You will soon cut into the ruler with your blade. The angle is a convenient trough for marking straight fin lines on a body tube.ĭon’t use a wooden ruler to cut out fins. Many modeler’s use a 18″ (or shorter) piece of aluminum angle. Get a ruler style straightedge with both inch and metric markings. The cork backing will help keep the edge in place when cutting straight lines. Try to buy a straight edge with a cork backing strip. STRAIGHT EDGE RULERīuy at least a 12″ or longer metal straight edge ruler. You can’t maneuver a flat blade around an arc cut. The pointed X-Acto #11 blade is still best for making circular cuts. When the tip gets dull, simply snap off the end and you have a new sharp blade. Today my go-to knife is the Alfa Break-Off blade.īreak-off blades are much cheaper and just as sharp as the X-Acto brand. Sometimes you can find 100 packs of blades on Ebay for much less! In the end you will use the #1 handle and #11 blade 90% of the time. TIP: Don’t bother buying a “chest” of assorted knives and blades. I buy 100, #11 blades at a time from: Item # EX22611 Use a #11 blade in a #1 size metal handle.īuying new blades in hobby or craft stores can cost from $.50 to $1.00 each. The hobby knife with a #11 blade is the “standard” for hobbyists. Then, change to 320 and finish out with 400 grit. For example, if you are shaping an airfoil into 1/4″ balsa stock you’ll want to start the rough form with 220. Anytime basswood or plywood is used you will need to “step-up” to a rougher grade paper, 220 or 320 grit. This article is primarily about balsa nose cone and finned rockets. It will shape fins, dress up body tube ends, smooth a nose cone, and easily sand balsa fillers. When using sanding sealer or Carpenter’s Wood Filler (CWF), anything rougher than 400 grit can sand through the treated surface down into the rough wood.Ĥ00 grit is the great all-around paper for most rocket construction. This is the extra fine, “Wet /Dry” paper. In LPR model rocket building I go through a lot of 400 grit sandpaper. sells 400 grit in self adhesive rolls, catalog #AR33040 Great Planes sells self adhesive sandpaper rolls, the finest grit available from them is 220 grit. This is the most comfortable and stable sanding block available. ![]() My new favorite tool is the aluminum Easy Touch Hand Sander from Great Planes. ![]() Both sides come in handy for contour sanding. In addition to being a comfortable sanding block, the lower half of the block has a both rounded and wedge shaped sides. Don’t over tighten the wing nut – over time it could strip the bolt. Center the upper half of the block, set over the inset bolt and tighten down the wing nut. Unscrew the wing nut and hold the sand paper around the larger wedge of the block. TIP: Cutting sandpaper with scissors will also sharpen them! Only fine grit sandpaper, 320 grit or finer should be cut with scissors. Cut into four equal rectangular pieces using scissors. ![]() Fold a full-size, new sandpaper sheet into quarters. The Warner block conveniently holds a 1/4 sheet of sandpaper. The Warner block is the best wooden block I’ve found and is cheaper and more durable than the X-Acto brand block. ![]() I have owned many blocks over the years from homemade, X-Acto brand and various hard rubber styles. It’s available online as the Warner #436. I suggest the Warner Drywall sanding block. You can’t possibly sand the flat sides of fins (and keep them flat) using sandpaper over your fingers. A Sanding Block is a necessity for fin shaping, body tube ends, and nose cone shoulders.
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