Anyone use National balsa for Ziroli kits?
#26
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RE: Anyone use National balsa for Ziroli kits?
Hey Fred,
As I started working on the fuselage I realized that the wing saddle piece is way out of wack. I placed the laser cut part on the plan, and it was off. So, I cut out my own wing saddle piece, and that was also off, so the template on the plan is whats throwing everything off. I'm not sure if you will have the same problem, I imagine you will, but just a heads up.
Also, there are a few fuselage formers, can't remember the ones exactly, but they were off a little bit, so I re cut those myself.
Other than those small errors, its been a great laser cut kit to work with.
Jason
As I started working on the fuselage I realized that the wing saddle piece is way out of wack. I placed the laser cut part on the plan, and it was off. So, I cut out my own wing saddle piece, and that was also off, so the template on the plan is whats throwing everything off. I'm not sure if you will have the same problem, I imagine you will, but just a heads up.
Also, there are a few fuselage formers, can't remember the ones exactly, but they were off a little bit, so I re cut those myself.
Other than those small errors, its been a great laser cut kit to work with.
Jason
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RE: Anyone use National balsa for Ziroli kits?
Jason,
If the template is off and is different from the piece when positioned on the blueprints, I would give them a call and let them know. I do not think there is a cut kit out there that has everything cut 100% perfect, but if the template is off, telling them wou,d allow them to adjust their cutting and prevent any issues in the future. A company is only as good as the feedback it gets. I had a few pieces missing - not cut pieces but sheet pieces of ply - was no fault of theirs because the pieces were NOT on the materials list Ziroli sends with the plans. I told them and this allows them to add them to the eqipment list. They are great people and I am sure they would appreciate your input.
David
If the template is off and is different from the piece when positioned on the blueprints, I would give them a call and let them know. I do not think there is a cut kit out there that has everything cut 100% perfect, but if the template is off, telling them wou,d allow them to adjust their cutting and prevent any issues in the future. A company is only as good as the feedback it gets. I had a few pieces missing - not cut pieces but sheet pieces of ply - was no fault of theirs because the pieces were NOT on the materials list Ziroli sends with the plans. I told them and this allows them to add them to the eqipment list. They are great people and I am sure they would appreciate your input.
David
#28
RE: Anyone use National balsa for Ziroli kits?
If the template is off, isn't it the designer's problem ? Kits are cut to the templates taken from the plans. In my opinion, cutters shouldn't be held responsible for designer's mistakes.
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RE: Anyone use National balsa for Ziroli kits?
I agree 100% Tom...that is what I was saying. But if the template is off it needs to be redrawn somehow. As I found with pieces missing from my full kit, cutters only have materials lists and blueprints from designer. If the piece is not on the materials list, or the plans are wrong, what can they do??
#30
RE: Anyone use National balsa for Ziroli kits?
I feel that it's up to the designer to correct the mistakes. The corrections can then be passed on to the cutters. It is not, and should not be, the cutter's responsibility to correct errors. In effect, he would be modifying the original design, and would need to publish the fact that he was selling a modified version.
There are way too many times where I've seen the cutter blamed for the designer's mistakes.
By the time we have developed the ability to build from plans, we have developed the abilities to identify errors and correct them ourselves.
Just my opinion.
There are way too many times where I've seen the cutter blamed for the designer's mistakes.
By the time we have developed the ability to build from plans, we have developed the abilities to identify errors and correct them ourselves.
Just my opinion.
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I'm putting in my fourth order to National Balsa. I live in Northeastern Colorado, so I have to keep a supply of building balsa. I call it my "lumber yard". It is 90% National Balsa. Every sheet and stick is first quality. So far I have built a 96" Lanzo Bomber, 80" Playboy, and a 120" Comet Clipper from their wood. My next two projects will be a 150% (82") Miss Stick, and a 84" Powerhouse. I like the fact that the sticks are straight. They get my vote. I haven't found anyone who comes close to their prices.
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I am currently building a Hostetler Cessna 182 and I had the kit cut by National Balsa. It is one of the best things that I have done, it has been so easy to find what I need and it just falls out of the cut. So far I have not had any issues with any of the pieces but I am still early in the build.
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I Just ordered by short kit for Ziroli Spit from National Balsa. I ordered it on Tuesday and it arrived to Connecticut UPS on Thursday. Wood grade is fantastic and packaged very well. Perhaps this is the best cutting I have seen in over 20 plus years in the hobby. Good service and quality deserves a plug. Good Stuff!
#36
I just had a Katz designed Devastator cut by Kit Cutters and Joe re-cut the wing ribs because the drawings of each individual ribs were slightly too large and when those cut ribs were put on the plan they we too large. He cut another set of ribs for me. He caught this problem and cut the ribs without me asking but I agree something like this is not his fault but the designer's fault. I have a huge assortment of balsa on hand from club members who have passed away but I will buy anything I don't have from National Balsa. Here are a couple pictures of my Brian Taylor Kingfisher built with a Bob Holman short kit but all the additional wood came from National. Great people to work with and I just recently was at their booth at the WRAM show in NJ. If I wanted to build any one of the kits they offer I wouldn't hesitate to do so. They had a great assortment of wood at the show and guys were leaving with handfuls of it.
Also included a couple pics of the Kit Cutters short kit of the Katz Devastator
Also included a couple pics of the Kit Cutters short kit of the Katz Devastator