Parallax Wheel Tape
This is the collaborative work of oaks1450 and jdh2550. We understand that this may not be the best method for everyone but wanted to share the process with anyone looking for an alternative to handwritten tapes and stickers. This method allows for easy replacement and quick alterations based on shooting preferences. This method may work for elevation and windage turrets as well.
To complete this project, you will need the following items:
Masking tape, clear tape, fine tipped pen (I like a fine tipped Sharpie), 8 ½ x 11 paper, a ruler or other measuring device, iPhone, Print to Size app ($2.99 for iOS, there may be free options, but I could not find anything I liked), and a printer with paper or adhesive full sheet label paper.
Helpful hints:
Be as accurate as possible. Garbage in, garbage out. Pinch and zoom to ensure your marks are as accurate as possible. Take your time. The first one you create will be the most difficult. After you create a few of these, you can complete this whole process in a few minutes. Experiment with various colors to find what you like. It’s a good idea to print an extra to have, just in case. It helps to save the picture and “duplicate” it so all your work is not lost if you make a big error. Once a tape is printed you may find there are open areas on your tape to add additional yardage marks based upon your needs. Clear tape over the finished product will help keep it looking good for a long time.
Process:
Step 1: Apply one piece of masking tape to your parallax wheel. Use a single piece of tape and cover the entire portion of the wheel that is used for ranging.
Step 2: Mark a spot on your parallax wheel and the tape (we will call this mark “A”) to use as a reference later. It does not matter where this mark is, but I prefer to mark my 10-yard mark. This is the shortest distance my scope will range and is a very distinct position on my scope. Just be sure that the wheel AND the tape are marked. My parallax wheel is 3D printed, so I took a sharp knife and scored the wheel with the blade.
Step 3: Range your scope and mark your distances. Take your time and be sure your marks are exactly where you want them.
Step 4: Remove your scope tape and apply it to a sheet of paper. Using a ruler and starting with mark A, measure a known distance and mark B. The longer the distance the better. I generally measure out 9 inches.
Step 5: Using an iPhone take a good picture of the sheet of paper. Go to your photo in the gallery and select Edit, choose the pen tip, click the plus button (bottom right). Select the box and create a rectangle beside your scope tape. I try to make it the same width and length as the masking tape. Click the fill button then fill white.
Step 6: Select the ruler at the bottom of the page. Use two fingers on the ruler to move it around. Select the pen and use the thin line (left) with the darkness slider all the way to the right. Transfer all your yardage marks onto the white box. You can pinch and zoom to transfer the exact location of these marks onto the white rectangle you created.
Step 7: Transfer A & B – It is important to transfer mark A & B onto your white rectangle. Do this as accurately as possible.
Step 8: Cleanup - After all yardage marks are transferred, turn the ruler to 90 degrees and cover the portion of yardage marks you want to keep on the white rectangle. Using the eraser, erase the excess. Note – lay the ruler over the marks you want to keep and erase the rest.
Step 9: Adding numbers – Now you have a choice. Do you want yardage marks or do you want holdover marks. The choice is yours; each has its pro’s and con’s. For setup we will use yardage. Click the plus (bottom right) and then “text”. Position the box and type your yardage. Note – font size can be adjusted by selecting the “aA” button on the bottom left. You can also select font color to your liking. Type all yardages. Save this image to your iPhone gallery.
Step 10: Printing to size – Open Print to Size app and click the plus button. Select your edited photograph, Crop the top of the image to cut through line B (created in step 4). Crop the bottom of the photograph to cut through line A. A measurement will be displayed in the center of the image. We are only worried about height. If you measured 9 inches from A to B, you want to get to exactly ## x 9.00” to be displayed. You may crop the sides in to just the white box you created but it is not necessary.
Step 11: Print – Send your image to the printer and cut the new tape you created. Apply it to your parallax wheel by lining up “A” on the tape to the mark or score line on your parallax wheel. ENJOY!
Both contributors hope that you find this information useful. If it works for you, please consider helping a friend create a parallax wheel tape. If you find a tip or trick that will help others, please post it. We would like to see your creations.
This is the collaborative work of oaks1450 and jdh2550. We understand that this may not be the best method for everyone but wanted to share the process with anyone looking for an alternative to handwritten tapes and stickers. This method allows for easy replacement and quick alterations based on shooting preferences. This method may work for elevation and windage turrets as well.
To complete this project, you will need the following items:
Masking tape, clear tape, fine tipped pen (I like a fine tipped Sharpie), 8 ½ x 11 paper, a ruler or other measuring device, iPhone, Print to Size app ($2.99 for iOS, there may be free options, but I could not find anything I liked), and a printer with paper or adhesive full sheet label paper.
Helpful hints:
Be as accurate as possible. Garbage in, garbage out. Pinch and zoom to ensure your marks are as accurate as possible. Take your time. The first one you create will be the most difficult. After you create a few of these, you can complete this whole process in a few minutes. Experiment with various colors to find what you like. It’s a good idea to print an extra to have, just in case. It helps to save the picture and “duplicate” it so all your work is not lost if you make a big error. Once a tape is printed you may find there are open areas on your tape to add additional yardage marks based upon your needs. Clear tape over the finished product will help keep it looking good for a long time.
Process:
Step 1: Apply one piece of masking tape to your parallax wheel. Use a single piece of tape and cover the entire portion of the wheel that is used for ranging.
Step 2: Mark a spot on your parallax wheel and the tape (we will call this mark “A”) to use as a reference later. It does not matter where this mark is, but I prefer to mark my 10-yard mark. This is the shortest distance my scope will range and is a very distinct position on my scope. Just be sure that the wheel AND the tape are marked. My parallax wheel is 3D printed, so I took a sharp knife and scored the wheel with the blade.
Step 3: Range your scope and mark your distances. Take your time and be sure your marks are exactly where you want them.
Step 4: Remove your scope tape and apply it to a sheet of paper. Using a ruler and starting with mark A, measure a known distance and mark B. The longer the distance the better. I generally measure out 9 inches.
Step 5: Using an iPhone take a good picture of the sheet of paper. Go to your photo in the gallery and select Edit, choose the pen tip, click the plus button (bottom right). Select the box and create a rectangle beside your scope tape. I try to make it the same width and length as the masking tape. Click the fill button then fill white.
Step 6: Select the ruler at the bottom of the page. Use two fingers on the ruler to move it around. Select the pen and use the thin line (left) with the darkness slider all the way to the right. Transfer all your yardage marks onto the white box. You can pinch and zoom to transfer the exact location of these marks onto the white rectangle you created.
Step 7: Transfer A & B – It is important to transfer mark A & B onto your white rectangle. Do this as accurately as possible.
Step 8: Cleanup - After all yardage marks are transferred, turn the ruler to 90 degrees and cover the portion of yardage marks you want to keep on the white rectangle. Using the eraser, erase the excess. Note – lay the ruler over the marks you want to keep and erase the rest.
Step 9: Adding numbers – Now you have a choice. Do you want yardage marks or do you want holdover marks. The choice is yours; each has its pro’s and con’s. For setup we will use yardage. Click the plus (bottom right) and then “text”. Position the box and type your yardage. Note – font size can be adjusted by selecting the “aA” button on the bottom left. You can also select font color to your liking. Type all yardages. Save this image to your iPhone gallery.
Step 10: Printing to size – Open Print to Size app and click the plus button. Select your edited photograph, Crop the top of the image to cut through line B (created in step 4). Crop the bottom of the photograph to cut through line A. A measurement will be displayed in the center of the image. We are only worried about height. If you measured 9 inches from A to B, you want to get to exactly ## x 9.00” to be displayed. You may crop the sides in to just the white box you created but it is not necessary.
Step 11: Print – Send your image to the printer and cut the new tape you created. Apply it to your parallax wheel by lining up “A” on the tape to the mark or score line on your parallax wheel. ENJOY!
Both contributors hope that you find this information useful. If it works for you, please consider helping a friend create a parallax wheel tape. If you find a tip or trick that will help others, please post it. We would like to see your creations.
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