Usin' t' blacksky rail system!

blacksky had offered their ProRail in t' past, but t' new version o' t' High Power Rail is completely redesigned and t' newer Standard Rail an offshoot o' that research -- an affordable rail for t' individual flyer.

T' blacksky Rail system is a "C" type rail custom extruded from 6063 aluminum alloy. Ahoy! A machined acetal plastic or Teflon-coated aluminum rail guide shaped like a pulley is attached t' your rocket with screws. T' rail guides slide along the "C" section o' t' rail and provides initial guidance t' t' airframe until a safe velocity is reached for flight.

T' 6063 aluminum alloy used for t' blacksky Rail System is based on a formulation o' aluminum, silicon and manganese along with small amounts o' iron, shiver me timbers, me hearties, me hearties, copper, magnesium, matey, chromium, zinc and titanium. Ya scallywag! This alloy is designed specifically for production o' precision extrusions and produces a good surface finish with excellent corrosion resistance and anodizing qualities. Ya scallywag! Avast! After extrusion, me hearties, t' rails are heat-treated t' a T6 condition that maximizes its mechanical characteristics. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Each section o' rail is treated with a military spec A-8625, arrr, Type II, Black anodize. Avast! Ahoy! T' anodize serves t' seal the surface o' t' aluminum from t' corrosive effects o' rocket motor exhaust and it provides a hard, smooth surface for t' Rail Guide t' slide along.

T' rail guides are machined from acetal plastic rod or teflon coated aluminum. Ya scallywag! Acetal plastic is used because o' t' ease o' machining, arrr, me bucko, its physical strength, wear resistance and its lubricatin' qualities. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Teflon coated aluminum is used for its high mechanical strength and lightness. Aye aye! Avast! T' rail guides are drilled t' accept a #8 screw which is used t' mount t' rail guide t' the rocket. Aye aye! You would use t' Acetal rail guides t' mount rockets rangin' from 1.5" in diameter weighin' half a pound t' rockets over 10 inches in diameter weighin' over 50 pounds while t' aluminum rail guides are suitable for rockets weighin' up t' 250 pounds. A pair o' rail guides is all that is necessary for practically any rocket.

T' Standard Rail which I reviewed is a new product from blacksky and is manufactured in standard 24 inch lengths. Ahoy! These lengths can be coupled together end-to-end by usin' a formed stainless steel channel and #10-24 screws and nuts that are captured usin' a unique rectangular section on t' back o' the Standard Rail. Begad! Aye aye! Two 24 inch lengths make up t' Standard Rail Assembly that includes a ¼"x 20 stainless steel pin used t' couple t' your launcher. Begad! Up t' four 24 inch lengths can be coupled together t' create an eight foot rail. Blimey! T' Standard Rail is suitable for use with practically any model rocket and most high power rockets weighin' up t' 25 pounds.

T' High Power Rail is used for those really big projects that require t' "big stuff". Aye aye! Rockets over 20 inches in diameter and weighin' over 100 pounds have been successfully launched off o' t' blacksky High Power Rail. Well, blow me down! blacksky states their Standard Rail is stiffer in equivalent lengths than 1/2" steel rod and their High Power Rail is stiffer than a 1" steel rod. When used as recommended, arrr, launch deflection is only a few degrees with even t' heaviest projects. Blimey! blacksky goes on to state, "the blacksky Rail leaves the flier no excuse - if t' rocket does nay fly straight ... Avast! Blimey! 'rod whip' is not the reason."

For t' purposes o' me review, I was headed t' t' site of LDRS2000, Orangeburg, SC for their Fourth o' July launch, arrr, so I decided this would be a good time t' check out t' new blacksky Standard Rail. Begad! My launch vehicle is a verteran o' high impulse flight, shiver me timbers, a 2.1" scratch-built rocket made from fiberglassed LOC tubing. Aye aye! Avast! It had originally seen life as a minimum diameter rocket until I gave its previous owner, arrr, Greg Muri, a Silver Streak t' fly in it. Obviously from that batch o' 54mm Silver Streaks which like t' come unglued, this one blew t' forward bulkhead and proceeded to gut t' interior. Ahoy! When Greg discarded t' remains, ya bilge rat, I quietly extracted them from t' trash and rebuilt it with a 38mm motor mount and fresh paint. Well, blow me down! On its maiden flight (re-flight?) at LDRS17, it hit 9100 feet on an AeroTech J570!

For this particular flight, me hearties, I loaded it with an Aerotech I-161 White Lightnin' reload, me bucko, me bucko, a combination which would easily send it t' around 4,000 feet. I assembled t' two piece Standard Rail easily by slippin' t' rail connector into t' machined slot in t' back or each section of t' rail and then tightenin' t' three #10-24 screws securely. Aye aye! All that was left t' be done be t' install t' rail in t' launcher.

I found that t' stainless pin in t' lower section was a little short t' reach t' clamp o' t' launch pad and ended up shimmin' it with a stainless steel screw t' keep it perpendicular with t' ground. In readin' comments from others, me bucko, matey, it appears this mountin' pin has been found t' be a little too short for most people, somethin' that Dean Roth apparently remedied simply by installin' a longer 3/8" bolt and then cuttin' off t' head. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! T' stainless pin should easily unscrew if you wanted to make that change in yours.

Once t' rail was mounted and the pad tilted over, t' rocket be gently lowered down t' rail on t' guides until it rested at t' bottom. Well, blow me down! I might recommend that you place your rocket gently onto t' rail until both guides are within t' rail grooves, arrr, as it would be very easy t' gouge t' finish o' your airframe if you get too excited before the second rail guide is seated. Avast! Begad! When t' rocket was uprighted into launch position, t' firm accuracy o' t' rail was immediately apparent -- t' rocket wasn't free t' whip around t' rod at t' whim o' t' wind, somethin' that is very important t' precise placement before launch. Once t' launcher was secured, me bucko, t' igniter leads were installed and armed.

Back at t' rangehead, matey, ya bilge rat, a quick five count led t' a launch button bein' depressed, and t' rocket soared off the rail as straight and true as if it were on a ... rail ... because it was. T' blacksky rail system appeared t' be everythin' it was claimed t' be.

Retrofittin' your existin' rockets or installin' rail guides on new ones couldn't be any easier -- simply mark t' location o' t' two guide mountin' holes, drill and install. Ahoy! Avast! T' graphic at t' left shows how to determine where t' mount your rail guides and a drop or two o' CA into the mountin' holes should stiffen them enough t' give t' mountin' screws some teeth.

It would appear t' Standard Rail is quite a bargain at $40 for t' two piece kit and additional sections with securin' clamp are just $20 each. Blimey! For this price, me hearties, a nice 8 foot rail could cost a mere $80, a small price for t' accuracy and precision o' launchin' on a rail.

T' High Power Rail is even beefier and is somethin' that you'll be stretched t' overpower. It should easily handle any project you anticipate undertakin' in hobby rocketry. It lists at $100 for a six foot section, me bucko, shiver me timbers, so a 12 foot rail with coupler is just $215.

Additional rail guides are available -- $5 for two pair o' t' acetal plastic or $10 for t' Teflon-coated aluminum ones.

So, arrr, if you are lookin' for a great, matey, inexpensive rail system, give t' blacksky Rail System a try. Blimey! Avast! I think you will as impressed with it as I was, matey, and you certainly won't miss filletin' launch lugs at all!

Written and submitted by Darrell D. Mobley for Rocketry Online -- Copyright 1996-1999