D.I.Y. Making Centering Rings, Part 1

While I wait for warmer weather, the Black Star Voyager spray painting will be delayed! 

I'm doing a slight upscale of another OOP kit that needs centering rings. This was to be a spare parts drawer build. 

I didn't have the correct size centering rings, a BT-5 to a BT-50. Rather than wait for a mail order, I decided to make them from framing mat board, a thicker cardstock.

TIP: To get some cheap centering ring .050" thick boards, go to a frame shop and ask if they have any "window mat" scraps. .050" thickness is what kit makers use for most all their kit part cardstock. Some mat boards will be thicker, but that is certainly useable and stronger than the .050" board.

Trace around the larger body tube with a sharp pencil.

If you need two rings, trace four rings.

Carefully center the smaller tube and trace around it.

Check to see it is centered. If needed, erase and trace again.    

 

Cut out the smaller, center hole first.

This is one of those times you should use an X-Acto #11 style blade. Cut right on the pencil line.

On the right, you can see the cut isn't perfect, those rough edges will be covered with a glue fillet later.

If you cut on the pencil line,

You should get a good friction fit over the smaller tube.

If it seems too tight, 

roll some 400 grit over a finger and sand the whole a bit larger.

More in the next post -