So I've pretty much decided I'm going to jump into building with a TF Contender, but I'm going alone on this venture and have no complete building experience. My question is, What do I really need to be able to build a plane? I have the basics down, ie, the kit, CA, epoxy, brushes, sandpaper and filler, covering with iron and heat gun and tons of T-pins. Am I missing anything? I've been flying for 2 years now, have flown trainers, a dirty birdy, stick, phoniex Tucano, and a H9 spit, so I think the Contender is well within my abilities as a flyer. Ijust want to start venturing into flying something that "not everyone has". In the past 2 years I've had to learn the hard way about how to make repairs and re-cover but I'm not satisfied with that anymore, it sure would be nice to take "my" plane that "I built" to the field. Thanks for your patience and covering somthing I'm sure you've all had to cover before here, but I couldn't get the forum search to co-operate.(again)

The basics will also include a building board that can accept the T-pins, is flat, and large enough to host your model. You'll also find useful:

a 48" straightedge , a 12" ruler, a 6" ruler
a builders square
a few sanding blocks of various sizes (that you can attach your sandpaper too)
hobby knives (#2 xacto, #11xacto are my favs) and a Xacto razor saw
wax paper
Drill and bits
Various, small hand tools (flat/philips, allen keys, etc)
Pen, pencil, Sharpie marker

This is pretty much standard fare for kit building.

All things that I have in the garage and just take for granted as an airplane mechanic (full scale jets)....well all except for the building board. I assume something like this would fit the bill?

For the building board, you probably want at least the 3 foot board if not the 4 foot board. You also need a flat place to lay the board on. A lot of folks use hollow core doors with a 4 foot ceiling tile. Search the forums for more ideas.

1.It also depends on how much space u have. A 4x8' smooth plywood sheet on temporary colapsable stands will work.
2.2x4' acoustic ceiling tile turned over is a great building surface if u put it on top of the plywood. It receives pins easily. You can also use it as a soft surface to use when covering the plane.
3.El. Dremel drill, drill stand and flexible shaft with a chuck instead of the standard Dremel fitting is necessary.
4. A small size vise secured to the side of the at plywood top.
5.Adequate lighting.
6.Articulated arm light with lit magnifier (depending on your age)
7. I have an old el. Dremel scroll saw that is very handy
8.Adequate storage for your "stuff"

You will acuumulate much more over the years so make sure you have adequate storage.

Enjoy

Rafeek

Beer and cigarettes

If you don't drink, coffee and cigarettes

If you don't smoke, I can't help you

I'm new to this building myself and have that building board. It's a 4' board and I wouldn't want it any smaller.

Tom

I would add, a good hobby razor saw is a tool worth its weight in gold.

Minnflyer, you reminded me of a funny story.. i was in an auto parts store one day ,and I was needing to clean some part, So I asked the counter guys if I needed to buy a fancy gallon can of carb cleaner with the dipping basket..or if a soak in a can of gas would do just as well. I will never forget it ..

The counter guy says "A better mechanic uses the carb cleaner"

I stood there..unsure if I was being taught, or being made a fool of....

After a few moments and he smiled to me and says "do you know why the better mechanic uses carb cleaner?"

I sort of stood there dumbfounded and shrugged ..not knowing..

He then stands there grinning and tells me "Because a BETTER mechanic smokes !"

Right wrong, crazy...that has always stuck in my head... A friend also told me the definition of torque he learned in automotive school...but unfortunately I can't repeat it here !

Mike,

LOL, that was funny. Now I have to clean off my shirt and computer keyboard from the mouthfull of cofee I had before I read your post.

Some of the guys have bought the building board from tower only to have it arrive with a warp, just a heads up. Some people like flat metal boards and use magnets instead of pins. I went to the hardware store and bought some soft pine, 12 inches wide and laminated another piece 8 inches wide for a 20 inch board. I have four braces under it to keep it from developing a warp. It works well for those of us still using pins. A flat building board is a must!! I take mine to the wood shop every year or two and run it through the plainer just to make sure it is still nice and flat. There are a lot of different types of building boards used, as long as it's flat and big enough for your needs your good to go.

go figure I quit smoking last Feb....this is the second time it's bit me in the @$$...Tell you what, I'll drink twice as much while I build, That will give me an excuse as to why the plane comes out the way I'm sure it will. (specialy custumized) Do you think a ceiling tile fliped onto my 8' worktable would do it? if so the only thing I'm missing is the stack of balsa! Thanks for the input guys.

Anything you can think of. I have an old metal office desk with a piece of sheet rock on top. Accepts pins well, can use for notes, draw extension lines, whatever and is reversable when one side gets worn out. Can last for years. I also use an old ironing board to work from when covering wings or fuselages.

Now that's an idea, That old ironing board of mine hasn't seen much action at all since getting out of the Navy. Man that ironing board got treated good, last thing Iwanted was for it to transfer any dirt on one of those pretty white uniforms! Beating it up in the garage/hangar would be great pay back! The only part of this whole build I'm not looking forward to is covering....that's where my skills really lack....guess I better start reading up and practicing.