, when an A Div flier had a Shecter glider kit, using telescoping brass tubing for hooks, which jammed both flights and Red Baroned (pod stayed on). I wanted to come up with some hook design for the Apogee kit that would not need any assembly, that would work consistently. So consistently, that any glider could use any pod.

I originally had a twin hook design that had two totally different hook pairs. One had two hooks sticking out, and one had two slots. It worked, but it occurred to me later to make them universal, just one master part with both a hook and a slot.
And I designed them so it was practical to cast them using RTV molds and fast-curing casting resin.




Interesting tidbit that you designed those - and a great design.

I still have a few sets of those in the box, and some one gliders - the unused ones have warped horribly, ones glued to pods ( not sure I have any B/Gs with them anymore, seem ok when glued fast.

Although I'm a dedicated 'power freak' ( now maybe mid-power freak, lol ), and sport flyer.. sad the competition has mostly died off, lots of good times and memories and learned lots.
Would do a lot of fliers good to compete,vs " rush right tot he largest fiberglass beast we can " .
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  #5  
Old 10-05-2020, 07:25 PM
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Ez2cDave Ez2cDave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Green Dragon
Would do a lot of fliers good to compete,vs " rush right tot he largest fiberglass beast we can " .


Agreed . . . Competition is much more challenging than Sport Flying, whether LPR, MPR, or HPR !

I'm glad that George posted his B/G hooks . . . I actually thought that he had invented them in the late 1980's, rather than the early 1990's. 27 years and nothing better has been invented.

Dave F.
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  #6  
Old 10-06-2020, 12:40 AM
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georgegassaway georgegassaway is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ez2cDave
I'm glad that George posted his B/G hooks . . . I actually thought that he had invented them in the late 1980's, rather than the early 1990's. 27 years and nothing better has been invented.

Well, actually, something better has been invented. One drawback to the Apogee universal hook, and true of any "Xerclod" glider hook, is that the glider can pry off due to wind, usually on the pad.

When I started flying 2-channel R/C B/G's in summer 1980, I used very long pop-pods, and the pods sometime pried off during boost when I made an elecator correction. I came up with what I called "L" hooks, a pair of interlocking hooks that could not pry off, at all. The hook had to move backawards aobut 1/4" or so to become detached. But those were made out of plywood, a bit of a hassle ot build, and some other issues, so I only did those for some early 1980's R/C B/G's. before I moved on to R/C R/G's. The drawings below do not show the 1980 plywood design, but the 1990's and onwards cast version.




But once I got into casting parts for scale models like Little Joe-II, I looked at casting other kinds of parts. The Apogee universal hook was the first cast hook I did. And it worked pretty well. But had the same sort of prying issue.

And in 1996, I was working up some B pwoered gliders for the world championships, to use 10mm B2 motors. I wanted to do a hook design that was lighter, smaller, and would not pry off. So I dusted off the 1980 "L Hook" idea, and made some prototypes. They worked well, and I shared them with US team members who wanted ot use them. Thru the years, I've sold them on and off. Currnetly not for sale, as the RTV molds are torn (only last a few dozen castings).

Also, I did an R&D report for my team , about the L Hooks and Spooler Pop-Pods, which combined solve all sorts of problems with pop-pods for B/G's. Here's a link on my website aobut the R&D report, various photos and drawings, and a link to a PDF of the actual report: http://georgesrockets.com/GRP/RandD/Spooler.htm

Some photos:
Pod portion at top, without one of the side halves (I cast three parts, a left and right half for the pod, and the glider hook itself)


Photo of several in various stages:


Being used with an actual glider and pod.


A flock of B/G's of various sizes, with spooler pods using L Hooks. The pod at top was a BT-55 Spooler Pod with a very large cast L Hook set, for staged D12 power on a "trainer" R/C B/G. Except for the BT-55 pod, all the pods in that photo that had hooks, would fit any of the gliders in any combination due to the same hook design cast from the same master parts set.
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  #7  
Old 10-06-2020, 12:49 AM
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Ez2cDave Ez2cDave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by georgegassaway
Well, actually, something better has been invented. One drawback to the Apogee universal hook, and true of any "Xerclod" glider hook, is that the glider can pry off due to wind, usually on the pad.

When I started flying 2-channel R/C B/G's in summer 1980, I used very long pop-pods, and the pods sometime pried off during boost when I made an elecator correction. I came up with what I called "L" hooks, a pair of interlocking hooks that could not pry off, at all. The hook had to move backawards aobut 1/4" or so to become detached. But those were made out of plywood, a bit of a hassle ot build, and some other issues, so I only did those for some early 1980's R/C B/G's. before I moved on to R/C R/G's. The drawings below do not show the 1980 plywood design, but the 1990's and onwards cast version.


But once I got into casting parts for scale models like Little Joe-II, I looked at casting other kinds of parts. The Apogee universal hook was the first cast hook I did. And it worked pretty well. But had the same sort of prying issue.

And in 1996, I was working up some B pwoered gliders for the world championships, to use 10mm B2 motors. I wanted to do a hook design that was lighter, smaller, and would not pry off. So I dusted off the 1980 "L Hook" idea, and made some prototypes. They worked well, and I shared them with US team members who wanted ot use them. Thru the years, I've sold them on and off. Currnetly not for sale, as the RTV molds are torn (only last a few dozen castings).

Also, I did an R&D report for my team , about the L Hooks and Spooler Pop-Pods, which combined solve all sorts of problems with pop-pods for B/G's. Here's a link on my website aobut the R&D report, various photos and drawings, and a link to a PDF of the actual report: http://georgesrockets.com/GRP/RandD/Spooler.htm




George,

Would your "L-Hook" design lend itself to 3-D printing, or would it be "fragile", due to the materials in use ?

Dave F.
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  #8  
Old 10-06-2020, 07:26 AM
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I've used your hooks in a bunch of different BG's and they're fantastic. Easy enough to make on your own once you've learned how to make a mold and cast parts.

"Gassaway L-Hooks: Bunny approved!"
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  #9  
Old 10-06-2020, 08:16 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ez2cDave
Agreed . . . Competition is much more challenging than Sport Flying, whether LPR, MPR, or HPR !
Some of us sport fliers have to do spot landings for every launch or else we come home empty handed, so I disagree.
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  #10  
Old 10-06-2020, 11:27 AM
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georgegassaway georgegassaway is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ez2cDave
George,
Would your "L-Hook" design lend itself to 3-D printing, or would it be "fragile", due to the materials in use ?

I'm working on it. Need to solve an issue with my printer and get back to them. If things go well, I'll start selling 3D printed hook sets. Here's some test prints. The orange hook, for a pod, is made of two 3D printed halves glued together. Not practical enough to print that in one piece. I will probably print all the hooks using orange filament.



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