I'm moving this weekend. I'm moving in with a roommate and a small extra bedroom. I want to claim a space for building a kit over the winter, and for repairs in general.

How large of a surface do you need to build a (.40, maybe .60 size) kit?

When building a kit, are you ever able to clear off the surface at the end of a day/night, or do you leave it out once you start, until you are finished (i.e. can this be my desk for schoolwork, too)?

Thanks.

I have built kits on a kitchen table in an apartment - and no, my wife would NOT let me leave it there during dinner

If you have a flat-top desk, you could get a hollow-core door to lay on top that you can just remove afterward

My build table is a 2'x4' work bench in an 12'x14' area of my basement. Most of that space is taken up by shelves, tools, and plane storage, leaving me about an 8' x5' work area. It can sometimes be a challenge, but I managed to build a GP Spirit Glider with a one-piece wing last year. I've found the space adequate for most 40-60 size planes I've built or worked on.

Depending on what portion of the kit you're working on, sometimes things have to be left for several hours for glue to cure (epoxy wing joints for example). During fuselage and wing construction, its usually preferable to keep things pinned to the work surface until everything is completed, which may be several days or weeks, depending on how quickly you work and how much time is available.

Brad

Thanks guys, that gives me an idea. My desk is 50"x28". I don't know if a door will fit across the room - I'll have to check it out.

I just got the idea of having a surface (door or whatever) laying on my desk, but also supported by ropes and a pulley, so that I could raise it up off my desk when I need to use it for schoolwork. Or at least have shelf brackets on the wall, and the near side (closest to me) supported by a rope and pulley.

When you talk about things being pinned to the surface, do you cover the table in foam or something?

I cover my worktable with old ceiling tile so that I can use T-pins for pinning balsa over the plans. Others have used cork and other materials.

I use a 2'x4' accoustic ceiling tile on top of the work bench. Other use cork boards, dry wall, and there are also metal boards that you use magnets instead of pins. I tried drywall, and preferred the ceiling tile as it was easier to push the pins in. You can pick one up for $3-$4 at Home Depot or Lowes. Just remember to use a good flat support surface under it (work bench or desk) to prevent building in any warps.

Lay the plans on top of the board, cover them with Wax Paper,and then build on top of the plans is the usual way to do it.

Brad

So 2'x4' is big enough...?

Until you want to build something that is more than 4 feet long.

Brad

Gotcha. I guess its gotta be big enough for the fuse, and half a wing.

Thanks.

When we were in between houses, we had a 2-bedroom apartment. The second bedroom was an office so my only work space was a glass dining table. I used a GP building board: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXPF36&P=0 When I was done for the evening, I left the project pinned to it and put the entire board on top of the entertainment center and threw all my tools back in a box and stuck them out of the way. It was a pain but I did manage to finish a couple kits and ARF's.

Now I have my garage back and have three work benches. One is intended for non-airplane stuff but it does always seem to have kit boxes or parts stacked on it. Another isn't very flat so I mainly use it for cutting and other stuff that doesn't require a true surface. The third is just a thick, hollow 36"x60" table top I got from Ikea for $20. It is perfectly flat and covered with ceiling tile. I have it sitting on some A-frame type legs. For now this is all the building surface that I need. The ironic part is that I seem to have produced more airplanes back on that dining table in an apartment. Go figure.

A 6 ft table wouls be better, 5 ft at a minimum. You have to have a place to set things down on the table, IE glue, pins, bucket of clamps.

A couple years back, they were building two houses across the street from me. They had a big trash dumpster and I was susprised at what got thrown away. One score was two 5ft long shelfs of 3/4" melenee (SP?) covered board with a 1x1/2 oak edge on it. there is a little lip on both sides of the board it's self. I capped one with celiing tile and the other is my cutting table on one side The lip is great for checking balsa sheets for warped edges and for laying out stuff as you have a long straight edge to put your triangles against. It is especially good for cutting covering trim. When I'm done, it stacks against the wall and out of the way. I have an old typing desk, with a wing on the right. It is a real solid piece made with real wood and plywood. It has a 66" long surface by 36" deep. I cut a piece of scrap carpet and put on top of the desk. This is my covering table. When I start a build, one of my shelfs come out and is placed over the carpet. The only real issue I have with this setup is the garage celing is only 7 1/2 feet and I have a big 8ft florecent light above the bench. When I was covering my 4*60, I kept whacking the light. I couldn't put the wing on end over the desk. The 4*60 wing is 72", and that is about maximum for size that I can build. You need room off one end of your table when building a wing that long. My 5' shelfs are OK for joining the halfs, butI needed a couple foot clearance for the wing to hang over the edge.

I'm getting ready to start a 1/4 scale Laser 200 and also a 1/3 scale Extra 230. I'm going to need a bigger table for those guys, even though the wing is two pieces.

Don

I suggest 3 ft wide, by 6-8 ft long. Most 60 size planes will have a 65"+ wingspan, and the plans are about 3 ft wide. The TF Corsair .60 plans are about 36" wide, and 6 feet long. I built my table 36" wide by 8 feet long. I took 2x4's and built them to go around the plywood, so that the actual edge of the table is 2x4, with the plywood setting recessed, but even with the 2x4's. It works well for me, and I have a 2 car garage to work in, so 8 feet might be too big. 6 feet may be more practical.

36" may be too wide, since most plans wind up getting cut to a managable size. Figure if you are working on the fuselage, you trim out the part you are working on. Also, I ordered some of the Great Planes Plan Protecter film, so I could get away from wax paper....but still waiting on it to come in. Early next week.

I build kits in small space.
The most important issue is garbage removal, so at the side of my desk I always have a grocery brown bag and when it ΒΎ full I throw it away and place a new one, its working this way.

If you don’t have supply of big brown bags you can use some sort garbage bags it would be most convenient when its placed high near the working level.
I use also plastic drawer bins to store my tools.

I have a balsa 36� long building board on top of a small table, because of the small table I need something sturdy.

Its important in general to clear the table after work session, when its cluttered I have no will power to return to build.

60 size airplane is too big when you have tight place (from my experience), storing it not building it!!!!

big strong sturdy table lamp attached (well!!!) to the table is imprtant.

Alex

Im about to start my first kit. Right now, I have 1.5 ceiling panels that make up a working area of about 5.5'x2'. Will that be enough. I really dont have a choice. I assume, because some of you have had smaller areas, but you also have experience in building kits, and Im just about to start learning. Will this be enough?

That should be fine. Two feet is actually a good working depth. If you hang stuff on the wall (tools, etc.) it'll be easy to reach. 5.5' is also a good legnth...for the most part. If it's all you have...it's all you have.

two trainers, two Mid star 40, one four star 60 were built on a board size 36" x 16" with no problem.
5.5' x 2' is more then enough.
the problem of a tight space is storing the airplane parts from the human uncareful encounters...

Minimal space would be the length of the longest solid or assembled flatcomponent: as in spar or fuselage length. If the wing is built in two pieces and then joined you can get away with half-a-wingspan of table space UNLESS the plans call for the parts to be joined with one tip elevated a certain height to form the proper dihedral (in which case the floor is handy). I have a 48" x 18" end-grain balsa building board that is a wonderful surface to build on.

I have a 4' x 8' table, 3' x 5' bench, 3' x 3' saw table surface, 2' x 3' radial arm table surface, 2' x 4' charging bench/electrical area and I STILL run out of room! Crap expands to fill all available surfaces so enough is never enough.

Bigger problem is building over carpet. A sheet or two of plywood improves the problem.

I use solid core doors (have 3 at present), though I had a hollow core in the past. If you got room to work on both sides you can work on one assembly while another is drying. Same logic with 3 doors.

I don't use anything to pin into. I've never seen a really flat ceiling tile so I tape the plans in place, cover with wax paper taped down, and then tape parts to the table. Lots of weights and clamps help. The magnetic tables look really good, but something else usually collects my coin. A balsa bulding board sounds good. Who sells them?

I got mine from a firm that used to advertise in the back of RC Modeler but I'm afraid they, and the magazine, are kaput.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXPF36&P=ML



And, with angled "T" pins and rubber band, one pound lead weights and a stack of House of Balsa 90ΒΊ jigs it will do everything a magnetic board can do. ;-)

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXM406&P=ML

Guys, I moved from a house I built in NY to Ca back in 85. Every time this build space comes up, I cry. I had a 8' x 8' table setup and was ready to sheet rock my "shop" when the west coast beconed. I moved from a land of basements to a land of slabs. My cars haven't seen a garage since. Faided paint and upolstry. I mean, a guy has priorities. Man I miss the basement.

Don

I bought a foldable 4 foot utility tabel. This is what I build and repair on - and am able to put it all away once done. Only $35 at home depot/Lowes