I've often wondered if it was worth the trouble to use something like formica to make a permanent template for every part in a kit, laminate the plans or make several copies, and then just replicate the parts whenever the mood struck to build the model again.

If one does that and then purchases wood and shapes his own parts, buys all the hardware after market, etc. if you save any cost. Or is it just the fun of doing it that way?

Since I've never done it I wondered if by the time I was all thru how I'd come out. My gut tells me I'd have a bunch of materiel left over, I'd probably use better hardware than what the kits typically supply, and I'd probably bash the model a lot more. But it also tells me a pre-cut kit may just be less expensive.

Anyone do it? Did you build enough planes from the plans and templates afterwards to make it worth going to the trouble in the first place?

I'd appreciate your insight,

Clay