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Old 11-02-2005, 06:37 PM
Green Dragon Green Dragon is offline
AL Swackhammer , power freak
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New York
Posts: 1,255
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regarding the clip-tip fins on this one, I have a comment, based on my machinist background (and taught by a master mold maker, although not employed as moldmaker myself) .

presumably, the mold(s) for the Alpha 3 fin unit did,indeed exist at the time the Quasar was issued ?

it would not be such an endeavor to make some special tooling to fit INTO the Alpha 3 molds and basically 'fill in' the tips of the fins.

( not as simple in practice, but very feasible).

therefor, say the mold seam line runs around the fins ( centered on the fin ? , sorry do not have an Alpha 3 unit here at the apartment to doubel check, so talking semi-theoretical .

anyways, if the mold line runs down the center of the fin ( along leading and trailing edges ) and is NOT present on the clip tip fins , then the insert used to elimintae the fins, was attached to one side of the mold, and the mold lines would then 'suddenly' switch tot he sides - runnign exaclty along the outer edges of the 'clip line' .

I've never owned a clip-fin version o fthe fin can ( or a Quasar kit ), so speculation, but maybe someone with a kit or fin set could look real close at the fins, there should be some trace of flash or mold parting line at the edges of the fins - although, being a new mold, might be quite good tolerances.

I have to , also assuming / speculating , that the inserts for the 'tip elimination' were either lost or damaged and then the kit was no longer offered in that setup.
or the molding of different fin sets was too costly, when they could leave tooling set up and just shoot it with the white plastic ?

~ AL

ps: side note - I do have an Alpha 3 fin set at my stash over at my dad's, so Quasar might be a good clone , not as 'generic' .. so question being, is there a pattern for cutting the fin tips, or dimensions ?
( wondering more if it;s posted someplace, but if not, maybe some input / post the info for future reference ? )
not sure about the 'decal ' / wrapper, but did note that it's posted, so either could be redrawn / printed on clear stock and applied over silver paint / or chrome mylar / monokote ? , or maybe printed on the Palilio chrome adhesive stock ( talked about before for the Maxi_force decal, but I ave not ordered and tried any yet )
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