Wolverine Rocketry Phoenix AIM-54A Build Part 19 Gluing the Fins

When gluing on the rear fins, be sure they are even with the end of the body tube.

Here the flat side of a sanding block is pressed against the trailing edge of the fin until it's even with the body tube.

All four of the lower fins were glued in place.

This is a preview of a new Odd'l Rockets fin alignment tool.
The picture shows the four fin unit with the extension pieces for fins that don't trail beyond the end of the body tube.

While the fin alignment tool was designed for BT-5 through BT-70 tubes, it worked well on this BT-80 model.

More on the Odd'l Rockets FINTOOL to come!

There is a 1" space between the upper and lower fins.
A 1" wide piece of card stock was cut and wrapped around the tube.
This guarantees all four upper fins will be evenly spaced above the lower fins.

TIP: Clothes pins and craft sticks (Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors) were used to get the upper and lower fins in perfect alignment.

Using the craft sticks also spreads out the pressure of the clothes pin clamps and prevents dents in the balsa.