rcjunky67

Somewhere ,I've read about using 1/32 ply to make biscuit's for joining wood joints to increase strength without adding a bunch of weight. and I seem to remember the author stating that a great planes 'slot machine',wonderful tool by the way, to cut the grooves for the joints. It sound like a killer idea and I'd like to know if anyone here has used this method during a build and what the outcome was. thanks in advance.

sensei

I am the guy that showed building with a biscuit using the slot machine, the testing showed joints that were 5 or 6 times stronger then glue alone. Just slot everything pre assemble and thin CA, or use a slow setting glue and...

Bob

3136

Nice! a bit like the tooth pick method on roids.

rcjunky67

Thanks bob, I just picked up a b-usa citabria pro kit over the weekend. I remembered seeing the post about this method, What thread did you post this on? I think this would be a good idea,especially for the longeron structure on the aft half of the fuse. Thanks again sensei.

Glad to see you chimed in too Mark, maybe either of you could tell me , what size dowel rod would you guys use to stake the fire wall to the fuse sides which is a box with triangle stock bracing the backside of the fire wall. Also would you stake the fire wall itself,or the triangle stock behind it? any suggestions would be much appreciated as this is a first for me with this kind of construction method.

3136

I would be incline to take Bob's advice over mine as he's a far better builder, but since he hasn't answered I'll give you the best I can come up with.

I'm not familiar with that kit,if the fuse sides are balsa, there wouldn't be much point pinning from the side, if they are plywood then you could, if so I'd go strait into the firewall depending on it's thickness, but probably not required.
Bob will cringe at this but I often replace the firewall with one twice as thick then use triangle stock and fibreglass the inside.

rcjunky67

hey thanks mark, the sides of the fuse are plywood and firewall is 1/4" thick ply withe triangle stock behind it. this plane looks like a bipe without the bottom wing. it's got an 80" parasol wing. the model is of a one off prototype , the factory burnt down the day after the plane was flown to tennessee to a dealer for exibition flights. all documentation and plan demensions were lost in the fire and another was never built . can't wait to build this piece of history. just trying to get my ducks in a row first. thanks again

funnotcrazy

I build with beer.

rcjunky67

make it kinda hard to get the covering to stick don't it???

rcjunky67

Sensei, which blades are you using on your slot machine, the set that mine came with don't look like they would be long enough to go through a piece of 1/2" wood. I think I'm gonna get a second slot machine just to make this tool with. and I didn't know you could get the blades in different length's.

foodstick

I have built a few Balsa USA kits and the tail is built from layered butt joint pieces. At each butt joint I took a thin dremel cutting wheel and gently cut down from the top across the joint. then I took and sliced some strips of thin plywood and trimmed it to fit down in the slit. It worked very well.

rcjunky67

basicly the same idea. I think its the way to go for some structures.

pt19 flyer

My Feedback: (1)

ok funnotcrazy

I kinda like to build with beer to, sometimes I get a crazy looking and crazy flying airplane...
but it is much more fun

happy flying
pt19 flyer

sensei

As I recall, I just used the blades that came with the slotter, you can also use a thinner worktop than a 3/4" thick piece of MDF as I did.

Bob