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Strengthening Escape Tower Struts

For Apollo capsules and other rockets with escape towers trusses or other metalwork, it is sometimes very tricky to create such structures which are strong enough to fly.

Small diameter dowels, or even barbecue skewers, can be used to create the tower's struts.  To strengthen the joints in them, a small hole can be drilled using a pin vice or small hand-held drill.

Tools

Use a small bit of paint to mark where the hole on the adjoining piece needs to be drilled while aligning the two pieces.

Drill the hole.

Drilling

A pin, or a small length of metal such as one cut from a paper clip, is then glued into this hole using your preferred metal glue. Use glue to attach the two pieces with the metal pin between for added strength in the joint.

Pinning

The resulting join is surprisingly strong once dried and as such any structures built this way are very sturdy.

Contributed by Christopher Rhodes

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