OK, here goes one more time. Up top there is a sticky for people looking for kits, they do still make them but nothing like the good old days. Sad but it is a sign of the times. Reason no one at your LHS can help you with kit problems is most of them have never built one, again, sad but true.
Here we go now. I'm just starting a Blue Jay kit of the old Bridi designed Dirty Birdy, before I ever glue a part I make a template on plain old paper of every part in the kit. Never know these days when you wou't be able to get this kit again. If you look at the first photo I'm showing you a set of kit plans for this plane, no parts profile there unless you spot the firmer you have to make in the lower left. Then there is a shot of the template sheet I'm making, do that with every kit you get these days because the kit isn't going to be around for long!!! Now there is a set of plans called builders plans I bought from MAN, Model Airplane News plans service. Notice that every part needed for this plane is shown. Ribs, formers, everything in profiel.The last photo is the two most needed tools to cut your own kit, the scroll saw and belt sander, that's about it. Back in the day we used an exacto knife but the saw is a lot better plus you can hand sand. See nothing really needed you don't already have on hand. I go to Kinko's and get a copy of my plans, I use one to cut up for templates and one to build over. It's very easy but the plans don't come with instructions so you do need to have an idea of how to build or just try it a time or two. There are a bunch of plans services so you have hundreds of planes to choose from if you want to try cutting and building something different. It really is easy and you can buy all your wood in bulk from Lone Star Balsa or Balsa USA, that's very cheap too. Most any good hobby shop has anything else you need. Give it a try once and you will be hooked!!!
Gene