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I am looking for help/suggestions with this post, but bear with me for a long explanation of the problem. I am building the Flyhawk 1/700 Scharnhorst. The basic kit provides all styrene parts for the aft, main mast. The mast part itself is 2.5 inches (63mm) long, and is very finely molded. It looks good, but obviously is not going to be strong enough to support rigging. The mast is supported by two legs, which form a tripod which reaches about a third of the way up it's length. This tripod supports two platforms, one of which is fairly large and mounts two searchlights.

I have the deluxe kit which provides a lot of photoetched goodies, and brass rod to build new, stronger masts. The instructions call for using the styrene tripod parts for the base, and they are all nicely engineered to support the two platforms. Then they say to cut off the top two-thirds of the mast, and replace it with brass rod.

The problem is then how to form a butt joint between the styrene base of the mast and the new mast top (above the tripod). I am thinking super glue is what will be needed.

I am looking for suggestions as to how hold the two pieces in perfect alignment while the glue dries. Obviously the mast is going to have to be straight. I am thinking some kind of jig? I would appreciate any suggestions. Someone must have solved this problem before.