ORIGINAL: foodstick
Another main key is to study study study the drawings,
At first they seem more like a hidden treasure map than plans..After awhile you will start to see and understand all the little things that at first don't make sense.. Little squiggles that mean plywood grain direction, at first just seem to be drawn for looks,not informational detail . Learning where pieces interlock, or are tabbed, and sometimes butt joint together will become more obvious. I don't think I have ever built a plan that came with full parts templates..usually you have to look at the plans close for some of the bigger pieces, make note of where the part separates from doublers, sheeting ,etc....
The one thing about building by plans is to male sure the plane has been built and flown with good results, And you can expect to remake some parts no matter how close you made them to the templates.. it just happens...
By the time I have figured out the wood i need to order I have gone over the plans several time and have the build pretty well fixed in my head. It takes me several days of going blind just looking at the plans for any sizes I have missed!!
I write all the sizes down then like to phone Lone Star Balsa and place my order over the phone instead of the computer. Once I had to phone them and let the lady know I had made a mistake and needed more wood, she was so surprised that a man admitted to making a mistake she sent me what I forgot for free.
Guess I was one of the first people that made the mistake instead of them.
