wbflyer

I started my first kit today and I got the stab LE cut and pinned perfectly. I think this is going to be fun! Balsa cuts like butter on a band saw

outdoorhunting

So does fingers!!!! Balsa cuts sooo fast, sometimes your fingers can't keep up, ouch !!! Welcome to a whole new world of our hobby. I think the greatest part of our hobby. This part is as good as flying them !!!! Think about it !! NO "Pucker factor", " dumb thumbs" means you just glued your thumb to a piece of wood ( not making toothpicks) ,& if your nose itches you can scratch it without losing your plane !!!!! All kidding aside, you'll enjoy it & when, (not if) you get stumped on something, you have a bunch of guys just waiting to help you out on RCU !!!!!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

If you don't already have one, get a razor saw. They are invaluable for making nice clean precise cuts in balsa (It's like a razor blade with teeth)

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXVJ32&P=ML

BTW, great kit both for building and flying!

wbflyer

haha, I am certain that I will get stumped. I bought a little razor saw with 3 different tooth size blandes and miter box. It has already has helped a ton!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Never met an Extra I didn't like!!!

prgonzalez

Welcome to the wonderful world of converting a pile of pieces of wood into a model airplane [8D].

After many hours of dedicated work, you will experience a hard to describe excitement at maiden flight. I confess, I am addicted to this emotion .

Some advice: take it slowly; think about every step; learn some techniques from the process; measure twice, cut once; take pictures, a lot of pictures; document your mistakes and solutions; consider every step and the weight you add to the model and you will end up with a fine airplane.

outdoorhunting

Exactly !!! All good points. Also, make sure you read the instructions at least 3 times. If you KNOW the instructions the build will be twice as easy !!! Good Luck

wbflyer

that is just what I am doing.. almost too much. It is going to take me forever to get this done at this rate
!

By the way, as I was building the stab, I took a ruler out to make sure it was 100% flat across the top. there seems to be a small gap in towards the middle of the stab. I paused the build and I think I am going to try and buy something that is absolute flat. I thought my table was 100% flat but I think the cork board is causing a slight rise twoard the stab ends. dang!!

r2champion

I just maidened my GP Extra .40 last month and wow, it is a great flying plane. It was a great kit to build as well, just follow the directions and think them through before gluing anything. I upgraded to a Sullivan tailwheel but everything else is stock. I put a .75 on the nose and dang, can you say overkill? It is a rocket and will flat climb at accelerating rates to the clouds before you can blink your eyes. I imagine a strong .46 or even a .55 would be a great match. Best of luck with your build!

burgh_guy61

My Feedback: (11)

The Extra 300 40 size is a great little plane, I really like mine alot and have probably hundreds of flights on it. I built it years back and have a saito 80 in mine. I do recomend the fiberglass cowl upgrade as my plastic one only lasted one season. Enjoy!

wbflyer

where do you get the fiberglass cowl?

burgh_guy61

My Feedback: (11)

The fiberglass cowlings are available from :
Aerofiber Tech (the old Stans Fiber Tech) http://www.aerofibertech.com/products.html or
Precision fiberglass products http://www.precision-fiberglass-prod...dex.php?cat=42
Both have very nice products

wbflyer

ok, and they fit perfectly fo rthis plane or do they need to be modified?

prgonzalez

wbflyer,

That's the main difference between having a flyable airplane or having a GREAT flying airplane. I have learned this, all models will fly. But, just a few will fly GREAT!!!.

I used to build airplanes in a breeze, from two to five weeks. My models flew, but not that great. Then, I paused and started to read and learn about building true and light. I learned to plan a build picturing and detailing how I wanted to have the final product, target weight, hardware accessories, engine, etc. So, after that learning experience, I spent six months in the following model (last one). For seeing the benefits, I built a second model of a GP Giles. The reward has been tremendous. This second Giles flies so much different than my first one. [X(]

The GP Extra you are building is one of those models that is worth to have patience. The end result will pay off all the effort you put in building it right. You WILL NOT regret it.

burgh_guy61

My Feedback: (11)

The cowl i used fit perfect, but it was for the stand-off's. The side of the cowel is wider than the fuse like the plastic one was.

prgonzalez

You can also get it from http://www.fiberglassspecialtiesinc.com

wbflyer

I bought some Homasote and this stuff is furry! It doesn’t seem to be as stiff as some people stated. I stopped building so that I could get a 100% flat surface and I thought this would work. What are your thoughts?

outdoorhunting

Try Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. You should be able to pick up a hollow core door pretty cheap. Look for one that's damaged on one side. They work great & you can store about anywhere when not in use.