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Thursday, January 2, 2020

I Wish They Didn't Do That - Laser Cut Tubes and Launch Lugs

I'm not naming names - 
I can understand laser cutting balsa, but body tubes and launch lugs?

A few vendors are cutting tubes using lasers. This chars and leaves a rough edge, especially on launch lugs. I guess it's not a big deal to sand tube ends and true them up, but that can shorten the tube. For years, kitted body tubes were cut and cut clean.

Is it that hard to cut tubes? Large tubes and very small tubes are sometimes difficult to cut clean. Mid-size tubes are probably the easiest.

5 comments:

  1. The Laser is like a new toy, they probably cut their sandwich with it also.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Naoto,
      Well, that explains why the laser cut launch lugs taste so bad.

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  2. Just recently built a kit where the Nomex chute protector was laser cut, with charred edges. Also wondering why?

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  3. Chris,
    Off topic but I notice you use grey primer after filling your fins, then sand most of the primer off. You then follow this up with a base of gloss white. Just wondering why gloss white vs flat white or white primer after sanding the grey primer. I am not questioning what you do, but more for my own practice. Just curious to hear the reason behind gloss white undercoat vs flat white.

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