All great ideas for display stands, functional and inexpensive, especially if you have alot of rockets to display.

scigs30

Doyou want to display the interceptor or fly it?

You could have used the current hook and built a stand to accomidate it.

I'm cheap. I use scrap wood cut into squares or rectangles. I hit them on the belt sander and knock off the rough stuff but I don't worry about getting them perfect. I then cut a wedge out of a used motor so that the engine hook will settle in and not have to stay sprung out. I glue the spent motor to the wood block and I'm done. For special models that need an angled display, I've occasionally used a bigger base and cut the motors at an angle, but I've also recently bought a few Semroc/Centuri stands that look cool.

Thats fine, whatever works for you. One needs not spend alot on stands. Be creative and use available materials. Don't cosider yourself cheap, rather thrifty, and, that's perfectly fine.

Enjoy your rockets and I'm sure your family and friends appreciate your great work.

Have a great flting season.

I make my own from old windshield wiper blades .. unfortunately some blades have a really hard metal that resists bending ,but I have been able to make quite a few from the ones I have saved over the last couple years.

That's different.

You could also take a current engine hook and use a pair of diagonal cutters or other heavy duty cutter and cut the cyrly part off. Or, you can use a grinder and grind the extra material off.

Then, the cut/ground end you can put into the slit.
CAUTION

WHATEVER METHOD YOU USE, BE CAREFOL, USE EYE PROTECTION (SAFETY GLASSES OR GOGGLES) AND LEATHER GLOVES. PROTECT YOUR EYES AND OYHER BODT PARTS, SAFETY FIRST !!!!




















0

With any motor when using an ignitor plug, there's a chance of the plug fouling on the hook (clip) and causing the thrust to vector. So besides the hook protruding into the stream, I look to see whether the plug might get caught on the hook. I often cut a notch in the plug to clear the hook.

BTW, I suspect many unexplained unstable flights were due to hook/plug-vectored thrust.


Doug

Me, too, when I use them. Besides being more prone to interfering with the motor exhaust, as mentioned elsewhere in thread, these type hooks stick out too far aft making some rockets unable to stand on their own, and are especially prone to snagging on things at the pad. Besides the clothespins, there's a chance of catching one of the ignitor clips.

And if you've ever used a hook on an upper stage motor, the fancy bends are definitely in the way and must be removed.

Doug

In regards to the Estes "curly hooks", lets go back to the old days and old ways, so many problems would be eliminated.

And, as stated over and over again about the igniter plugs, lets use a little rolled up ball of wadding like originally, not only will it eliminate deflected thrust, but, elinates pollution, plugs everwhere.

You know the early years of the hobby weren't that terrible. We had our balsa and we didn't have to deal with RTF's and quality concerns. And, if we experienced a product problem, it was taken care of immediately.

And, we could visit our local hobby shop where, in most cases, they stocked parts (individual) and they didn't cost a fortune.

And, motors of all types were readily available in a large selection, not just a handful.

Agree?????

BMS carries regular length hooks, the longer hook for Estes E motors, and the shorter hook for 13mm motors.

__________________
Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp