Fin Quick?

[NITRAM]

Does anyone have or know the whereabouts of a 1975 issue Estes Fin Quick? The metal one mot the new plastic ones.

[tbzep]

We all want a Fin Kwik. I don't even see them come up on eBay.

A four years ago the son of the guy that invented it came to YORF and said he had 25 of them...and then asked if we would like them to be produced again. Everyone said yes and yes! We haven't heard from him since. :(

[rocketguy101]

I think we scared them off!
http://christian-bloggers.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/807ec_09288-3.jpg

[blackshire]

We all want a Fin Kwik. I don't even see them come up on eBay.

A four years ago the son of the guy that invented it came to YORF and said he had 25 of them...and then asked if we would like them to be produced again. Everyone said yes and yes! We haven't heard from him since. :(Does your school have a metal-working shop for shop (Industrial Arts) classes? If so, the students could--if someone with a Fin-Kwik would measure it and share the dimensions--make them in small batches and sell them to raise funds for school activities.

[tbzep]

Does your school have a metal-working shop for shop (Industrial Arts) classes? If so, the students could--if someone with a Fin-Kwik would measure it and share the dimensions--make them in small batches and sell them to raise funds for school activities.
Our town is small and rural. We do have an Ag shop, but the only metal work is rudimentary welding skills, pipe fitting, etc. Nothing even close to the skills needed for a good fin guide.

The old Fin-Kwik is stamped metal, so they would have to grind stamping dies and have a press to clone it.

[3boydad]

i have never seen one of those, but would like too. however, the guillotine fin guide is pretty dang awesome. I bit the bullet and spent 100 and let me say, it works very well

[blackshire]

Our town is small and rural. We do have an Ag shop, but the only metal work is rudimentary welding skills, pipe fitting, etc. Nothing even close to the skills needed for a good fin guide.

The old Fin-Kwik is stamped metal, so they would have to grind stamping dies and have a press to clone it.We have a few metalworking shops like that here despite our small population, but it's partly because of our geographical isolation (in the old days, shipping wasn't so fast or regular).

[3boydad]

Does your school have a metal-working shop for shop (Industrial Arts) classes? If so, the students could--if someone with a Fin-Kwik would measure it and share the dimensions--make them in small batches and sell them to raise funds for school activities.


i am not sure that would be a good idea. Seems that item has a patent on it. and making money from someones patent is a big no no. But building them for free is a different story, if you know what i mean.

[blackshire]

i am not sure that would be a good idea. Seems that item has a patent on it. and making money from someones patent is a big no no. But building them for free is a different story, if you know what i mean.A patent is granted for 17 years, with an extension for--if memory serves--another 17 years being possible. It is probable (although not impossible) that more than 34 years have elapsed since the patent was granted, depending on what year it was granted. If so, the "Fin-Kwik" is legally 'fair game' to reproduce and sell.

[Bill]

Does your school have a metal-working shop for shop (Industrial Arts) classes? If so, the students could--if someone with a Fin-Kwik would measure it and share the dimensions--make them in small batches and sell them to raise funds for school activities.


The parts making up something like the Fin-Kwik would have to be rather precise to be usable especially on smaller rockets. Would students have the ability to make them consistently?

Ted Macklin demonstrated his Guillotine Fin Jig to me. His design uses the properties of geometry to position the fin perpendicular to the tube. http://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Tools/Guillotine_Fin_Jig


Bill

[Doug Sams]

The parts making up something like the Fin-Kwik would have to be rather precise to be usable especially on smaller rockets. Would students have the ability to make them consistently?

Ted Macklin demonstrated his Guillotine Fin Jig to me. His design uses the properties of geometry to position the fin perpendicular to the tube. http://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Tools/Guillotine_Fin_Jig

Yeah, that's what I was gonna suggest, too, Bill. This strikes me as being even better than the Fin-Kwik, and much more available ;)

It's not inexpensive, but trying to make one's own widget like this would surely consume far more than 85 bucks worth of time and effort.

BTW, the 1975 price for the Fin-Kwik was $7.95. Applying inflation, today's price would be $33.64. So $85 for the Guillotine compares favorably, given its decided advantages over the Fin-Kwik.

Doug

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[tmacklin]

The parts making up something like the Fin-Kwik would have to be rather precise to be usable especially on smaller rockets. Would students have the ability to make them consistently?

Ted Macklin demonstrated his Guillotine Fin Jig to me. His design uses the properties of geometry to position the fin perpendicular to the tube. http://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Tools/Guillotine_Fin_Jig


Bill

Hello Bill,

If anyone from the DARS club wants one of my Guillotine fin jigs just let me know. I will sell them to DARS members at $85.00 (same as Apogee) and eat the sales tax. This will save you a good bit on shipping from Colorado. If you are not delighted with the performance of my device, return it in it's original condition for a 100% refund. This offer is valid for DARS members only. (Forum lurkers and internet trolls need not apply.)

I know this thing is "pricey". So are gasoline, saw blades, router bits and property taxes!

Ted