From the Rocket Shop: Cutting Centering Rings and Bulkheads

dward · Jan 12, 2015

Tutorial video on making your own high power wood centering rings.

[video=vimeo;116581085]https://vimeo.com/116581085[/video]

Hard link: [video=vimeo;116581085]https://vimeo.com/116581085[/video]

Watch other videos in this album: https://vimeo.com/album/3208055

Bat-mite · Jan 12, 2015

No link, no video.... I do see a link for "Watch other videos in this album...".

Kirk G · Jan 12, 2015

I see it.

o1d_dude · Jan 12, 2015

Nice video.

One of the things I do after cutting the bulk plates out with a hole saw slightly oversized on the drill press is to thread a stack of 4 or so onto a 1/4x20 cap screw/bolt with larger washers top and bottom and lock the sandwich into place with a nut on the top. Snug everything down tight and chuck the assembly into the drill press so that it bottom sits just about 1/8" off the table. I run the drill press up to a slow speed and trim the bulk plates down to exact size using a Perma-Grit sanding block (see image).

For centering rings, I tape the edges of the stack of bulkplates together, remove the center bolt, and drill out the center with a slightly undersized hole saw on the drill press. Trim the center hole to exact size with a Dremel, a rotary spindle sander, or a round sanding cylinder. With a little care you can easily achieve an airtight joint between the centering ring and motor tube.

NEVER make just one pair of centering rings or bulk plates. My minimum number is at least 4. We're rocketeers and we build rockets! A lot!

cwbullet · Jan 12, 2015

Perma-Grit Sanding Blocks are awesome. They are not permanent, but they are close.

o1d_dude · Jan 13, 2015

cwbullet said:
Perma-Grit Sanding Blocks are awesome. They are not permanent, but they are close.

We should quantify the permanent aspect of Perma-Grit by saying "On wood, they're permanent".

I think I have the entire set at this point and use the heck out of them. The larger round files are particularly good on fillets.

dward · Jan 13, 2015

o1d_dude said:
Nice video.

One of the things I do after cutting the bulk plates out with a hole saw slightly oversized on the drill press is to thread a stack of 4 or so onto a 1/4x20 cap screw/bolt with larger washers top and bottom and lock the sandwich into place with a nut on the top. Snug everything down tight and chuck the assembly into the drill press so that it bottom sits just about 1/8" off the table. I run the drill press up to a slow speed and trim the bulk plates down to exact size using a Perma-Grit sanding block (see image).

For centering rings, I tape the edges of the stack of bulkplates together, remove the center bolt, and drill out the center with a slightly undersized hole saw on the drill press. Trim the center hole to exact size with a Dremel, a rotary spindle sander, or a round sanding cylinder. With a little care you can easily achieve an airtight joint between the centering ring and motor tube.

NEVER make just one pair of centering rings or bulk plates. My minimum number is at least 4. We're rocketeers and we build rockets! A lot!

cwbullet said:
Perma-Grit Sanding Blocks are awesome. They are not permanent, but they are close.

o1d_dude said:
We should quantify the permanent aspect of Perma-Grit by saying "On wood, they're permanent".

I think I have the entire set at this point and use the heck out of them. The larger round files are particularly good on fillets.

Great tip guys. I'm getting one of these.

o1d_dude · Jan 13, 2015

dward said:
Great tip guys. I'm getting one of these.

I bought my line up of Perma-Grit Tools from Aircraft Spruce. The sanding block shown above is coarse on one side and fine on the other.

https://www.aircraft-spruce.com/search/search.php

Type in "Perma-Grit" on the search line and Bob's yer uncle.

Be advised these tools are far from cheap. Worth it but not cheap.

Handeman · Jan 18, 2015

o1d_dude said:
NEVER make just one pair of centering rings or bulk plates. My minimum number is at least 4. We're rocketeers and we build rockets! A lot!

Better advice has never been given!!! Actually 8 or 12 might be a better number. You will use them all at some point!

Micromeister · Jan 21, 2015

Handeman said:
Better advice has never been given!!! Actually 8 or 12 might be a better number. You will use them all at some point!

Absolutely Handeman!
Cutting Centering rings and bulkheads should always be Stack Cut. it's even possible to stack different thickness and various materials while cutting a single size ring regardless of rocket power level.

Centering Rings-c-sm_stack cut var. materials 2pic_06-20-05.jpg

From the Rocket Shop: Cutting Centering Rings and Bulkheads

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From the Rocket Shop: Cutting Centering Rings and Bulkheads

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