Jim, Stick with the toothpicks. Using larger sticks like the skewers damages the integrity of most aircraft grade ply used in our models. If you drill out a hole that large of size, you go through several layers of the ply firewall. Yes the skewers are stonger than tooth picks but now you've weaken the ply unnecessarily. Please guys, remember that just a little change most always will make the biggest improvement in a structure. Think strength when you build but build light and think about what each change you make during construction would mean to the other parts that interact with your modifications. Does it make sense to split and destroy the firewall to use skewers? If the ply was 3/4" thick, and needed to support a 150cc motor, you can do it, but not in a 1.20 size model.

Jim, you go with what works best but go slow and think all your mods through. You wont be able to undo most if there not thought out first. Keep posting pics. Im eager to know how it flys.

Oh..one more thing. The toothpicks arent used as shear resistance but to increase the efective bonding surface. Ever notice the "ears" in formers and bulkheads that key into the fusalage? Yes, it makes it easier to build a straite structure, but it adds strength to the joint most of all. There's always more than meets the eye in model building. Piper