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Charlie P. - thanks for the advise. We haven't joined a club yet, but are looking at two of the local clubs. We are fortunate to have a friend who has been flying since the 70's, but I hate to keep bugging him with all our questions. Plus the forum can give me many more alternatives to look at. I can't decide between a kit or an ARF either, maybe going to the field would really help. However, with all the snow and cold weather we have gotten this winter it might be a while before anyone braves the elements and leaves their hangars/workshops.

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Hey Flydaddy,

Welcome to RCU!

Since there is several months to go until the flying season, I would recommend building a kit. If this was May, I would say go with the ARF.

These are the best trainers in my opinion, but everyone has different favorites:

Midwest Aerostar
Sig Kadets
Hangar 9 Solo Sport

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:spinnyeye
It is nice to see someone else beside me not very sure of what the are doing. Thanks to the generous folks here at RCUniverse and the helpful local flyers I have met. This is a great hobby/sport.
Al

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You're right RCU is a great place to gain knowledge and a few friends along the way!

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Yank off the wheels and get a set of skiis!!!. I live in New York and have flown at least every other week all winter. The snow is a lot more forgiving of my hoppy landings. Our official field is on a hill top and inaccessable with the snow, but there are a lot of frozen lakes and school socker/football fields that are deserted Sunday mornings and just aching for fliers.

I have no idea what I am doing, but I have a lot of enthusiasm! This second childhood stuff is wonderful.

Once you have learned on a buddy-box how to land . . . well, the sky's the limit.

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You're right, been looking at skis maybe it's time to quit looking and start buying! Any suggestions on manufacturers? Go to my gallery and see a picture of my son and his trainer.

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Hey, GoinStraightUp!

Thanks for the welcome and advise! What about tools and gear to build a kit? What are the essentials needed and costs?

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I have Du-Bro .40 size skiis on my RCM 40 trainer. The work very well & coat about $10 for the nose and $20 for the two main.

I just dropped $100 for a Contender kit, another $220 for the engine, and $300 for the receiver, servos, tank, spinner, wheels, and assorted extras and peripherals I needed to construct it. I figure a pre-existing $200 for cutting tools, glues, clamps, pins, sandpaper, razor plane, drill bits, taps, etc. I'll need another $30 to cover it.

But then I'm a nut.

You could do it with a pen knife and a clothes iron for a lot less.

Three things I have found to be worth the cost are: a Great Planes Easy-Touch 22" sanding block ($5.99 ea, I got two and keep 80 and 220 grit on them), a Great Planes T-pin pusher/puller ($2.49), and House of Balsa Alignment jigs (I got two for $2.30).

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Excellent question. The nice thing about the answer is everything is readily available at your LHS or Walmart and Home centers.

#1 You need a flat surface that you can push pins into. Do a search here on RCU for "Building Board" You will see everyones preferences, but most are using celotex ceiling tile.

#2 4 foot straigtedge. I would never be without mine. The first use is to check to see if #1 is flat. Then use it to check straightness of everything you are building. Put it on one wingtip and measure back to the tail to make sure your wing is aligned properly for installing wing bolts. I cut all my Ultra cote with it and an exacto knife. You can make stripes, sunbirsts in no time.

#3 Exacto knifes and other cutting tools.

#4 Glues. I prefer elmers carpenter glue for everything except firewall, landing gear mounts and anything related to holding a wing down. For those I use epoxy.

All the rest of the things that Charlie P said. Get lots of cloths pins for clamps. T pins are a must. My favorite pins are the "modelers pins" from Hobby Lobby. They have a longer taper and will never split balsa or any wood. Change your sandpaper often, and as Charlie said - never sand without having your paper on a block (or something flat).

It's really fun and rewarding to take something you built out to the field.

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Thanks Guys! This is great stuff! I really appreicate all the advice and will try to keep you posted. :)

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Flydaddy,
You can't have enough clamps! I use clothspins for some things, but most of the time the jaws are to close. I found a great assortment at Widgett Supply and they are reasonablly priced.http://www.widgetsupply.com/clamps/clamps.htm
They work where the clothspins just won't. I bought a bucket full along with 7" clamps.
I know the budget thing can slow you down but having something cure crooked can really jerk your chain. :(
Just another resource. Keep us posted on whatever you do.
Al

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Do a search on this forum to see different advice on tools,MinnFlyer had a thread on this subject not long ago.