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Tip 16 o' 75
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Alignin' Multiple Fins

This is a featured tip for holdin' and alignin' multiple fins on a rocket body that makes sure they are parallel t' each other and aligned straight with each other and t' body tube they are on. It can be used for flush mounted fins as well as TTW fins.

T' followin' pieces are needed:

Small and large paint stir sticks (they can be had at Wal-Mart in t' paint department. T' small ones are free and t' large ones are only about .40. Aye aye! Blimey! Get t' straightest ones you can find.)

Clothpins or sprin' clamps (sears has a really nice set o' plastic ones that have flexible ends and light clampin' pressure for $10.)

Clamps

T' most important part is that one set o' fins has t' be on t' rocket and firmly set up before usin' this method. Blimey! It doesn't matter if t' front fins or t' back fins are on first, me hearties, only that t' ones you clamp onto are set up and firm. Avast! Take extra care on t' first sets alignment t' t' body and themselves and t' others will be dead on for nice straight flights. Ahoy!

T' large set in t' picture is on me L2 rocket which is a 3" upscale o' t' Estes Nike X. Ahoy! T' fins are TTW and I wanted t' be sure they were dead straight. Avast!

Pic 1 Pic 2

T' smaller set was on an Cedimin' Raider and a scratch built multi-rin' fin three stage.

Estes

After clampin' t' sticks onto t' fixed fin you can now slide t' new fin betwixt t' sticks and down t' t' body tube. Begad! Glue as you usually do and make sure t' sticks do nay slide down into t' fresh glue or you will have a major mess tryin' t' remove them when t' glue sets up. Begad!

This method has given me rockets some o' t' most twist free flights you have ever seen and also makes it very easy t' get t' second set o' fins on faster than t' first. Avast, me proud beauty! With enough sticks and pins you can do all o' t' fins at one sittin' without worryin' about saggin' or misalignment as they set up.

Contributed by Geoffrey Kerbel

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