Tim,

I've kept a running microsoft Excel sheet that shows exactly what I've bought up to now for this plane. I was curious at how much I'd end up spending, so really EVERYTHING is on this sheet including exact cost. Of course, the current total is really depressing to look at.

Inany case, here's a few tips (all prices Canadian).

* The #11 blades vary widely in price, I think the best price I found was at Omer Deserres. I bought a pack of 15 blades, but they also sell a pack of 100 blades for 23$ (considering that 15 blades is nearly 10$ at the hobby shop...) I didn't need more than 15 blades, though covering uses up blades like crazy.

* I used my dremel quite a bit actually (cutting pushrods, brass tubing, griding, sanding, etc), but it's not really needed, think of it as a luxury, it just makes the job easier at times. You might want to look at Sears for one, in their discount bins. I once saw a craftman dremel-look-alike for something like 30$.

* No need for a Razor saw on the Aero-star, but I did use the Razor plane (amazing for bevelling edges and before sanding the leading edge of wings - 10$ at the hobby shop, no need for spare blades). Again, both of these are probably luxuries

* Electric Power drill: I bought mine at Réno-Dépot (or Rona? that home improvement store at the Carrefour Laval mall). It was the cheapest one available, 35$ and 12$ for a set of 24 bits.

* Since you looked at my website, you've seen the sanders I use, 3.50$ each at Canadian tire, and a packages of 320, 220 and 80 grit sandpaper. In the Aero-star kit, you'll have enough scrap plywood to make yourself a 10 inch bar.

* A Heat gun is another luxury, I covered my entire plane with the less expensive covering iron I could find, (from Hangar 9 - 23$), I was recommened Ultracote, and it worked fine. As you start covering the first surfaces corners arn't going to look too good, but by the time you finish the airplane, you'll have learned the tricks.

* As for other tools, I used a (only can only the french name, 'Une equarre'), aluminium meter stick, screwdrivers (try to get a set with some really small bits) (T-Pins, 1 pack of 100 medium size is MORE than enough), 4-40 tap and tap handle (find this at Rona, you shouldn't pay more than 12$ total for the handle AND bit - I've always found Canadian tire prices to be way expensive for tools), Pliers, etc. There's more, but a lot you probably already have. You really don't need that much for building the plane.

oh, and about that building surface, I went to Rona and found myself a ceiling tile, and taped the corners to the desk I build on. I checked it often with the meter-stick, and it stayed very straight. For 4$, can't go wrong!

Sorry if I repeated a few things from the other posts, but anyway, this is what I've learned from my building [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]