Estes Saturn V #1969 Build, Part 26, Cutting The Lower Body Tube, Part 1

The illustration in the Estes instructions doesn't tell you how much of the body tube is cut away between the fairings.

Looking at this picture from the Apogee instructions, the horizontal cut is in line with the silver paint line on the fairings.
That silver paint line is at the halfway point of the widest lower fin taper.


I placed a piece of tape from the halfway point of the lower fin taper "flat".
Extending that line puts the cut at 9/16". This is right below the tall diamond molded detail at the center of the wrap between all four fins.
On my build, this is a little higher than the picture above shows. I still didn't cut into the "diamond", the cut is right at the base of it.

I wouldn't recommend cutting a thick body tube without some sort of visual guideline.
TIP: For a higher contrast at the cut line, I marked the edge of some masking tape with a Sharpie.

This tape is set down 9/16" from the base of the tube. (Your cut line may be slightly different depending on your build.)

This is not meant to be a cutting edge like a metal ruler, but is simply a visual guideline.
Look at the tape from different sides to be sure the marked edge is straight.

Build Time Total in Part 2, next post -