Northeastern Scale is one good source for a bit smaller 1/16" dowel. I haven't found any 1/12" dowel.

http://northeasternscalelumber.com/...39f3815e6f2f326

Also, Midwest Products Co.

http://www.midwestproducts.com/cata...id=15&sa2_id=33

__________________
"I'm a sandman. I've never killed anyone. I terminate runners when their time is up." Logan from "Logan's Run"

http://sandmandecals.com/

Semroc carries it. (Of course!)

www.semroc.com

Just do a search for dowel on their site and you'll see all the various lengths they stock it in.

__________________
Scott D. Hansen
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe!
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WOOSH NAR Section #558

Gang,

I agree: eight V segments for Vostok, but . . . .

I stayed up mightly late last night. From reviewing what this morning seems like thousands of images from Bing, I am absolutely certain that the present Soyuz TMA version has 12 V's in the interstage area. I am fairly certain the TM and T versions had 12 V's. The Fregate and Progress appear to have 12 V's but the original Soyuz may have had only 10. I found the farther back in time I went, the less clear the pictures. The Soviet era stuff is just unclear; I couldn't find an old assembly picture that indicated one way or the other.

I looked at Sandman's TIF file for a Soyuz T and especially at the BB section and would argue that it shows three attachments per quadrant or 12 V's.

In any event, I'm going with 12. I'll make and post a template for the octagon (for Vostok) and the dodecagon (your word for the day) (for the Soyuz) that ties the V's together at the top and for the round plate the V's attach to on the bottom.

Yes, Semroc has the 1/12 dowel, which will be critical for the Soyuz when we're try to cram all those V's together. I'm thinking of using 1/8 dowel for the Vostok -- more space and fewer of them. I pulled a dowel that felt a little small in diameter out of the bin at Lowe's that I may use. I'm going to start on them tonight.

__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Honestly it is very easy to change the laser cut pattern (I haven't had them cut yet) and yes, there very well may be 12 segments.

I'm tending to lean towards 12 but...I'm just not so sure.

Anybody have any documentation on that? I really don't want to guess.

Added note* I just downloaded a paper model of the Soyuz and it shows 16 segments!!

I downloaded a second Soyuz (a Soyuz NOT a Vostok!) paper models and it has 7 freakin' segments!

I'm real confused now!

__________________
"I'm a sandman. I've never killed anyone. I terminate runners when their time is up." Logan from "Logan's Run"

http://sandmandecals.com/

How about just sections of round toothpicks?

They are smaller than 1/16th and really cheap.

__________________
"I'm a sandman. I've never killed anyone. I terminate runners when their time is up." Logan from "Logan's Run"

http://sandmandecals.com/

I finally figured out where I saw 1/12" dowels available locally. Michaels sells a pack of 5/64" dowels which is just under 1/12" in size. They are 2 5/8" long and come 250 to a bag, which will make a lot of escape towers and Russian lattices. The brand name is Woodsies.


Bill

Guys,

I haven't forgotten nor have I been slacking. I've been absolutely sick as a dog for the last ten days. It started as some sort of stomach virus that is now gone but I am left with the Mother of All Colds and to be blunt, I don't feel very creative when I'm blowing my nose and coughing all the time.

Hopefully, I'll at least finish and post the patterns for the lattices this weekend.

Merry Christmas !

__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Get better soon, have a good holiday and don't breath on me!

__________________
"I'm a sandman. I've never killed anyone. I terminate runners when their time is up." Logan from "Logan's Run"

http://sandmandecals.com/

Comrades:

Unbelievably, I did it. The lattice is done for the Vostok.

Picture 1 shows the octagon and the dodecagon and their corresponding disks laid out on the plywood. I decided to glue the paper forms to the plywood.

Picture 2 shows the forms roughed out. At this point I wisely decided to glue some paper to the backside of the plywood to prevent or at least minimze splintering. The hole is drilled in the center of the shapes so I can pass the saw blade through the hole and cut out the insides.

Picture 3 shows the instrument of destruction -my old Dremel two speed saw from my R/C days.

Picture 4 may seem a little odd: that's my wife's casserole dish on top of the partially complete, glue-drying lattice. It was the only heavy thing lying around I could put on top while the glue dried. It amazed me that it held up -- that's when I knew it would work. I did alternating V's and after they dried I added the remaining four. By the way, I used 1/12 dowel from Semroc.

Picture 5 shows the mostly finished lattice - a little sanding and some sealer and we're ready to finish the Vostok. A little late but were close. And make no mistake, it's tough. The individual V's were pretty wimpy as was the 1/8" wide by 1/16" thick octagon but when you glue them all together --it's magic. It was alot easier to build than the old Estes wooden Mercury-Redstone escape tower.


As for the Soyuz - to cram all of the struts for that one will require 1/16 dowel and some monster patience. I'm going to round up a little of both this week.

There has GOT to be a better way to do this . . . .

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Where do you find all this great documentation?

__________________
Layne Pemberton NAR# 83083
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PembertonTechnologies.com
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