swampyankee

I'm cutting my kit from the plans and am using the tracing paper glued to the wood method. I find that there's a certain amount of shrinkage between tracing from the plans and gluing the tracing paper to the wood. This shrinkage isn't consistent across the board, so I'm getting a tad frustrated with this method.
I've heard of the method of copying the original plans and cutting the parts from the copy. Or cutting templates with cardboard.
Can anyone tell me which is the superior way of doing this? Between either of the above mentioned methods or another method altogether.
Thanks.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

I use carbon paper and trace my parts outline on the plans. I do get another set of plans made as I will usually cut the plans up to make it easier to trace on the wood. I will tape the carbon paper down with blue masking tape and trace away. Hope this idea is what you are looking for. Good Luck, Dave

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

If I only plan to build one, I just use tracing paper fixed to poster board. Trace the parts onto the wood with pencil and cut them out. If you plan to build a few of them, I have a much better way.

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

swampy, I've built a lot of models from plans and use a bit different method that is fast and easy. You'll need to pick up a small pattern wheel ( I use a cheap dressmaker type with plastic handle and a wheel about 3/4" OD) and use a large T-Pin. I slide the wood or ply or whatever it is I want to transfer the pattern to and make sure the wood will catch all of the pattern, say a wing rib. This is easily seen and felt under the plan. Now, I use the T-Pin for all straight line needs by poking the pin through the pattern and into the wood at all straight line intersections; in the case of a square you'd have 4 points as an example. For any curvatures in parts I use the small pattern wheel and carefully run it over the plan making sure the wheel points cut throught the plan and into the wood. After making sure all required transfer points and curvatures are on the wood I then slide the wood out from under the plan and basically "connect the dots" lightly with fine point pen. Now it's just a matter of turning to the Dremal saw and cutting out the part or parts. The plan remains intact and can be used again and there is little transfer sizing problem, if any, and no mess. I like this method as it works out really fast once you do a few parts and when I compare the cutout part to the plan it fits nicely. Hope this helps in your builds.

Soft landings.

Joe

Skratchbilt

My Feedback: (6)

squeekalong has it covered for ya. The pattern wheel is the cat's meow... and when you get real good, you can use an actual cutting wheel with straight edges and the french curves. No extra drawing that way. Since most plans require some cutting, to make them useable, I have found that this is quite effective for multiple pieces. ie: wing ribs. Also, for laser-like cuts, use a very fine scroll saw blade at medium speed. You'll be very satisfied with the results. The ideals saw for this is a foot powered fret saw. Good luck.

swampyankee

Thanks for the information gentlemen. I think I'll give squeakalong's method a try. Since my wife does quilting I have both the pattern wheel and cutting wheel on hand.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Have the plans copied. Set the print settings to darker than needed. This loads extra ink on the copy.

Now take your prints and lay them (ink side down) on top of your wood. Heat up a full size iron (the kind used for ironing your clothes) and iron the back of the print. The extra ink on the plan will transfer to your wood.

Remove the plan and cut your parts.

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

rc pilot, the method you describe can be a great way to transfer patterns to wood. However, I tried this method twice and both times the copied plan (run by a copy place employee) was not true to the original plan. Once the copied plan was too long in one axis and the other time the copied plan was askew to the original. So I ended up with the descision of either building the model to the copies (which I didn't) or to the original (which I did). Each part of the transfered copy was off by a small bit but I felt the total error creep would have been substantial to my build. Just my own experience here but worth a consideration when cutting out a lot of parts.

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

swampy, I was just cutting some more parts out for a plan/scratch build Midwest Tri-Squire (my first RC plane in 1973) and I thought a couple of additional thoughts might be of use to you. When "connecting the dots": I use a fine point pen and "roll" the tip drafting style in my fingers as I draw the line. This helps to keep the line width narrow and uniform for cutting purposes. Also I wipe the pen point on a small piece of paper towel after EVERY drawn line to remove the balsa/wood residue and this keeps the ink to a minimum on the wood. Doesn't take any time at all to do these steps in the cutting process. I use a General 6" metal rule or a couple of my drafting triangles as guides when making the straight lines, lining the edge up with the the center of the marks on the material. When I cut out the parts on my old style Dremal saw I use the wide blade for all straight cuts and long curves as it makes for a straighter cut; use of the narrow dremal blade is primarily used for tight curves and holes/cutouts and such; square the blade to the table with a small triangle. As each piece is cutout I use an Easy-Sander with 180 grit sandpaper to dress up the edges or my Fourmost Products Miter Sander (a VERY useful tool BTW) as needed. And lastly, over the years I have learned that it only takes a couple of seconds to vaccum the sawdust from the part and around the saw after each piece is cut; this really cuts down on the amount of dust in the air and makes for a nice and neat work area. Hint: Set up a 20" box fan with a high-dollar filter on the air-draw side of the fan close to your saw work area. You'll be amazed at the dusts it collects! Hope this helps a bit and good luck to you on your cutting and build. Just ask if you have any questions I might be able to help you with.

Soft landings.

Joe

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

I've built quite a number of models from plans. I usually just trace the part with tracing paper over the plan. I use a straightedge where I need to have straight lines, and then just be careful on curves. For the vast majority of models, you'll get all the accuracy you need this way. You "fix" any deviations with sandpaper (you DO make the parts slightly oversize, right? and sand to the shape of the plans?) when you compare the parts to the plans.

Also, when you build from plans, you must decide how you're making the parts...whether you're using the inside or the outside of the inked lines on the plans. The lines on the plans are of significant size, you you choose where your template goes. Just make a choice and be consistent. You'll wind up with a good model regardless of which one you choose.

swampyankee

Thanks guys. I've given the copy route a thought but it can be dicey if you got someone on the copy machine not caring about exacting work. (Also taking into acount people who don't attempt their hand at this feat of engineering don't understand how exacting every aspect of the work should be to be successful at it.)

I've been using tracing paper, a fine point pen, straight edge, and french curve and while this usually gets the job done the first time, sometimes the paper can move ever so slightly that the eye doesn't really catch it. Until you try to line up the part to the plans that is, and then no amount of sanding will fix the gaff. One advantage I can see with tracing paper with the plans I have is the ability to make one piece parts. These plans call for the bulkheads to be cut from two halves and then joined, like a Guillows kit. If I had thought of it sooner I could have folded the tracing paper in half before tracing out the parts then cut the pattern and open the paper to lay out the part as one whole piece. Like Zirolli's plans. I'll probably do another one of this particular plane anyway.

But I do like the fabric pattern wheel, it's exact the first time and the plans don't move on the wood. I don't cut my plans up so the weight of the plan itself holds everything down. I seem to recall a tool that I believe rug layers once used back in the day. It was a wheel in the fashion of the pattern wheel but had spikes the size of tacks on it. I would think that that would make a swell tool to use on thick ply.

I cut out a Ziroli plan once, that was as far as I got due to moving. So I have some experiance in cutting a kit. Absolutely 0 building one, unless you count Guillows.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

If I want to save my plans I go to Kinkos and get an extra set. You take the set they made and lay them over you plans held up on a window and if it isn't sized correctly you have them do it over until you get a true 100%. When you want 100% and ask for it then they better be correct. They don't charge you unless it's correct unless you let them!
I then cut up the copy and build over the originals. If I'm only building one plane I just use contact cement and glue the cut copy directly onto the wood.
If I plan on building more then one plane then I use a pen and trace the cut parts onto the wood and save the paper cut parts in a baggy of big envelope.
You can also make extras with a computers printer, mine is dead on 100% and works very well.