impulse09

My Feedback: (3)

Aside from hacking up a second set of plans, what are some methods of transferring the part outline onto the wood so the cutting can commence?

CK1

My Feedback: (60)

In the case of a kit build ,I have been placing the parts on the copy machine and copying them to the full sheet label paper . I cutout the shape and stick it to the wood and cut . In the case of making ribs you can stack as many as you want and use the one label and cut out several ribs at one time .
If it is a plans build just place the area of the plans you need on the copier and do the same thing.

impulse09

My Feedback: (3)

About how large are you able to copy? I will be working on a Don Smith Frank, about 86" wingspan. And this label paper comes from office depot, etc.?

R_G

My Feedback: (1)

I've found that [link=http://www.seetemp.com/]See Temp[/link] works very well for making patterns from plans. I've used it quite a bit.

RG

Hemikiller

My Feedback: (125)

Copy the ribs and formers, then cut out and use a good glue stick to adhere it to the wood. You can peel the template right off when you're ready to build.



-

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

The Japanese Hayate "Frank" has a tapered wing so you are limited in how many ribs you can cut at once. What I like to do is copy each rib with a copying machine and then cut out the pattern. You can do ribs up to about 22" long at a self service copying store like Kinkos. I then stack two layers of rib material and attach the template with rubber cement. Rubber cement holds great and allows you to pull the template right off with little or no residue. Next I rough cut both ribs out at once and sand them to the final shape. I have made many sets this way. One airplane had a ribs varying from 17.75" to 4.75". The trick is cut all your templates out first and then lay them out on your balsa sheet to minimize waste. I use the same technique for fuselage formers as well. You would be surprised how l little wood you lose when you lay the parts out correctly.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

You can lay tracing paper over the plan and trace the parts. Then you carefully cut them out and use temporary adhesive to glue the pattern to the wood. Carefully cut out and sand the wood part to the lines on the pattern. If you have many of the same part to cut out, make one template of that part out of thin plywood or sheet metal and use it to cut out each part. Stack them all together and sand to make them all uniform.

Unless you're building a scale model, slight variance from the plan shapes won't hurt a thing. Just make sure the parts all properly fit together and the assembly is kept straight.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

I use the tracing paper method too. I've been known to make templates from kits so I can build another later. It really doesnt take that much longer, besides, I never in any hurry. A light dusting of 3M77 (or similar) spray adhesive to stick the paper to the wood then go to town on the band saw. Cut within 1/16" to 1/8" and finish sand on the 1" vertical belt sander. I've done the copy machine method a time or two but got burned with a non-linear copy, was minor. But had to redo several ribs. Some guys will take the entire plans to kinkos and get them copied and cut that one up.
Edwin

prgonzalez

Excellent tip!!!

prgonzalez

I've used the copy and paste solution. For tapered wings, I use double sided tape to join two pieces of wood and the template on one side. I then cut the piece with the scroll saw and sand to the template outline.

AmishWarlord

My Feedback: (5)

I trace the part from the plans unto vellum tracing paper.

Then I use 3M 77 and glue the traced image to some white poster board.

I cut out the part template with an X-atco knife.

I use the template to trace the outline onto the wood.

I just use a #2 pencil on the tracing paper

The Bic Triumph 537R with the .5mm tip is great to trace the outline onto the wood from the template.

It puts down a thin dark line on balsa without cutting into it or bleeding.

Save the templates with the plans if you need new parts later.

impulse09

My Feedback: (3)

Ask and you shall receive. I think I may use several of these tips throughout the process. Now it's on to finding a balsa supplier!

Thanks for the replies.

D. Sutton

AmishWarlord

My Feedback: (5)

I'm use Solarbo balsa. They have really good quality at 1/2 the price of the other guys.

NZjet

Photocopy the parts required, use a iron on hot and then iron the copy face down on the required wood. the ink wil transfer enough to make the cut.

balsa brain

I use Reynolds freezer paper laid over the plan, wax side down. Trace the part, cut it out and then use a trim iron to stick it to the balsa or ply. Cut out with a scroll saw and sand to the final shape. Works good.

Bill

Bill G

Just do exactly what you are doing, but use a semi-dull exacto blade that doesn't cut through the plan. You should still be able to see the marking on the wood well enough to then cut through it and have your finished part. I've probably scratch built at least 15 models using this method.

Pylonracr

I use either tracing paper or carbon paper. I glue the templates to the wood with rubber cement. Easy to clean off and it does not penetrate the wood so no weight is added.

Iron Dog

If it is a favorite design that I want to make multiples of, I use 3M Spray 77 contact cement to glue the photocopies of the parts onto formica. I cut and sand these to proper final shape. Then I use these formica templates to cut as many identical parts as I want. Simply lay the formica template over balsa and use a new Xacto #11 blade or single edge razor blade to cut (especially for any crossgrain cuts, such as notches for spars). Just make sure that you hold the blade perpendicular to the template. (If you angle the cut, your part will not be accurate.) For larger crossgrain cuts, such as wing-rib leading edges, I use a razor saw to ensure a clean cut.

Even though you can't cut ply using a blade, this method works relatively well for plywood formers, as well . . . just do not "save" the line when sanding the template. Use the template to trace a part on ply with a very sharp pencil or very fine tip Sharpie marker. Cut the part, initially "saving" the line; then final-sand it not "saving" the line. If you invest reasonable care in this process, each part will again be about as identical as can be expected (without the huge investment of time and money in learning CAD, and then paying someone for laser cutting).

Hope this helps you &/or others that wish to make multiples. It is also good for when you damage and need to replace a part . . . you always have the master to cut an identical replacement part!

Ollie

LouisB

I can also vouch for the copier and iron method. Use a toner cartridge photocopier (most modern ones are toner-based) and a hot iron.

chip_MG

My Feedback: (14)

I used the trace method to a long time.. takes too long..

Now I own a $60 3 in one printer i got from walmart.. It has a copy bottom and scan bottom and a print bottom on the control panel of the printer as I noted most 3 in one printers have these days. I just fold up the plan for the part I want a template of and press the copy bottom.. for the ribs, then the bhds, engine mounts etc.. really easy , i said really easy to do does not take much hard work or time.. usually I can do an the whole plan set for most plans .90 size and up in less than an hour using this method. Then I cut out the template I made, compair it to the original plan, just to make sures it's the same size , then I use a kids glue stick to glue the template to the balsa, then rough cut to size with my scroll saw about 1/16" from the line then sand to final shape.. Once you get good at it you'll be ammazed at how fast you can make your own kit from a plan.. I done a 1/4 bucker jungmister the other day I started the the coping around 9am and had all the parts cut for the kit at about 4 pm and I even had lunch in the process, and a lot of fun too..

Ya I like to build planes from plans..

Good luck and happy landings to ya,
Chip

Luft-Gangster

I use my all in one for small stuff, but for larger plans I mounted an old slidding glass door to the wall of my build room. Its hinged, so it folds down after use.