Vendor recommendation for custom cut fins, body tube slotting, and centering rings

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to rebuild the booster section only on a 4" Warthog upscale, and I'll need some custom work done on the fins' leading edges due to the strakes that run the length of the airframe (don't want the bevel to reach all the way to the airframe, so that the strakes will line up nicely with the most forward part of the exposed fin, streamlining that joint basically). The fins are going to be 3/16 G10 or 1/4 Baltic Birch, only because of the strakes; were it not for them, I'd do the fins in 1/8" G10... And, yes, I know G10 will be quite heavy on the back end of the rocket if I go that way.

Who would all of you recommend that I contact for this sort of work? I know the airframe slotting, fin cutting, and centering rings are pretty straight-forward, but I'd like to get a recommendation for a vendor that will take the time to help me get the fins' leading edges the way I'd like to have them done.

Who should I contact? Thank you!

Wildman can do it.
Much easier if you have an open rocket or rocksim files you could send.
He bevels all fins by hand with jig so that should not be an issue ..just give him measurements. Guessing you want bevel to end where strakes meet fin. That can easily be done by extending the fin tabs to desired length, where the strake will contact.
10 minute call will answer all.

You could cut new strakes from 1/8in glass easily if thats what you really want. wrap tube with sandpaper and slide strake back and forth till desired tube contour is achieved.

I have not had very good luck with various vendors regarding fin bevels. I ended up making my own 3D printed sanding jig to get the bevels I wanted. It's simple but works very well. If you start with 80 grit it goes very quickly and then of course you can progress to finer grits to get smoother bevels. In the linked thread you can see my design. At the bottom kalsow has a link to a customizable version on thingiverse.


Tony

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...ng-jig-due-aug-22nd-2019.154391/#post-1928155

Sammy D,

Shoot me an email will all your specs. [email protected]

blackjack2564 said:

Wildman can do it.
Much easier if you have an open rocket or rocksim files you could send.
He bevels all fins by hand with jig so that should not be an issue ..just give him measurements. Guessing you want bevel to end where strakes meet fin. That can easily be done by extending the fin tabs to desired length, where the strake will contact.
10 minute call will answer all.

You could cut new strakes from 1/8in glass easily if thats what you really want. wrap tube with sandpaper and slide strake back and forth till desired tube contour is achieved.

Click to expand...

Jim,

I'm not sure I'm following the increase in fin tab to accomodate the strake. The strake meets the leading edge of the fin at the level of the airframe looking at it from the side.

Not sure about the sandpaper method either. I'm just looking to start the bevel at the height of the airframe mounted strake, looking at the butt joint from the side.

I'm going to work on some drawings today, and will post with an OpenRocket file for the build later.

Sam

Here's a few sketches of what I'm trying to accomplish. The top portion of the photo is a screenshot from my OR file; the lower portion is a sketch I drew up. If I go with G10 fins, they will be the 3/16" thickness only to get the scale right with the strakes (yes, I know they'll be HEAVY, but that's ok - I'm not going for altitude). I'd use 3/16" strakes with 3/16" G10 fins so they meet properly where the strakes meet the fincan. If I go with 1/4" birch fins (what I have now on this 4" rocket), then I'll use 1/4" strakes and can bevel the fins myself.
OpenRocket file is attached too - ignore the oversize coupler tube near the meeting of the strake and leading edge of the fin - that's an external design feature of the Warthog...

GaryT said:

Sammy D,

Shoot me an email will all your specs. [email protected]

Click to expand...

Gary,

Check out the information above. Do you cut G10 fins and do bevels?? I think I'm going to end up going with birch fins because I can cut them here. I can''t, however, easily slot FW fiberglass or make G10 centering rings just yet...

Sam

Exactly as I envisioned it. Send file to Tim and they can do it, or he can make file from your OR for small fee. ck PM's

SammyD said:

Gary,

Check out the information above. Do you cut G10 fins and do bevels?? I think I'm going to end up going with birch fins because I can cut them here. I can''t, however, easily slot FW fiberglass or make G10 centering rings just yet...

Sam

Click to expand...

Sam, I sent you a PM. thanks

SammyD said:

Here's a few sketches of what I'm trying to accomplish. The top portion of the photo is a screenshot from my OR file; the lower portion is a sketch I drew up. If I go with G10 fins, they will be the 3/16" thickness only to get the scale right with the strakes (yes, I know they'll be HEAVY, but that's ok - I'm not going for altitude). I'd use 3/16" strakes with 3/16" G10 fins so they meet properly where the strakes meet the fincan. If I go with 1/4" birch fins (what I have now on this 4" rocket), then I'll use 1/4" strakes and can bevel the fins myself.
OpenRocket file is attached too - ignore the oversize coupler tube near the meeting of the strake and leading edge of the fin - that's an external design feature of the Warthog...

View attachment 398105

Click to expand...

I can cut anything you want on the Cnc .
As far as the beveling I can not do inside corners
Slotting not a problem

Cj told me he talked with you yesterday. Thank you for the reply.

These aren't inside corners or bevels, just bevels that don't go all the way to the fin root edge.

Sam