Best rocketry tools - What is yours?
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rharshberger
Well-Known Member
Just make sure and use them in a Drill press, it gets ugly otherwise.
dave carver
....what hump?
Pay attention to the warnings, they aren't kidding. In my opinion there is no more dangerous tool than a flycutter for wood. Never do anything that put your fingers close to the spinning cutter. It has the potential of taking fingers off so fast you would not believe it then pulling the rest of your hand into the spinning cutter. Trust me, it can ruin your day.... Use it only with a drillpress, never freehand it with a drill. Clamps, multi clamps, clamps all over the place. If your piece of wood is too small and you can't really get a good hold of the plywood then get a bigger piece. Trashing a piece of wood is much, much, better than trashing your fingers....
edit: I used rharshberger's answer to emphasize what kind of crap is out there, not to tell him anything about what to do.
Everyone that gave a warning should be heeded, don't blow anyone off and think we're being overly cautious. You don't wanna be a one-handed rocketeer.....
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Gary Byrum
Overstable By Design
This is no "saw". I'm familiar with these "Cutters". To me, a saw has teeth. This is why I was asking. Thanks for the clarity rharsh... I was beginning to wonder if I had overlooked something.
I've got a HF unit.
It's not loose or sloppy at all.
I looked into getting a 1/4" hex shaft longer than provided for larger holes.
But I couldn't find a suppler that offered a hardened hex shaft.
So it stands as bought.
The cutter tips get hot, really hot.
Don't dip them in water or they become brittle and break.
They are designed for the heat of friction cutting or scrape cutting.
Just let them cool naturally.
A touch up after each use with a small diamond stone keeps em sharper than new.
With the HF cutter, you can set the depth of one slightly deeper than the other for twice the cutting speed.
Or set one farther in or out by .001 for a cleaner cut on the inside, or outside of the hole.
Depending upon which you are using. The hole, or the cut out.
In my woodshop, I mostly used it for the whole. Opposite of us rocket builders.
It's not loose or sloppy at all.
I looked into getting a 1/4" hex shaft longer than provided for larger holes.
But I couldn't find a suppler that offered a hardened hex shaft.
So it stands as bought.
The cutter tips get hot, really hot.
Don't dip them in water or they become brittle and break.
They are designed for the heat of friction cutting or scrape cutting.
Just let them cool naturally.
A touch up after each use with a small diamond stone keeps em sharper than new.
With the HF cutter, you can set the depth of one slightly deeper than the other for twice the cutting speed.
Or set one farther in or out by .001 for a cleaner cut on the inside, or outside of the hole.
Depending upon which you are using. The hole, or the cut out.
In my woodshop, I mostly used it for the whole. Opposite of us rocket builders.
dave carver
....what hump?
With a bit of experience you can get tricky with the cutter, you can set a 2 leg cutter up to cut the inside and the outside of a centering ring. You have to set the cutters up to cut so the straight edge is on the correct side of the ring and set the inside cutter to finish the cut first then the outside cutter goes through to finish the ring. In the learning process you will most likely trash a few or cut the wrong size but it does speed up the process.
nute
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Sorry for the confusion, what rharsh posted was what I had in mind. It's my dads, from a good 20 yrs. ago, and it looks a lot like the one on the right in the picture. I've always heard it called a hole saw, but maybe I'm wrong.
Gary Byrum
Overstable By Design
If you Google up "hole saw" and look at images, you'll get a great lot of these. There's a lot of different kinds, but they all have teeth. They're OK for the average hole, but not near as clean as the cutters you guys are talking about.
rharshberger
Well-Known Member
You were not wrong Nute, one thing I have noticed with tools is that they are called different things in different places. Even the manufactures call these different names, they are still a hole saw, hole cutter, fly cutter, butterfly cutter, adjustable circle cutter etc. Names sometimes change by region.
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I use these TOOTHED hole saws to cut the inner holes for centering rings I make out of foam board for LPR purposes. They work fine with a small electric hand drill.
rharshberger
Well-Known Member
Have you posted making CRs from foamboard over in techniques, they probably work great for that, or even mid-power with a 1/32" plywood skin on both sides.
Zeroignite
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Amazing tool I no longer have easy access to: laser cutter. So easy for complex centering rings, bulkheads, sleds, fins...
I gotta second sandpaper though, even if it sorta straddles the line between tool and consumable. Use fresh sandpaper; it doesn't work when loaded or worn!
I gotta second sandpaper though, even if it sorta straddles the line between tool and consumable. Use fresh sandpaper; it doesn't work when loaded or worn!
Right Wing Wacko
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Isn't the ID the same as a BT20? I always thought the BT30 was a thick walled BT20. A simple workaround would be to build up the diameter of the BT20 fin guide post until the BT30 fits. Trim the excess off with an XActo knife...that is if you even have to do that. My little tricks would work with Centuri tubes and Estes odd ball sizes like the BT52. BT52 to BT20 centering rings are out there, SEMROC line at eRocket should be available soon as will Centuri based centering rings. Unfortunately I'm sure Estes wont be making a fin marking guide for the odd sizes so we have to get creative
BT-20 0.710" 0.736" 0.013"
BT-30 0.725" 0.767" 0.021"
Gary Byrum
Overstable By Design
If you think about it, the BT 30 had to have a slightly bigger ID (like the Astron Scout had) so the motor could easily shift at ejection redistributing the weight of the rocket enabling it to tumble rather than coming in ballistic.
rharshberger
Well-Known Member
Try cutting a circle in foamboard and dropping it over the tip of the nose cone then mark the line and tape it.
dr wogz
Fly caster
I'm gonna say my car.. It allows me to "do" rocketry. Not only does it transport me, a friend and all our rocketry items, but it also doubles as a dry (and secure) storage area, a prep table, sun shade, cool air dispenser, an umbrella (not really rocket related), a comfy rest & relaxation area (with soothing music), a spare launch battery in a pinch, and the best way to retrieve a much needed part (I'm outta glue!) at 8:35pm on a Thursday night.. It also doubles as a nice billboard for my NASA & 'Binder Designs' stickers!!
Sooner Boomer
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Best tools?
My brain?? My hands?? Even both are old and showing signs of wear, not much gets done (design OR construction) without them.
My brain?? My hands?? Even both are old and showing signs of wear, not much gets done (design OR construction) without them.
dave carver
....what hump?
...speaking of Astron Scout, I found my old one in the attic when we cleaned it out. Still a bright yellow and black Testors brushed on finish. Gonna have to fly it...soon
Gary Byrum
Overstable By Design
...speaking of Astron Scout, I found my old one in the attic when we cleaned it out. Still a bright yellow and black Testors brushed on finish. Gonna have to fly it...soon
Golly. I wish I still had my old rockets. Lost most of em on those C6-5's.
Gary Byrum
Overstable By Design
I opted to fabricate my own sanding rods. I have em from 1/16: to 1/2". Wrap and glue different sand paper grits on different sized dowels. These come in real handy when sanding out the paint that got in the launch lugs, as well as working the curved areas of my fins.
Curved you ask?
Gary Byrum
Overstable By Design
What he says...
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I'd put in a vote for thumbs, they make things happen that otherwise wouldn't.
My imagination is a powerful tool (as is my memory and determination).
For me the best tool is one's brain and how well you use it determines the outcome of your build. You can have all the best tools, but if you lack the knowledge then there's a good chance it will show.
Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Pricey:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HI5WUS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
but I'll have to get one. I've been using these, but only on LOC paper tubing, $6.99 for five:
Diamond Rotary Cutting Discs 5 Pc
https://www.harborfreight.com/diamond-rotary-cutting-discs-5-pc-69657.html
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Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Agree. I've got these, $6.99 for a set of ten. They are held in a row in one of those clear plastic slip-in holders:
https://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-10-pc-69876.html
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