Lol im single so i dont have to worry about that

Building your first kit is expensive because you do need a handful of specialized items.

As already mentioned, some of the things you got are not required.

And, some of he things you got will last through multiple kits and potentialy for many years.

Gotta have glue. Type is your choice. You bought what GP recommended.

Some of the hardware leaves you with a few spares, which you will be glad you have at some point.

There's a few things there I don't use... like a hinge slot machine (pencil, ruler, & exacto knife... or drill and robart hinge points), the plan protector roll (saran wrap), CA activator (it'll dry on it's own sooner or later) but the rest of it's pretty well needed. You haven't included things like a drill press or a dremel with all its expensive bits. Take heart though, most of that stuff's either reusable or enough to do several models... except the CA (it's amazing how much of that stuff you go through, especially with kits).

The ground equipment's another killer... field box, starter, glow driver, panel, gel cell battery, fuel pump, spare props, chargers, glow spanner etc etc - however all that stuff's a one-off as well. Once you've got everything you need and you get over the initial expense it gets a lot cheaper.

Drill press, dremel! I am hiding the receipt from my evolution .46

That list is pretty doggone close to what I did this time last year when I reentered the hobby. The GP Slot Machine was worth it if only because it beats the snot out of cutting slots with an exact knife. They're not necessarily better;....its just NEAT!

I bought the dang plan protector stuff myself thinking it was going to be more like laminating your plans. It disgusts me now since the wax paper I always used before was just as good. I bought a 1oz bottle and 2oz bottle of thin CA and a 1/2 oz bottle of medium CA. Used most of the medium CA reinforcing a flight box I built and the rest on my first ARF. Two ARFs and one kit later I still have over half of the 1oz bottle of thin CA and have no idea when I'll get to the 2oz bottle. Those little applicator tips permit such precise placement of the glue it just seems to last forever. The CA hinging uses more up than the rest of the plane!

The socket-head servo screws from RTL are worth getting. (I need some more) And a good set of DuraTrax ball drivers has been a lifesaver. I have a drawer full of servos and engines that I picked up over the last year. I've saved so much money on deals I'm almost broke.

I want a man cave like Stang has!

Good thread,

Clay

my last arf cost me $1200.00 and it only a 90 size. dont count or think about it it will hurt less. arf 299.99, ys 400.00 servos 6 of them 349.63 then rx. then all the small parts. it not cheap but it sure is fun. get it built and start flying you will forget about the money.

you can use the backing off your monocote if you have built a few planes

Beautiful place, I love the land its on. Take care of yourself over there in the middle east. One place I hope to never go, except maybe Jerusalem. What branch of service are you in?

Total cost of build so far not including build materials,,, because those will be used over again.. hopefully ..

Kit HOB P-51 .20 43" $55.00 Tower
Transmitter Tower Hobbies 4 Channel $28.00 Ebay
Receiver Hitec Mini 6 S $26.oo Tower
Crystal channel 42 $8.oo Tower
Rx batt Hitec 4cell 4.8 600 Mah $12.00 Tower
Servos 3 sg90 $18.00 Headsuprc
servos 1 sg5010 $7.00 Headsuprc
servos 1 ts 53 Free coupon Tower
servo ext 2-12" $5.20 Headsuprc
Engine OS 25F with prp,muff,tank $40.00 Rcgroups Seller.. Nice fella lmopar69
Engine mt Dave Brown .20-.25 $4.00 Tower
Misc hinges, screws, control horns $11.00 Tower

Total $214.20....

I meant for this to be a budget saver... I guess for a first build I'm doing all right...
What do Ya'll think???

Also does all this sound compatiable???? I did my homework as best as I could..... but I'm only a C student...LOL!!!

Heck yah. I love it when I have an excuse to buy a new tool. It is a bummer if money happens to be tight at the time but I just wait a little bit. I can't stand not having what I need to do a job.

He who dies with the most toys wins.

Don't ever count the money!!!! Shops, I started build in a 12X12 tough shed that I finished the inside then when we built our new house I started working in our old mobil home, I loved that shop and was building so many planes in there I can't remember most of them. Today in my new place my shop is the guest house and really small but I have air and heat with a bathroom. Not bad, just no place to store my planes. The photo of my old shop is one I sent to a friend when he called and asked if I had seen any bucks at my place lately. I captioned it NOPE!!! and emailed it to him that day. I had about 6 or 8 of them hanging around.

If and when this real estate mess ever gets better I want to find a decent size lot that is zoned so I can build a nice shop on it.

He who dies with the most toys still dies.

I read somewhere a while back where a fellow RC'er said that his biggest fear was, that when he died, his wife would sell his stuff for what he told her he paid for it.[X(]

Yeah but those weekly trips to pick up that ONE tool add up after 30 years. Still trying to figure out what I can use a 3/4 torque wrench on.

now thats the biggest challenge of all, if you can do that, your all set

[sm=teeth_smile.gif]

Now that's funny!

-MA

Well, thats only the tip of the iceburg. I think there are several amendments I would make to that list that would help your situation though. Wax paper instead of a plan protector, you don't need a hinge sloing tool, exacto knife works fine for CA hinges, buy CA in small quanities 1oz at a time- short shelf life when openned, wood glue is a good substitue and is much cheaper, activator is not needeed, hinge marking tool not needed, single edge razor blades not needed, wing tape not needed. you will need a heat gun at $10 dollars though.

Gray Beard, your shop looks like my living room!

But, I don't see the point of this thread.. we buy, we build, we crash (sometimes we do, sometimes we don't) and the cycle goes on

Just kidding, of course. I often find that I bought a tool that I already had, but simply misplaced, then it turned up when I was looking for another tool. Now, I have two of them.. so, if you want one, you only have to ask. But, I don't recall what tool that was...

CGr

Thats about $50 worth of stuff you don't off that list. stuFf you will need are things tbar sanding blocks, ceiling tile, flat building surface, wood glue, drill center locator, 3' straight edge, masking tape-good quaility, sand paper, EZ connecters, engine mounting hardware, fuel filter, radio, engine, support equipment, fuel. $500.00 is a good starting point for getting into this hobby and you can go from there.

Chuck, that place is still for sale!!!!!!!! CG, that was my living room for years until we built the new house. It took me a while to get over dropping epoxy or glue on that nice new carpet, that was high dollar stuff. The power tools are in the next room with french doors, the two back bedrooms are the hangers, dust free, just close the doors. The laundry room was a spray booth, between the kitchen and living room I had hooks and pully's for ballancing or I used the kitchen floor for the CG machine. The sound system was to die for, even the neighbors could feel it when I was covering. My automotive shop was just behind the mobil. I really miss those shops!!!! I really like living here though!!!

One good thing about this hobby is that you do not have to spend the money all at once. People have mentioned some power tools they think you should have. Power tools speed up operations compared to using hand tools, but I know there are many situations where I have more time than money.

I started flying RC in 2001. I have bought a lot of tools since then. I shop around, internet is great for that, and try to get a decent deal. Most of my power tools are the $99 (or less) bench top models from Home Depot or Lowes.

scroll saw and band saw - if you build pre-cut kits, versus cutting your own kits, you will not use it a lot. I've used them only a few times and that was to make new parts when I messed up the ones that came in a kit, or to make parts for crash repair.

drill press - I've used it quite a bit since I have it, but a hand drill will work. You just have to have a steady hand.

dremel - I really do like this tool, but it is another one that is not required.

Some people have criticized buying the plans protector. I bought it and liked it. I am not crazy about wax paper, just not my personal preference. I did find cheap, clear plastic, drop cloths on the paint aisle at Home Depot that work the same. I just cut what I need with a hobby knife. I think RCKen gave that suggestion.

That's what I use too, and find its very good. And for us frugal types (I think that might be e pre-requisite for this hobby ), is a great substitution for the plan protector.

-MA

Sooner or later you will want to go bigger, way bigger, once you do that, it's all over for you. It's best to get a new credit card and just give it to the LHS

At that point, the ARF's alone are starting out at $1400+

Friend of mine just completed a kit built 50% Christen Eagle. The last number I heard from him was roughly 9K, but I've flown it and OMG [X(]

Here's a video, it's 8 minutes

http://gallery.me.com/bubbagates#100217

Then you have Bill Hemple's 50% Clipped Wing Cub that another friend of mine did

http://gallery.me.com/bubbagates#100203