8) The folks I know , use a a chopsaw with one of those brown or black cut of wheels. The idea is to grind thru the G10 as it does not cut well. The wheel will leave a nice smooth finish. WARE A MASK! 8)

I cut it rough (not worrying about being even or square) with a Dremel cutter with a diamond saw and then finish the edge with an edge sander.

Doug

I just mark the tube and use an Xacto diamond cutoff wheel (cuts it like butter). I know what you're asking, Mike. I don't know of any saw that will do a perfect job without damaging the G10. Not that there isn't one. I just don't know of any. You can gently sand the cut to mate up the sections if you use the cutoff wheel. Works pretty well. There's no "longer-than-necessary" rocket for L2. I've seen them all shapes and sizes. And, DO USE A MASK!

I use a 10" chop saw with a cut-off wheel and then dress the cut edge with my benchtop disk sander. After that I go over the cut edge by hand with some 220 wet/dry paper under water. Wear a breathing mask when doing the cut and remove the clothing you were wearing when you made the cut before going back in the house. Nasty stuff G10 dust is... very nasty.

Warren

Thanks everyone for jumping in and being a part of my project team.

Well, before I got back to the computer, I went ahead and used the tools I had, the hor-vert metal cutting bandsaw. See pictures. It has a hydraulic drag that only allows it to fall at whatever rate you set it at so I set it slow. The blade speed is the slowest possible (because of the 4130 tubing it used to cut). I clamped the rocket in the vise (it goes up to 14" dia), using the avionics bay on the inside to keep the body round. I leveled the rocket so that it rested flat on the bed of the saw, using whatever objects in the garage were handy to prop the fin end up.

The cut was very clean and was square within .020". A slight touch on the disk sander brought it to within .010 and cleaned the edges nicely. No I didn't (have) use a mask, I'm still a rookie, I can change, if I have to, I guess.

Anyway, I got the 2" piece of 3" dia airframe that I needed to keep working. The rocket 'SLIPSTICK HP2' is still the same overall length of the G3 (it was going to grow that 2" before). I CA'd it in place and then drilled/filed the holes to hold the 3 SPDT lock switches (#1 altimeter power, #2 deploy charge arm, #3 radio/accessory power). They will be lined up with the fins in flight. See other pictures.

I bought some PML bulkhead and coupling material as well as a wood centering ring from Hobbytown today. I think I can modify the centering ring to replace the G10 one I am missing. I'll hold off until the last minute to see if Curtis comes through.

If anyone needs to use this saw, you are welcome to come and use it. I'm in Louisville.

Its Christmas! Why are you reading this? 😀

Hey thats all moast as high tec as the hack saw I use! 😉
Must be nice to have an ebay that size.

Scotte

Ya gotta love machine shop tools. I have access to one, but have never used it for G10 tubing. A definite improvement over the cutoff wheel - the slow speed keeps the dust down.

Warren

Hey Mike

I noticed in picture 5 how you subtley 8) showed the emblem on you Yellow Corvett in the back ground. 😉

Scotte 🙂

The sander is in front of the Corvette (Z06) on that side of the garage, so it was 'mostly' coincidence that it was there as I was trying to find light to take the picture, standing next to the sander. The P/U takes up the space next to the bandsaw.

Since you brought it up, here's a picture of my wife, Becky piloting it at the Colorado State Patrol Track in Golden. She's the 2007 NCCC/RMR Ladies Champion and I squeaked into the #1 spot as the 2007 mens champion at the last event of the season. She'll be defending her autocross title while I'm trying to punch holes in the sky. John Nelson (L3) of NCR is also a member of Top Of the Rockies Corvette Assn www.torcavettes.com based out of Longmont. We're the largest NCCC Corvette club in the region

Back on topic... My level 2 rocket is my Christmas present (to myself). My wife bought her own gifts too. After 27 years of marriage we are never dissapopinted. However, I had to put it by the tree so there would be something to 'open' Christmas morning. There are a couple of unwrapped Estes kits under the tree that I'll be stealing parts from for NAR contests.

The sander is in front of the Corvette (Z06) on that side of the garage, so it was 'mostly' coincidence that it was there as I was trying to find light to take the picture, standing next to the sander. The P/U takes up the space next to the bandsaw.

Since you brought it up, here's a picture of my wife, Becky piloting it at the Colorado State Patrol Track in Golden. She's the 2007 NCCC/RMR Ladies Champion and I squeaked into the #1 spot as the 2007 mens champion at the last event of the season. She'll be defending her autocross title while I'm trying to punch holes in the sky. John Nelson (L3) of NCR is also a member of Top Of the Rockies Corvette Assn www.torcavettes.com based out of Longmont. We're the largest NCCC Corvette club in the region

Very nice shop setup. I'll have to see if I can use the bandsaw here at work when I start on my PR Competitor3 (my Christmas present to myself... do you see a trend here?)

For PR components, I highly recommend calling Wildman instead. He has almost everything in stock and ships IMMEDIATELY. I got my kit a few days after order, then a couple missing parts just over a day after I called him on them. Excellent service.

I don't know how quickly I can get mine finished, though. Wanna drag race for L2's?

Ken

Another source for PR kits and parts is Rockets Magazine. Its where I got my parts for my new project 😉 .... I will be ready to do that drag race later Bruce.... 😀 So far its called project Top Secret...

BTW Mike good looking rocket and Nice Car. I used to be the Happy owner years ago of a '68 L88 (original 427 tri-powered race car. Factory roll bar, No heater or radio just gauge pack and special goodies) Car was stolen many years ago when I lived in Vegas. Have to find some pics.. Ran it at the drag track and at this altitude it ran 11 sec quarter miles all day long. Factory trim.

Cool stuff.

I like the saw. I have one as well. Comes in handy. Have all sorts of cool saws and stuff ive collected over the years. Makes the harder stuff to cut like CF or fiberglass easier to cut. Thats for sure.

Conway

PS My rocket was my Christmas present to myself as well. Good to know I wasnt the only one that got one that way!!!

where I got my parts for my new project .... I will be ready to to that drag race later Bruce.... So far its called project Top Secret...

MHM or Oktoberfest? I can have mine flight tested and painted by Oktoberfest, a nice metallic red to go with James' Russell Red N2440. 8) If you paint yours that Conway blue with a Loudmouth Blue N, it'll make for some great pictures and fantastic flights. I'm using a straight PR Intimidator 5 kit, with a little extra nose weight to handle that N. Not going to design my own this time, just fly. Got my Intimidator 5 stuff from Wildman, but got the G3 like Mike's from Liberty Launch Systems (Rockets Magazine). Quick turnaround from Liberty. https://www.libertylaunchsystems.com/apps/wpisa.dll/LLS/Components/PerformanceRocketry

I apologize, back on topic. Mike, the saw you have is obviously perfect. The only bad thing, and this includes you, too, Conway... we'll be asking you guys if you could cut a tube now and again. 🙄