Okay, apart from money, my major obstacle for building r/c is space! I live in a 2 bedroom apartment, and unless my kids are gonna give up their room I'm stuck without a workshop. My solution is..... a mobile table. I'm really liking RCKEN's magnetic table and think I have an idea to make one that can be moved. My question is what is the smallest size i could safely go? I'm planning on building smaller trainer and park flyers to start with. I'm thinking 4' x 4' should be big enough.

Also I didn't notice it before, but RCKEN and I used to be neighbors... sorta. I spent a year at Fort Sill.

A 3 x 5 table gives you room for most building. I've built two 4*60s with their 72" span, and a couple Ruperts Dads with a one piece no dhideral 60 " wing on mine. My table is an old computer desk I got a a yard sale. Very stout. I don't build on the desk top it's self, but have some 18" x 60" shelfs that I lay on the Desk. One is just plain white melemine (spelling?) finishe that I use for cutting covering and such on. The other is the same size, but with celling tile on it for pinning down stuff when building. I also have a piece of carpet that covers the entire desk top for when I'm coveing.

Don

Ignorance speaking here, but what is the carpet for?

Korben,
Really, when were you here at Ft. Sill????

You can go much smaller with a build area than I did. The one you see in my LT-40 build thread is my main building area. But I had two small pieces of steel cut for building smaller assemblies. I have one that is 2'x4' and one that 18"x24". So if you cut a smaller sheet of steel you can easily work on the kitchen table, coffee table, or similar small flat surface. All you need to do is make sure that whatever you lay the steel on top of is flat so that you have a flat building surface to work on.

Ken

I was at Sill in '96 - '97, and my little brother was cadre at the prison from 2000 - 2002.

I am planning on laminating 18 guage rolled steel onto 1/2'' gatorfoam. the gatorfoam is light weight and fairly durable as long as you are careful with it. I'm about 90% sure it will stay flat.

Also I was wondering if you knew the pull weight of the magnets you use?

You were here as I was getting out of the Army and getting my business started. I got out in 96 and started a business here in town.

[link]http://www.magnetsource.com/airfieldmodels/[/link]

This is where I got my magnets from for my board.

Ken

So you were at Sill and decided to stay in Lawton? I gotta ask WHY????

I was wondering about how tall and short you made those wooden pieces you use to hold things upright?

It gives me a no scratch surface to cover on. I ended up with scratch marks in the coveing when I used a hard surface. You have to have a aluminum cake pan or a side table to set the iron on though as it will mess up the carpet.

Don

[link]http://airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/tools/magnetic_building_board/index.htm[/link]

This article is what I built my system by. Take a look and it should go a long way to answer a lot of your questions.

I decided to stay in Lawton because I had already purchased a house. Plus, it cost a lot less to start a business here than in a big city. Actually, Lawton's not such a bad place to live.

Ken

Yeah, just ask the other 5 people that live there.

Hey, our population has grown. We're up to 15 people, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a groundhog (it was 2 groundhogs but one of them died!!!) [X(]

Ken

Is your groundhog a male or female? I'll try to ship you a mate for it so it won't get lonely.[sm=bananahead.gif]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

Gotta head to work be back tomorrow!