i am going to try to attempt my first kit build. i am not a very crafty guy and tend to mess up projects like this. im going to try to be patient and not rush and try to do the best i can. i dont have a work shop so i will need to work on dinning room table or cardboard table in extra bedroom. i know a flat surface is a must. but i also dont want to break the bank buying building supplies for this could be my first and last kit. the instructions says use wax paper over blue prints but someone told me to use ca and use saran wrap instead is this good. whats the cheapest and best way to cut the balsa sticks? items ive bought are exacto knif, the ca glues, the epoxy glues, a sanding sponge. do you really need to pin down pieces or can you just cut and paste the wood over the plans? any other must supplies? any other ideas. the kit starts with the stab first and it looks like you cut the sticks, sand them and glue them together. and the scary thing to me is that looks like the easy part. any input would be nice before i start this scary project

I don't use pins, I just glue them while holding them. CA works so fast pins are not needed unless you want to use them. I wouldn't suggest sticking them in your wifes kitchen table. Also, if you are building there, things are going to get messy and dusty.

Put carboard on it so you don't get glue on the table. Might put something over the carpet cause you will make a mess there too.

Get an xacto saw to cut wood too. Much better cuts than a knife going cross grain.

Build slow. Read and understand all the directions well before cutting or gluing anything. Make sure you are doing it right. Don't assume anything.

Don't sand too much. Just lightly. Most people destroy a plane by sanding through the wood. You just want to touch it enough to get the job done. More and you go through.

Don't leave bumps of glue on top. Anything sticking up will show through the covering.

Don't run glue all over. It makes a mess and makes the plane harder to sand and cover.

Use epoxy only where needed. Excess is added weight you don't need.

Get help if you have questions.

Get a good instructor.

Have fun and enjoy it. Thats why we fly models. They are a blast if you take your time and don't screw it up.

Last but not least! Make sure you have all the CA off your hands before you hit the restroom!

Framing of a kit IS the EASY part! It's not that hard, but you must exercise patience. Cutting can be accomplished using an exacto, and also a razor saw with miter box is very useful! Sanding can be done by hand, and I like to use a disc/belt sander (floor model) to do heavy shaping. I wouldn't use seran wrap. I tried that, and the glue sticks to it too bad, and it rips too easy. Wax paper is your best bet--get some, it's cheap. You'll still have to sand some of the wax paper off of your glued pieces, but that's not too hard. The hard part of all of it is covering, and finishing the setup (cg, lateral balance, radio setup, so on). Again, not really that hard (except for the covering--that's hard), but very time consuming. You'll get the plane all framed up and be so proud that you've accomplished something. Remember, at that point you are MAYBE 1/2 finished! What kit is it?

Oh yea, you WILL need to pins some things down. Some things don't have to be pinned down, but a lot of them do--to keep everything lined up while the glue sets.

Having a flat building surface is a must. Many people use a hollow core door for a flat surface. I put a ceiling tile on top of a door for building on. This give me a flat surface that I can easily stick pins into for holding things down. I also like to have some weights on hand to help hold things down flat on the board. What I have done and works great is to take a few zip lock plastic bags, say quart size and fill with sand or small rocks. These work great as weight and its virtually free.

The others have given you some good hints as well. Enjoy, building a kit is not hard at all.

mrbass111,
congrats on stepping into the great world of building. I know it may seem a bit overwhelming, but don't be scared because it's really pretty easy. If you take you time, completely understand the step you are on, work on one step at a time, and take your time building you will do just fine. Here are a few tips and answers to your questions.

First of all. Measure twice, cut once. Measure twice, cut once. Measure twice, cut once. Measure twice, cut once. Measure twice, cut once. I can't say this enough. (and yes, I have screwed up here more times than I care to mention). This hint will save you more heartache than anything else I can think of.

Before you get ready to build, read through the instructions completely. Have the plans available when you read so that you can refer them. After you have read through the instructions take some time away and then read through them again. Read them several times so that you completely understand what you are going to do. As you get to each step when building completely read the instructions for that step again so you understand.

As for you building surface. Since you are not permanent it's a bit tougher to get a good surface, but it can still be done. Go to your local Lowe's/Home Depot/Lumber store and get a 3/4" piece of MDF that will fit where you are working. You can top it with several different materials to push pins in but the most popular seem to be ceiling tiles or sheetrock. This should set you up with a building surface that is flat, but can still be moved.

Wax paper or saran wrap will work, but I've found the best material to use is plastic sheeting 4 mil thick. You can find it in the painting supplies area of Lowe's or even wal-mart. One roll has lasted me for over 3 years and I build 3-5 planes a year.

Yes, you need to pin your parts as you go. I know it may seem that you can just glue each piece as you cut them, but don't do it. Cut each piece (remember to measure twice) and then pin it in place over the plans. This will allow you to make sure that everything fits together as it should before you apply glue. It would be impossible to glue as you go once you get to wing. You have to get each rib in place and make sure they are square before you start gluing.

I use x-acto knives all the time but I have found that single edge razor blades make it easier to cut balsa with. Especially sticks.

CA glue. Make sure you get all three thickness of CA, thin, medium, and thick. Each thickness has it's uses and they aren't interchangeable most of the time. Most good kits will tell you which adhesive to use for a step. Big thing to watch out for with CA are the fumes. Find a way to get rid of them. They are really rough on the nose, eyes, and lungs. And a lot of people develop allergies to CA over time. Get a fan or some other way of venting the fumes away from you. Especially important if you have family around while you are building. I'm not allergic to CA yet, but I've switched to building with Elmer's Carpenter's Glue. It's a slower build, but easier on the eyes and lungs.

Since you are sharing building space make sure you go outside to sand. Balsa dust goes EVERYWHERE when you sand.

Well, that looks like quite a bit for now. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask them. Remember, the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

Hope this helps.

One thing I forgot to mention, every building board I have ever used, I go to target and get a bunch of white poster board. Use masking tape to tape it together and it gives you a nice clean surface to work on. When a piece gets messed up from glue and stuff, take if off, and tape in a new one. Make it so you always have a nice clean, easy to use work surface that reflects light and makes it easy to find parts.

its the tower uproar kit. i didnt see any mesurments for the sticks. i get the impression from looking at the plans that your supposed to lay the stick on the plan and cut it? is this how some plans work?

Yes, a lot of instructions books just say to cut the piece as show on the plan. This takes some rough cutting, followed by finish sanding to make perfect!

Yes, a lot of kits have you measure your stick from the plans. What I do is mark the stick from the plan, and then measure the plan with a ruler and make sure the stick mark matches. Then I cut.

thanks thats a good tip to measure anyway. now on the stab would i cut all the wood lay it out on the plans and then just ca it as it lays. or would i glue one piece at a time on outside framwork and then glue in inner supports?

One stick at a time over the plans and then the inner pieces works the best. I just cut right over the plans, but being your first, you may want to measure and cut on something else and make sure your cuts are straight and clean.

What I do is lay it all out and make sure that everything fits the way it should. In your case, you can pin it down and make sure that it's all correct, and then apply CA to the joints. If you use the plastic sheeting underneath the wood will not stick to the sheeting. What I do in my case pin it all down to make sure it fits, then I remove a piece, apply glue and replace it pinned down. Please remember that I use Carpenter's Glue to build with so I have lots of working time. Once I'm satisfied that everything is correct, straight, and tightly pinned down I leave the assembly alone and in place to the glue can dry.

Sory to hijack the thread, btu we are all friends here.

What biulding materials will i need for my 4*

Newb,
You're going to need the same things mentioned here in the this thread. The materials, tools, and adhesives don't change too much between kits. They are pretty much the same. Here's a quick list just in case :

CA (thin, medium, thick)
Epoxy (6-minute and 30-minute). you could probably live without the 6 minute if you needed to.
Knive. use an x-acto knive (#11) or single-edge razor blades. or both.
Straight egde. This needs to have a metal edge so you can cut against it.
Pins. To pin down parts. T-pins work best, but straight pins will work too.
Razor saw. Nice for cutting with but not needed
Sand paper. 80 - 400 grit
Sanding blocks. Can be pieces of wood to save money.
Alcohol. for cleaning up epoxy.

This is not a complete list by any means, but a good start.

Everyone here has provided you with great advice. I would like to add one thing. If you get stuck on any part, come to RCU and post your question. Put it in the correct forum so that you get better response, but do not move ahead if you are confused. It is much harder to go back and correct something than to get it right in the first place. Also do searches on this website for your plane, and read many of the threads. It is quite possible that your question has come up before.

For a building board that needs to be moved, here is what I did: I went Lowes (or similar store) and asked the guy in the door department if he had any damaged doors that I could buy. He had a bifold door that he sold me for $16.00... I took 1/2 of the door to use as my board. It is 18"X72" and is moveable. I then bought 3M spray adhesive, and 2 ceiling tiles, both for about $12.00 total. I sprayed the ceiling tiles on the decorative side and also the door side that I chose to use. Then I positioned the tiles on the door and cut off any overhang. I then put a handle on the end of the door so I would have something to use to hang in on a wall. If I have to move it at any time, I am able to do so without disturbing the parts that I have attached with 'T' pins. You can even stand it it up against a wall if need be. I know if I were using the dining room table in my house, I wouldn't be able to leave stuff on there for very long.

One of the most important things is to carefully test fit each part BEFORE coming anywhere near it with glue. Once glued in place you are committed. Yes, I know about debonder but that is for emergencies, like when you glue your fingers to your forehead. No, I have not done that.

besides all the great advice you have gotten so far i will offer just a bit more that has saved me much trouble in the past. first and formost if you feel yourself getting frustrated....you are. step back let it be for a day and come back tomorrow in a clear frame of mind. second bit of advice is that if your building it and it doesnt seem right....its probley not. read the distructions...i mean instructions look at the perty pictures and think about it awhile before you break out the glue.

Oh, and this may seem obvious but I have been guilty of this before. Make sure you pick up the correct piece of wood. After a while (3 seconds usually) they all look alike. Tapered trailing edges are easy to put in upside down, done that too. Leading edges can go in upside down too, haven't done that YET. You get the idea.

Go slow. Right is more important than fast.

Here is what I do to avoid this happening. When you first open the kit it's a good idea to inventory all of the parts and wood to make sure you have everything you should. As I inventory I use a pencil to label all the wood. Use a ruler on the pieces that you're not quite sure of. As you build and cut off of the sticks cut on the end opposite of where you made your mark. If you take the time to do this before you start building you won't mistake a piece of wood while you are building.

I use blue painters tape (low stick) and try to separate fuselage and wing parts. You can even separate wings into upper and lower and right/left if you wish.
That bring up the point of remembering to build a wing for each side of the plane , not 2 right sides.
By the time you start your second kit , this will all be natural.
As I gather accessories (wheels, mounts,hardware, etc) I put it into the kit box so it won't get lost in the shop with all the other stuff and I don't forget what I meant to use.

Here's a habit to start right away...

Open the box - lay the top of the box next to the bottom - Keep the to box halves together until the plane is ready to fly.

Now, ANYTIME YOU REMOVE ANYTHING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BOX, PLACE IT IN THE TOP OF THE BOX - And vise versa

Parts can get lost very quickly. By using this method, if you're ever searching for a part, you know it can only be in one of two places, either the top of the box or the bottom.

As for cutting sticks, use the plans for some things (Like cutting the TE of the Stab) but don't use them for cutting the Stab Braces. Insted, with the stab pinned over the plan, put the first brace in place, lay a razor blade on it and "Eyeball" the edge of the blade to where the brace meets the other side of the Stab. Move your head back and forth until you eye is directly over the edge of "Side A" in the pic - line up the edge of the blade with side "A" and then raise the blade into the cutting position and dig the blade in just a little.

Now transfer the stick to your table (with the razor blade still imbedded) and finish the cut.

I think i will nail a bit of coroplast over my biulding surface... Should work well