slotting carbon fiber or fiberglass tubes?

[rocketsonly]

Has anyone slotted carbon fiber or fiberglass tubes? How did you go along doing so without cracking the tube?

 

[Stones]

I haven't tried this so take it with a grain of salt but, I would think a dremmel with a cutoff wheel should work.

 

[daveyfire]

Geeze man, what're you slotting the tubes for? FWFG/Carbon tubes are supposed to be for minimum diameter rockets

On second thought, though, a Dremel with a cutoff weel (as suggested by Stones) cuts the stuff like butter. So... what're the project details?

 

[rocketsonly]

Originally posted by daveyfire
Geeze man, what're you slotting the tubes for? FWFG/Carbon tubes are supposed to be for minimum diameter rockets

On second thought, though, a Dremel with a cutoff weel (as suggested by Stones) cuts the stuff like butter. So... what're the project details?

Heh, just TARC related stuff. I'll get my team to make some sort of jig for the Dremel. You think a router bit would crack the tube?

 

[Stymye]

I would recomend a good fixture if using a router bit, or it may grab and go nuts

 

[JDcluster]

Be careful not to bind up the bit & burn out the Wimpy Dremel.
Make sure you use a carbide router bit or you'll be wasting your time.

I just trimmed my tubes that have been reinforced with carbon & glass & went through 3 fiberglass reinforced cut off wheels.



JD

Originally posted by rocketsonly
Heh, just TARC related stuff. I'll get my team to make some sort of jig for the Dremel. You think a router bit would crack the tube?

 

[xenon]

Originally posted by rocketsonly
Heh, just TARC related stuff. I'll get my team to make some sort of jig for the Dremel. You think a router bit would crack the tube?

Your using FG or Carbon for TARC? What do you plan on doing with it, fly it on a J after TARC?

A reinforced Dremel cut of wheel should work fine

 

[rocketsonly]

Nah, no J for us. Just makes the rocket look nicer (or atleast more high tech ).

 

[cls]

today I used my new (xmas present) dremel with the cutoff wheel to cut fin slots in fiberglassed PML phenolic.

I drew lines for the fin slots, using a piece of alumninum angle. I tried to follow the lines.... no trouble going straight along the lines. the cutoff wheel dug right in and didn't try to get away most of the time. one time it grabbed but I was able to hold it.

I ended up with nice straight slots right where they should be. in fact, they are too nice - too narrow for the 1/8" G10 fins! so now I gotta widen the slots just a bit, maybe I will do that by hand with sandpaper ...