Toothpic scratchbuild
 

How could I fasten together toothpic like material to make an airframe?

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

CA ?

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Are you literally using toothpicks or are you building a stick and tissue fusilage with balsa, spruce, or basswood strips that resemble toothpicks?

CA is the most popular glue. "CA" is short for cyanoacrylate glue. It is also known as "Superglue" which should always be capitalized because it's a registered trademark. It comes in different viscosities. Super thin, which runs like water, will wick into already assembled well fitted joints and then cures in mere seconds. Medium, which is slightly thicker, can be used like the thin stuff but is more forgiving and fills gaps in the joint better. It also takes longer to cure. And then there is the thick CA, it's like syrup and can be used like normal glue, wet the wood first and then assemble. It takes the longest to cure. The cure can be accelerated by a spray on accelerator like "Zip Kicker". It has strong fumes and some people are allergic to it.

Some people prefer wood glue like Elmer's Carpenter's wood glue or WeldWood. You can get this glue from your local Home Depot or Lowes. These glue joints need to be clamped or pinned securely until the glue is dried. This glue is stronger than the wood you are gluing together and it sands really well. Accidental spills clean up with water. There is almost no odor and hardly anyone is allergic to it.

And then there's epoxy. Really strong (overkill for balsa) but also heavy. Good choice for plywood firewalls. Epoxy also resists fuel and almost all other known chemicals. Some people are allergic to it.

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Another thing is CA is not very sandable, while carpenters glue is. Depending on what you building, it makes a difference. My personal preference is carpenters glue - I learned to build with it in the '70's and find I rarely use CA.

Hogflyer

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

I personally find myself using carpenter's glue more and more and using CA less and less for the reasons stated by hogflyer. Also, I have already ruined enough of my wife's furniture with accidental CA spills.

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Thank You for your reply, I saw [img]BYF1104ab[/img] along with a few others and would like to build them. I'm not using toothpics but I saw something like them in a hobby store in my area and wondered if they where usable, or if popcicle sticks would be a cheap alternative. Wanting to build and have little money. I hope the picture goes up.

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

RCstore.com is the website where I saw the plans. Click on plans at the top there are many.

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Is it possible to put a pic up in the forum?

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Posting Images "How-To"
[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2629917/tm.htm[/link]

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Is this the plan you are refering to?

http://www.rcstore.com/rs/general/de...104A&catego=PL

Building can be just as addicting as flying.

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

This would probably be a better first timer's scratch build project. It's very simple and easy to build and flies quite well also. It's the plane that introduced me to scratch building.

http://www.rcstore.com/rs/general/de...7912&catego=PL

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Another plane, designed for the reed valve .049 (many are now being successfuly conveted to electric), and one of the best fliers I've had is the Q-Tee. It was designed as a first time radio control airplane. It was kitted by Airtronics in the late '70's/early '80's, and they are hard to come by today. But, they are one of the easiest planes to scratch build. They are almost legendary for their flying characteristics. The plans are available form RCM plans service for $7.00. Supposedly someone bought the rights to this, and the rest of the Airtronics kit line and is going to bring them back into production, but so far they haven't made it.

http://www.rcmmagazine.com/store/sto...NKtGcwdwE7U7P9

Hogflyer

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

Yes ,I was wanting to build something like it, maybe not exactly like it but something like it.

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

http://www.rcstore.com/rs/general/li...d=43&catego=PL

RE: Toothpic scratchbuild
 

openreel.... u have to write something in the post in order for the pics to work.... they don't mention that in the guide for some reason