Thursday, February 27, 2025

The Big Fix!

I had broken a fin or two at the last launch.
To glue these back, I needed a small clamp that wouldn't dent the balsa.

Previously, I had adapted some small clamps from clothes pins. 
Notice the regular clothes pin on the left. The wooden halves have been flipped on the right.
For a better explanation: CLICK HERE


The glue line shows the unusual break.
Normally I'll clean off the glue before applying the clamps. I left the glue line for the picture.

Be sure the squeezed out glue is cleaned off where the clamps sit or you might glue the clamps to the fin!






After the glue dries and the clamps are removed - 
I hit any breaks with a Sharpie pen.

Ready for flight.

1 comment:

  1. I've been doing this since the 80s! I guess I read the idea in an old Estes or NAR newsletter... The wife used to give me grief about it until the kids started using them as bag clips so their doritos don't go stale...

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