Connecting tower base with top

[Balsa Man]

I think this question has been needlessly discussed over and over again (we really need a simple redirect to the main towers forum)

Without a jig, getting precise alignment is near impossible to achieve and even then, replicate. Adding a ladder between them only makes freehand alignment easier, but still terribly difficult and near impossible to do right. The addition of another piece of wood to me is not necessary if you have a jig as adding another piece introduces more variability and possibility of premature failure. The only known solution is to align it with a support (whatever you choose to use). Drenching the joint in glue could help, but it will never give you a competitive tower (2.5k-3.5k).

Folks, please just realize that you will need a jig this year. You will be hard pressed to consistently break even 2000 without it. There is nothing more to really say in my opinion.

What can I say. Agree!

[SPP SciO]

Just wanted to share a technique that’s worked with moderate success for us -

Trace the angle between base and chimney on cardstock or another flat surface (stiffer is better; paper won’t work). Draw another line bisecting this angle. If I recall it’s something like 78 degrees, but measure it.

Here’s the critical part - get something to hold a stick of balsa at a 45 degree angle on this template - we use 3d printed edge strips, as per Balsa Man’s recommendation. See elsewhere for a description of using them on your tower jig, but you need at least two extra pieces to use for the “cutting jig”. Essentially you need something to hold a piece of square balsa wood at a diamond orientation, rather than square. The “home plate” edge is the only thing in contact with the template.

The stick should be much longer than what you’ll need; you just cut the glue faces now, and the faces contacting ground and loading block get cut later. Align the stick along the line you traced, have some stick out past the bisecting line, and make a clean vertical chop (think from 2nd base through to home plate) with the razor aligned to the bisect line. Before you move the stick, place an ink dot on one of the faces to help you identify it later! Repeat this process for the other stick. Before using these on your jig, make sure they mate perfectly- if there’s any gap, just try it again (as long as the stick has sufficient length for trial and error)