When building a kit should you pin through the parts or around?

Nick

I like to pin through the part until the balsa gets so small that the pin tends to split it. The splitting normally doesn't come into effect unless you're pinning 1/16th thick by 1/8th wide cap strips, or the like. You can buy different guages of pins if you care to keep them sorted for those different sized balsa projects.

I agree with Ed, the only exception being: I pin AROUND a wing spar

Do you guys then fill the pin holes with thick Ca?
Luis

Luis,

The pinholes normaly don't show after final sanding. If any do, I normally fill with light spackle (which I use quite a bit anyway at the final standing stage).
I normally don't use CA (thick or thin) on anything that reaches the outer surface because it tends to leave "hard spots" that make final sanding difficult.

Regards

Ari

I will get some static on this, but I don't pin anymore, and this is why. If you pin down a bunch of warped parts, then glue, when you take out the pins, the wing will be warped. On most modern kits, the parts fit is so good you can assemble almost the whole wing before gluing. If you must pin for assembly, BEFORE you glue, remove the pins and make sure everything stays flat and straight. Sometimes it takes a little pulling, tweaking, twisting, etc. Only spot glue at first on all joints, then go back with a larger "dose". Just like welding steel, CA can pull or push a joint, also pulling things out of alignment.

As a side note, through experience you will learn how to make warped/bent parts come out straight. For example, 2 bent spars installed "opposed" will result in a straight build. This used to be the very first "tutorial" in manuals, but many companies have omitted it.

Good luck
Bob

I use a lot of carpenter's glue and am now using polyurethanes as well. I pin most everything. Because the glues take from 1/2 hour to 4 hours to set up. When I used Ca I would only pin lightly to keep things in place till I hit the parts with the CA. My lungs cannot hack CA anymore. Being asthmatic doesn't help. So I use CA sparingly now. Only when neccesary. Good luck with your project.

Mark Shuman