IMHO there is a "best of both worlds" solution that is way hard to explain via forums or email... Next time on the range I can show you what I do, anyway. The short version is this - I epoxy the coupler into the upper section, leaving enough hanging out to act as the coupler... I then drop the top bulkhead in from the fore end and the backplate from the aft end, holding it all captive with eye nuts http://www.bosunsupplies.com/products2.cfm?product=S0322 and a piece of allthread.

By doing this, there are no screws to lose, you have 100% access, there is no drag from exterior screws, etc. It is also very, very strong. Of course I'm interested in as little drag as possible, and this design gives me that. I also have total access to everything. Works for me, anyway...

I know I keep Blabbing to nobody lol
I get a picture here but unless you anchore it to the bottom tube where the droug is it will not be a zipperless design. Which isnt good on qauntum tube either.

maybe quantum tube isnt any good for a lot of this stuff !!!

scotte

Sorry I guess I should clarify me thinking. Im not sure screws will work all that well in quantum tubing.

PML rivets. They work great. I've used them on very large rockets, too. They do work quite well in QT. That said, I think QT is not a very good airframe choice - but if you are going to use it, you can't do any better than PML rivets.

I will look those up

thanks