The 18" BT-5 tube is cut at 12" and 4" long. The remaining 2" can be saved for another build.
I'd never used the Estes Tube Cutting guides before.
The fit was too tight and might crimp the tube. It took a little sanding with 400 grit to open it up.
The two rings are slid to the mark and pressed together.
The pencil cut line ends up just to the right of the upper ring.
I kept the knife still and rotated the tube while scoring the cut line.
On the right the tube is cut, the rings were loosened and slid back from the cut.
As with all tube cuts, the end is squared up with sandpaper on a block.
I thought it was interesting that Estes would include the tube cutter in a kit. Maybe it's cheaper to include the tool instead of having the tubes cut in China.
John Boren said it was quicker to throw in the cutting guide than to have the tubes cut and shipped to China for packaging.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris,
DeleteI read most rocket posts on different forums but missed that. When I'm bagging kits I can cut up to 100 tubes a day. If you have a good jig, you save (depending on vendor) a LOT of money over buying them pre-cut.
Actually, its nice to see. It encourages one to develop a skill besides just gluing on fins.
ReplyDeleteHi A Tube,
DeleteI agree, tube cutting and slotting is a valuable skill to learn.