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Angled racks are ideal for launching shells in such a way that they spread out across the sky and create a wider series of bursts. They also work great for launching mines in a giant V-shape pattern. |
Materials
- (2) 2x4, 12" long
- (4) 1x4, 13.5" long
- (12) 1x4, 12" long
- approximately 2 feet of
spare 2x4
- (8) 12" plugged HDPE tubes
- Liquid Nails or other tube construction adhesive
- (~60) 1½" screws
- (10) 2½" screws
* Before starting this project, be sure to plug the HDPE tubes (as shown in this section)
Constructing the Rails
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You will need two
" rails" for each complete rack you wish to make.
Attach two of the 13.5" long 1x4 pieces vertically to both ends of one of the 2x4s. Then attach two of the 12" 1x4 pieces horizontally between the vertical 1x4s - one on the top, the other on the bottom. |
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Place 5 HDPE tubes
on the base of the 2x4, up against the side rails. You may
wish to put a blob of construction adhesive on the bottom of
each tube (right on the plug) before attaching it to the base.
The rail should be just large enough to hold five tubes, with
little room to spare.
Now, insert long screws ( 2½") from the bottom of the 2x4 base up into the plug of each mortar. |
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Once the tubes have been secured to the base, add the last two 1x4 pieces as shown in the diagram. |
Final Assembly
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Once you have two
rails constructed, you need to attach them to each other.
I find that it's easiest to stand both rails on their sides on a
hard surface so that you can figure out the angle you want to
have. Mine is built so that each rail is aimed 20° from
vertical - I wouldn't recommend going any more than that.
Attach two 1x4 pieces to the bottom of the rails to fasten them together. Attach the other two to the upper part of each rail (you may wish to cut the wood at an angle to make it look neater, as shown in the diagram). |
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When attaching the support boards, be sure that the nails/screws go into the wood part of the rails, and not the tubes. The diagrams show the recommended spot for driving screws/nails.
Caution: This rack needs to be stabilized when shooting shells. I usually brace the rack between two concrete cinder blocks to prevent it from moving. Another option would be to attach eyelet screws to the sides, and then place a metal rod through the eyelets and drive it into the ground. If you want, you can purchase a couple metal drawer handles and attach them to either end of the rack - it will make it a lot easier to pick up and move around.
Please email me if you have any questions or comments regarding the construction of this rack.
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Pyro Universe and all of its contents are © 2001-2006 by Colin Bradley and may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author. If you use information from Pyro Universe in a school report or project, you must include proper bibliographic citation. By using the information on this page, you agree to the terms of the disclaimer. |