Centuri Powr-Pad Launcher and Controller, Part 4, Safety Key

The continuity safety key is interesting.
A larger plastic housing holds a standard style safety key.

The Centuri name plate piece glues over the key with plastic cement.
There are two small holes at the top for a string. The key can be worn around your neck.

Here's the finished unit with the key fully installed.

I've always inserted safety keys lightly, just closing the gap between the internal plates.
To fully seat this key against the top of the blue housing, you have to press it in hard so the two brass plates are pressed down and apart.

An old Centuri favorite is the Rocket Positioning Spring.
This was the basis for the Odd'l Rockets Raise Spring.

I learned later on that the Centuri spring was a R/C airplane wheel retainer. It was pressed over wheel set onto a 1/8" wire axle.

I threaded the Centuri spring over the lower half of the launch rod. Even with the rod oiled it was nearly impossible to get the spring on the rod! It was just too tight. The Odd'l Raise springs fit easier and locks on the rod when any rocket weight is on the upper arm.

The Odd'l spring has an added brass tube on the upper arm. The tube prevents the thin wire arm from getting stuck under the engine hook.

Centuri Powr-Pad Launcher and Controller, Part 3, Internal Wiring

Unlike the old Estes Electro Launch controller, the wire ends had the insulation already stripped off.
The wire strands are twisted and turned into a "C" shape around the screwdriver shaft.
Twist the wires in the direction that the screw will turn. This way the strands won't separate.

Here's how the wires are connected under the small screws.
Notice the open area on the right side of the top half. Any extra wire folds into this hollow space.
With the two sides joined, the gray lead wire winds around the oval "track" around the outside.

The continuity bulb sockets into place.
The two halves are easily screwed together.
The green cover is pressed in over the continuity bulb.

Centuri Powr-Pad Launcher and Controller, Part 2, Internal Wiring

The metallic stickers are applied first.
The blue plastic housing pieces were washed off first to remove any mold release.
The edges were pressed in place with a Q-tip. I didn't want to take any chance of the ink rubbing off.

A knot is tied in the wire for strain relief. The length of the wire end to the knot is the length of the inside housing wall.

The brass contact pieces are screwed in place but not fully tightened.
The gap between the two pieces in the lower half is intentional. The safety key bridges the gap allows the current to go through the continuity light.

Centuri Powr-Pad Launcher and Controller, Part 1, Parts

I picked this one up on Ebay. The build of the Centuri Screaming Eagle rocket will follow the launcher assembly.

This PowrPad was part of the Eagle Power Starter Set introduced in 1973 Centuri Catalog.

A very smart design using a 6 volt lantern battery for base weight.
The descriptive copy says it will handle 1/2A through D engines.

A design feature was the controller that fit into the carrying handle.



Here's all the controller parts.
There is 15 feet of wire leads, the micro clips are pre-soldered.
On the right are the metallic stickers.





Some parts of interest clockwise from the left:
The red launch button, 6 volt continuity light bulb, green light cover, "Medallion" safety key holder, rocket position spring and the three internal brass connector strips.