mapleleafs

I have noticed that some kits come with the wood die-cut and lazer cut. Is there a big differnce in the ease of build or fitting of parts?

SitNFly

My Feedback: (54)

For the most part, laser-cut kits are more accurate and fit together better. However, a die-cut kit can be almost as good if the dies used are sharp; and they have the advantage of no charred edges. Hand cut kits using band saws are, IMHO, the best of all.

NCIS

Die cut kits with sharp knives.

Gibbs

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Laser cut all the way. They practically snap together.

Jeeze--you just pour some glue in the box and shake well. Open the lid and pour an airplane out on the bench.

Stickbuilder

If you want the best fitting parts, then either order a hand cut kit from someplace such the Aeroplane Works, or one of the other kit cutters. These kits are all custom cut, and fit extremely well. With the laser cut kits, you do have charred edges that needs to be dealt with, and the ply will have some of the glue burned to the point that you may (operative word is may) experience some delamination of the plies. With the die-crunched kits, most of the ones that you will find are not cut with sharp dies, and some incomplete cutting is common. You pays your money, and you takes your choice. My vote is with the custom cut kit, or band saw and sand your own.

Bill, AMA 4720
WACO Brotherhood #1

ChuckW

Personally, I prefer laser cut kits. I've never ran into any problems with the chared edges. CA and Tightbond soak right into them and hold great. There are good die cut kits too and there is nothing wrong with die cutting. You just spend a little more time removing the parts and sanding sometimes. Laser cut kits definitely build faster.

Stickbuilder

Chuck,

Not trying to start a flame war here, but if you need speed, may I suggest an ARF... or at least an ARC... If you want quality, cut your own. Even the laser cut kits have their own issues.

Bill, AMA 4720
WACO Brotherhood #1

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Personally I don't care whether a kit is laser-cut or die-crunched. I am much more concerned with the finished product.

If "Brand A" has a nice kit that is laser cut and "Brand B" has a similar kit that is die-cut, I would be much more concerned with other features.

For instance, if I want flaps on a particluar model and "B" has them but "A" doesn't, I'm certainly not going to get "A" just because it is laser-cut.

So to me, it's a nice feature, but not something that's going to sway my decision.

ChuckW

I'm not saying that building fast is the ultimate goal. It's generally true though that a good laser cut kit can go together faster than a die cut kit because you spend less time cleaning out notches, sanding, etc. I've built laser cut kits and die cut kits. I'm currently in the middle of a die cut GP Skybolt. I've never scratched an entire plane but I've cut plenty of my own wing ribs and other parts so I'm not looking for a quick result at all. Yes, some laser cut kits are better than others but you have to admit that the good ones go together quickly, and easily.

As for an ARF, I've owned a few. Some really good, some really bad. They aren't really my thing but I'm sure I'll have another one sometime if I happen to really like the plane.

Stickbuilder

Give Mage Gill a shot at one (Aeroplane Works) you will not be disappointed with what he offers. The parts are almost too nice to use. I'm dead serious, I have build virtually every type of kit that you wish to name over the last 57 years that I have been in this hobby, and these are the absolute nicest.

Bill, AMA 4720
WACo Brotherhood #1

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

The actual way the parts are cut out is not really that relevant, as long as they are clean and accurate. I've seen laser-cut parts that had bad fit as well as die-cut parts. It all depends upon the initial drawings. Some modern laser kits were actually made from digitized plans that were originally hand-drawn. Every imperfection in the hand-drawn plans was faithfully reproduced in the laser kit.

If a kit maker uses die-cutting, then again, the dies used to cut the wood are only as accurate as the drawings given to the die maker and the quality of the dies produced.

Even today, laser cutting isn't quite good enough for large-volume production of large parts. Economical laser cutters are small and slow, and large, fast ones are so expensive that it's nearly impossible to recoup the investment costs...you just can't sell enough kits nowadays.

Many kit makers have a combination of laser and die-cut parts because they can 'farm out' the laser cutting, and the parts being laser cut are on smaller pieces of wood in lower volumes. The die-cutting goes is for the large pieces, or for those parts where you have several of the same sheet in the kit (wing ribs, for example).

The highest-quality kit parts I have ever seen are those from a German manufacturer that uses a CNC router. They start out with excellent plans and then the parts are cut out with a router. The kits are very costly, though.

ChuckW

I found a web page for them: http://www.theaeroplaneworks.com/home.htm Looks like some nice stuff. Definitely worth keeping in mind for a nice warbird project.

Yak18

My Feedback: (11)

I don't think it's the cutting, but rather the design work. Any kit that is CAD designed and laser, or CNC cut is going to be superior to something hand drawn/hand cut. Computers don't make mistakes unless programmed to make it by a human.

I have built from plans too, and the parts matched the plans precisely...only problem was the plans were drawn incorrectly so some parts didn't fit. And I mean they were WAY off!

Yak

Rv7garage

My Feedback: (10)

Bax- do you happen to know the name/website of the German manufacturer? I'd like a look.

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

I have had good and bad in both die cutting and laser cutting. Some laser cuts don't go all the way through the wood or leave charring that I felt compelled to lightly sand off before assembly, and I've had some die cutting that has damaged the wood pretty badly. Give me either one- as long as it's done right. I don't pass by a kit just because it may be die cut. I've seen some awesome die cutting that has really impressed me where the parts literally fall out and fit great. Who cares, as long as it fits right without major surgery.

hkxy

I thought laser cutting is the good choice.

w0mbat

My Feedback: (1)

There are a couple advantages to a laser cut kit (if it is designed and cut correctly):

1. The laser has the ability to cut very lightweight and intricate parts - such as lightening holes, notches and very small pieces in thin balsa very accurately.

2. The parts will fit together without any sanding. Also, there is no sanding required before sheeting (assuming the stringers are made accurately).

3. Part numbers and other information can be scribed directly on the parts for easier assembly.

There is a common misconception that the charring in the wood will create a weaker joint. We have done quite a bit of testing and found that the charring (which is carbon) actually creates a stronger joint when glued with CA or epoxy.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

http://www.cnc-modellbautechnik.de/

Imported into the U.S. by:

http://www.shredair.com/

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

I was involved with both systems. There really is no comparision between the two systems on a manufacturing basis.

The die cut sheet can be done in maybe five seconds, and the laser cut one in a couple of minutes. If the kit manufacturer thinks he has a winner at hand, it goes the die cut route, to be competitive in price and quantity.

If he thinks the kit OK, but could only go for low production, it then goes the laser route. For that direction is more expensive, but cost effective for low volume production.

Now for a firm like Hobby-Lobby 1000 kits is considered low productiuon. For one of the litlle guys on the magazine ads, 1000 would be considered a wind-fall.

Wm.