Body tube marking guide

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qquake2k

Captain Low-N-Slow
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I know I've seen these around the internet, but I'll be darned if I can find one now. I'm talking about the one with several circles that match common body tubes, and with perpendicular lines for the fins and launch lugs. Anybody know where to find one?
 
That guide looks a lot like the old FSI fin guides. Useful if you want to mark FSI-sized body tubes, if that is indeed what they are.

There are several good, customizable fin marking tools here:

https://www.rocketshoppe.com/info/fin_guide.pdf

and here's another one for Estes-sized tubes:

https://www.payloadbay.com/page-Tools.html

I van never get body tubes centered well-enough or hold them steady enough to use flat marking guides. I prefer to use wrap-around guides that I customize to fit using VCP.

MarkII
 
I tend to use the wrap around guides as well, but just to mark the points for one end of the fin, top or bottom. Once the points are marked, I place the BT on a flat surface (table) stack some CD covers against the BT to around half the diameter and rotate the BT until one of the marks is level to the edge of the top CD cover and draw the line. Repeat twice (ot thrice) more. It's a really quick and super accurate way of drawing parallel line on the BT's. Much better than the door jamb method used in some of the kit instructions!
 
For smaller body tubes (up to BT-80) I use the Estes marking tool when I can(very handy little gizmo that thing)
Otherwise I do the old pi (the circumference of a circle thing) and divide by number of fins and then made several body wrap guides using thin styrene sheet and marked using a fine tip Sharpie (TM reg.);)

I have a bunch of these in the old rocket "shop".These templates are also handy for marking lines around the circumference when setting up for painting and decal placement etc.

And I should add, instead of the door jamb routine ,I use aluminum angles of various lengths and right angle sizes (eg; 1/2 x 1/2 , 3/4 x 3/4 , 1 x1 etc.)Available at big box HW stores.I get mine from work.

Paul
 
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