Model Rocket Building Blog

Model Rocket Building Posts

Sport Rocketry / Tools / Other

Tools! Part 3 (2012-11-17)

I use these so often now, I don't know how I got by without them before. Q-Tips (or cotton swabs) are great for picking up excess glue. At the top of a fin, where the leading edge meets the body ... [Read More]

My Vacu-form History (2017-02-13)

While this post should be on the Odd'l Rockets Blogsite, I wanted to share it here. I owned a Mattel Vacu-form "toy" when I very young and got great results with it.  With the Vacu-form it took ... [Read More]

Vacu-Form Success! (2017-02-14)

I ended up buying a small commercial vacu-forming machine. This self-contained unit plugs in and handles the heating and forming operations. The heating plate is directly above and close to the ... [Read More]

Worse X-Acto Product Ever! (2017-06-14)

I couldn't find my pencil sharpener. I wanted to sharpen some dowels. I walked to the grocery store and found this. I figured I'd go the extra money and get the X-Acto brand pencil sharpener. ... [Read More]

Where Are My GOOD Scissors? (2019-09-09)

Did you ever hear that when you were a kid? There could be three sets of scissors in that junk drawer, but they weren't "the GOOD Scissors!" TIP: Don't cut Kevlar lines with your Mom's best ... [Read More]

Tools - The Essentials, Straight Edge Rulers (2019-10-28)

Here's what most of us start with, the cheap wooden ruler. That thin strip of metal set into the edge won't last as a metal straight edge. After you've cut out a few fins, the thin edge will slip ... [Read More]

Tools - The Essentials, Razor Saw (2019-11-11)

Not much to say about this one, it does come in handy. The red plastic handle is an X-Acto #5. Buy a blade with the finest, smallest teeth you can find. A good blade can last for many years. I've ... [Read More]

Tools, The Essentials - Sharpies! (2019-12-25)

Sharpies have turned out to be a valuable multi-purpose tool. Fine Point Sharpies can be used to outline difficult black masking jobs, like the corrugation on the Saturn V. If your sprayed black ... [Read More]

Tools, The Essentials - Q-Tips (2019-12-30)

If you've followed the blog, you know I go through a lot of Q-tips. I buy the cheap ones at the Dollar Tree Store, 350 for $1.00. * I use them to pick up glue blobs, where my finger can't reach. ... [Read More]

New Sanding Block from Apogee (2020-01-28)

The Great Planes Easy Touch Sanding Block is probably my most valuable rocket building tool. I have two of them on my bench, one with 220 grit, the other has 400 grit. They haven't been produced ... [Read More]