Estes Bandit Clone

[kurtschachner]

I'm working on a clone of the old Estes Bandit (the one with the advanced ejection ducting system!) and I drew up this template for the tube holes. I thought that maybe someone else might make use of it if you were cloning the same model.

Scott, if you want to put this on the plans site then go for it.

[Phred]

Thanks Kurt,

I have always wanted to clone this model, but the ducting patterns drove me off. This will be a big help!!

Phred

[Doug Sams]

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Re: http://www.dars.org/jimz/k-48.htm

Wow, with a little effort, they could have made that truly complicated :rolleyes:

And I thought I over-engineered things....

Doug

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[kurtschachner]

This template looks the way it does because I tried a variety of different ways to cut those holes in the tube. The 1/4" holes aren't a problem since a standard hole punch will reach them and they are 1/4" in diameter. The lower, 3/16" holes are the problem.

The black circles have the white cross-hair since one thing I tried was a standard drill bit. I tried this with both an empty engine casing as a backup and without. I also tried drilling the tube after soaking it with CA. Nothing worked, it always was a ragged hole.

I ended up using a 3/16" belt punch and slowly turning the punch (while the inside was supported with an engine casing) to cut the hole. This worked pretty well. For this method, a solid marker on the template is better than a crosshair. What you really need for this would be a paper drill like this:

http://www.cfsbinds.com/last2bi.html

Those are razor sharp and the bevel is on the inside, not the outside. Unfortunately the price was a bit steep so I eded up using a punch from the hardware store instead. The punch is reversed from what you want (it cuts a nice slug. not a nice hole).

I also used Semroc ST-7 instead of BT-20 since it was a bit more sturdy. I just peeled off a layer of the paper from some CR-2050 rings so the ST-7 would fit.

Anyway, slowly turning the punch into the tube did a pretty nice job and the punch was only $7 at the store. Oh, and you cut through the black circle on the edges when you cut the templates from the sheet. The two half circles then meet up when the template is attached to the tube.

[Leo]

All a bit too complicated me thinks :D

I just used a sharp knife and cut the holes out. Then I used a pencil and wrapped sand paper around it to clean the holes.

Shouldn't matter if the holes aren't perfectly round.

http://www.leo.nutz.de/images/rockets/bandit_baffle_tube.jpg

By coincidence I painted the main body yellow 1 week ago :)

[kurtschachner]

All a bit too complicated me thinks :D

I just used a sharp knife and cut the holes out. Then I used a pencil and wrapped sand paper around it to clean the holes.

Shouldn't matter if the holes aren't perfectly round.

http://www.leo.nutz.de/images/rockets/bandit_baffle_tube.jpg



It is a bit much, isn't it :rolleyes:

I seriously considered buying that paper drill so I could make perfect holes, but finally decided that since they are completely hidden from view that it really, really didn't matter. The holes I did make are very good just not perfect. There's a slight bit of wrinkling around one or two of the holes but that's it.

[Phred]

I haven't tried it with rocket tubing, but for rubber powered stick and tissue airplanes, I buy brass tube of the appropriate size, then I sharpen the open end of the tube and use it to punch out holes oin the balsa.... I cheat and use a bench grinder!!

This may work for cardboard tube... then again it may not...

Phred

[kurtschachner]

I haven't tried it with rocket tubing, but for rubber powered stick and tissue airplanes, I buy brass tube of the appropriate size, then I sharpen the open end of the tube and use it to punch out holes oin the balsa.... I cheat and use a bench grinder!!

This may work for cardboard tube... then again it may not...

Phred

I did try that first since the appropriately sized brass tube was only about a buck. Unfortunately after cutting one hole the sharpened end was folded over and wouldn't cut anymore. Of course you could sharpen it after each cut but I was too lazy to do that :o

Still though, a proper cutter would be sharpened on the inside, not the outside. Like a paper drill. See, I *still* want to buy that thing.

I can (almost) always justify buying a tool! Maybe Carl will buy a couple hundred drilled tubes from me. After all, they sell everything else.

[Ltvscout]

Scott, if you want to put this on the plans site then go for it.
Will do.