I have been out of the hobby for 10 years. The last plane I built was a CG Super Chipmunk. For me, half the hobby is building the plane. So, now that I'm getting back into it, I see that A LOT has changed over the last 10 years. I'm about to build a BTE Flyin' King to relearn how to fly and move into either an Extra 300 or an Ultimate with the new Saito 1.25 (nice build threads on the CG Ultimate on here btw). I need all the tools to build a R/C kit, preferably from scratch (I've built other wood models from scratch, but that was so long ago and they were REALLY small [only needed an Exacto and maybe a razor saw to build them] and I really don't remember much of anything - too many strange chemicals in my system when I was younger hehehe).

Anyway, it's been a long time since I've done much of anything. I'm sure tools haven't changed much, but I was never really an advanced R/C kit builder. I'm not sure what tools would make the job easier and more perfect. Besides, all my woodworking tools were stolen along with my automotive tools. I've got to start completely over. I don't even have an Exacto anymore.

My question is this:

If you were having to start from scratch on your kit building tools, what specifically would you get? The only tool that wasn't stolen was my dremel kit, and all the attachments except for the flex tool were stolen for it.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply to me!

Well, u have the basics in mind, x-acto and razor saw.
But you might also want:
1. a level building surface,
2. something to protect your plans (wax paper works fine),
3. good lighting,
4. plenty of thin and medium CA,
5. plenty of 5min, 15 min, and 30 min epoxy,
6. rulers (mm, cm, in ft)
7. list of things you want to change i.e. push rods, engine mount, wheel, ext.
8. a digital camera so we can see your progress,
9. a shape pencil,
10. and patients

Good luck, have fun, and keep us posted!
Ron

Hi RVM,

Get the basics like Flytolow said, that will get you going on the kit, which by the way is an excellent choice. BTM makes some of the best models in the business. A good flat surface can be aquired from the local hardware store or one of the chain stores, Lowes, HD, etc. in the form of a hollow core veneered door. This will set you back about $35.00, but you will have it for the projects to come. Just ask questions here, people are glad to help. Don't rush on this kit either, let yourself become absorbed in it after work. Talk about relaxed! Good luck and post pics of your progress and any "I don't know what to do about this". Ben

Thanks for the input! I'll tell you what, I'm a computer nerd and I post to A LOT of forums relating to everything from computer gaming to off-road trucking to marine biology to r/c. This is one of the friendliest, most helpful forums I've visited.

I used to use a 4'x8' table with 1" thick styrofoam for construction. I used a bunch of different size T-pins and built on top of the plans with wax paper on top, using the styrofoam as a pincushion. I was wondering if there was a better way to do this? I had thought about doing the hollow-core door thing, but that always seemed like it would be a pain in the rear to stick pins into.

On the BTE kit I don't think I'd want to change any of the hardware that is already supplied. If it is as high quality as I'm hearing, the supplied parts should be fine. However, as soon as I finish this plane, I'll be starting on either an Extra 300 or an Ultimate (more than likely the latter) while I relearn to fly on the King. I'm sure, especially if I go with the CG Ultimate, that I'll want to change out a lot of the parts. I'll worry about that later though.

I ordered some of the Handibond glue with my King from BTE. Bruce said it's worked really well for him over the past few years so I thought I'd give it a try. I use to use Zap back in the day. I hope the Handibond is a good glue. He recommended some epoxy brands but I can't remember off the top of my head what they were. Any suggestions here?

What on earth is a shape pencil? :/

Is a wing jig or other tool such as that necessary? I didn't have anything like that with my Chipmunk, and it looked square/lined up, but misalignments that you can't see with your eye can affect flight performance. I'm rather anal about such things.

I have plenty of patience. I'm in no hurry to finish! I haven't even ordered the motor or radio yet, or any building supplies except CA. I'll probably order more supplies tomorrow, and get the engine and motor when it comes time to fit them.

What about a good filler? I'm hoping I won't need any, but you never know.

Thank you for all the advice so far.

Also, what is the difference between a carded and boxed item when looking at some of the X-Acto products (got the spelling right muahaha!)?

RVM, I think Flytoolow is referring to one of the rectangular carpenter's pencils, one that won't roll off your table. The styro on your building board is good to have, but not really necessary. I usually build right over the door. Sometimes I will use a balsa board that I have for the smaller models though. Good luck! Ben

the carded items are just on a piece of cardboard with the shrinkwrap over them. The glue that Bruce recommends is great for me anyway. Zap is still making fine products also. I use both. The filler can be anthing from Hobbico or microballons and epoxy(a little heavier), it's usually used for making wing fillets on warbirds. Ben

Hi ....
If I was rebuilding my shop from scratch!! First power tool would be without a doubt one of these... http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS....jsp?pn=092581 Ive been building for 20 plus years and only recently purchased one and I can not imagine how I did without one .

bert

For me, tools for building has become a second hobby in itself! My most recent aquisition was a set of permagrit tools.
Some of the tools I use regularly are:

xacto & lots of #11 blades plus an assortment of other blades
A variety of steel and clear flexible rules, triangles and squares
Great planes sanding bars of various lengths
Dremel with flex shaft and a large assortment of diamond, stone and carbon steel bits
I picked up a really nifty router bit set for cutting rabbits using the Dremel.
Bench belt/disk sander
Clamps clamps and more clamps
A set of hss drills
Mini files, diamond files, riffle sets and mini rasps
Covering tools, irons and heat gun
Great planes power plane
Razor plane

The sky is the limit. I also use a variety of other hand tools, power tools and air tools too.
Building is the part of the RC hobby I like most, particularly scale. I went all out and spent most of last year turning my garage into a workshop, complete with custom cabinets. For a buildboard, I went with a 4' x8' island with a 16 guage cold rolled steel top and use magnets instead of pins. Like I said, tools are a second hobby in itself. If I could afford it, I'd get a cnc lathe, mill, and a laser cutter too!

Scott

What is a rabbit?



I still have my Dremel and flexshaft. I had planned on picking up a diamond cutting wheel in addition to the very few bits and wheels I currently have.

Yes, a carpenter's pencil! I know what that is.

As far as the styro goes - I used that to push pins into. Never tried a hollow door, but it always seemed to me that it would be a pain to push pins into it.

Hmm, well, I will find a very light filler that is easy to sand and work with. I can't remember the brand I used to use, but when it dried it had the consistency of super light and dry balsa. I loved that stuff!

So any brand epoxy will work well? I would hate to lose a plane to bad adhesives.

Well, I can probably give a pretty good perspective because I just built my shop up from scratch in the last few months.

In no particular order:

Lots of Great Planes Easy-Touch Sanding bars of all different lengths. (I have 3 of each. 80, 150, & 200 Grit sandpaper on each)
Dremel tool with cutting wheel & sanding drum
Weight bags ( I just use kitty litter in ziplocks)
several squares, small X-Acto ones are nice and larger ones for squaring the fuse & such.
several clamps and clothes pin's
I have a couple level's that are good straight edges.
Wax paper for covering your plans
Hobby-Lite wood filler
Thin, Medium, & Thick CA (and debonder) (read my Ultimate build thread for some good CA humor) [:@] http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=3899491
CA accellerator
Micro saw
X-Acto file set
T-Pin's
Ceiling tile for building on
small drillbit set (i think it's made by X-Acto too)
Robart plane stand
Covering iron
heat gun

I'm sure there's more but that's what I can think of off of the top of my head. [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

Hey I read that thread earlier today. That's a great build up. I'm considering doing an Ultimate as well and seeing how well I can get it to do 3D. Let me know what you think of the Saito 1.25 in it, as that is what I intend to use too.

What do you use the accelerator for? If I remember correctly, unless you're using gobs of thick CA it tends to dry in just a few seconds. I see why you needed the debonder though. :P What's that copper looking thing you have your razor saw in in your third picture?

Is a microsaw the same thing as a razorsaw?

Did all of you folks get most of your stuff online or from a LHS? I don't have a LHS near me that is worth going to so I'll probably get most of my stuff online. Guess I'll start browsing through Tower Hobbies and Horizon Hobbies tomorrow. Anyone have any other suggestions on where to look?

RVM, I think just about any epoxy you will buy now will give you great performance. I do use Zap, Devcon, and Great Planes epoxies. I've never had even 22 year old joins to fail with some of these epoxies. The filler I use is Northeast Hobby Products Microfill Super-Light, this stuff as well as Hobbico's Filler will give the results you described above. Good Luck! Ben

RVM, first let me say Welcome to RCU!

The others have pretty much said most of it, but let me elaborate a little:

As to the Hollow-Core door: They make a good, flat base surface, and you can place a slab of Styrofoam or Homosote, or a ceiling tile on top of it for your pins to stick into. Ask at a Home-Improvement store, they usually have damaged doors that they will sell for about 10 bucks (So what if it has a hole in one side, you just lay that side down)

As for Filler: I use Elmer's Wood Filler (For light colored wood). It's cheap, sands very well, and works great. THere are some "Super light-weight" fillers on the market, but they can melt under the heat of a covering iron.

CA Accellerator: It's a good thing to have, but I use it VERY sparingly as it tends to linger, that is, you can spray an area today, and two days later it still accellerates any CA you apply to the area. So if you spray your rib/LE joints, your CA will harden when you're applying it to the tops of the ribs for the sheeting. So, yes, it's good to have, but only use it when you MUST - and even then, I dap it on with a toothpick or a wire rather than the spray bottle.

Drill bits are a must, and something I didn't see mentioned are a covering iron and a heat gun.

I'll certainly be posting flight reports in my build thread. I'm anxious to see how the 1.25 does as well.

I don't use accelerator a lot, but there are some areas that it's very handy. For example when I do sheeting I put down thick CA and then use a strait edge (level) to push the sheeting down & hit the top of the sheeting with accelerator. It soaks through the wood & instantly cures the CA. No clamps necessary.

yeah, i meant to say razor saw. :-) The copper box is a miter box that came with my saw. it's nice for cutting perfect 90 degree angles.

I probably bought half of my stuff from the LHS & half from towerhobbies. Most of these things are under 10 bucks so I won't buy it from tower unless I have a larger order that I'm placing.

One thing I just thought of. If I were starting from scratch again I would consider a magnetic building system. I haven't used it, but I'm thinking about switching over. RCKen describes it in his PIF thread. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=3439731

I've been doing lots of research into building, and I'm starting to see that there are some who do not like CA and believe that wood glues (Elmer's Carpenter's Glue, for instance) are better. I've always used CA, in fact, I don't think I've ever used wood glue to build anything, ever. I haven't seen any concrete evidence to support one over the other, so I'm wondering if anyone has any particular opinion, and more importantly, why they hold that opinion.

Whoever linked me here, thank you so much! That site is filled with tons of useful information. In particular, I'm strongly leaning toward building a workbench set up to use magnets instead of pins. It seems like using magnets would allow perfectly square construction.

I would like to use jigs from now on. Does anyone know if it's a problem to drill 1/4" holes into ribs from a kit? I don't want to weaken them.

Thanks!

Some people develop sensitivity to CA causing respiratory, eye, and skin problems. CA is expensive in comparison to alphatic resins. In some instances, the additional working time that alphatic gives is a real plus. I've heard some claim that over a long time, alphatic joints will outlast CA. I use both in my builds. For assembly purposes, the epoxies available at the lhs are fine. Generally, the longer the cure, the stronger the epoxy.
For sources of tools, of course, there's the LHS and local hardware store. I like to keep an eye out at a number of tool stores in my area. Also, be sure to check out Harbor Freight. I wouldn't call them top quality, but you can find some useful items at good prices there. Check out MicroMark. They have a good selection too. Don't forget checking out the auto parts store, the craft store and art supply stores too.
Paul Johnsons' website, www.airfieldmodels.com, is a great site. If you are interested in scale, check out Dave Platts' website for his video collection on building.
Drilling holes into all but the smallest ribs should be fine. The biggest challange is having the ribs properly aligned.

BTW, my favorite tool: RCU!

Good building!

Scott

You can probably build a BTE kit with nothing but a flat surface, a straightedge, square, an x-acto knife, a razor saw, glue/epoxy and some sandpaper (for final sanding).

That good huh?

I'd like to have all my building supplies ready for my next kits as well. I also would like to try some scratch projects in the future on a larger scale than the little handheld planes I built.

LHS? Anybody, what's an LHS?
I guess this a US thing but being UK resident I am not sure. I guessed "Local Hardware Store" but then changed to "Local Hobby Store". Either way, it seems to have everything you could ever ask for!
Please, somebody let me know - it's driving me nuts!
cheers
Rick

Yep, Local Hobby Store (or shop).

I like Titebond for it's working time and more importantly it's sandability, and the my ability to wipe off excess glue before it dries. I don't end up with the hard ridges in sheeting joined by CA. I really enjoy building now and am in no hurry so CA isn't needed most of the time. There are places inside that are easier to use CA on, and sometimes repairs are easier with CA, but I like building with Titebond most of the time.

A tip for razor saw use without a miter. Check the reflection of the stick you are about to cut in the saw blade. It really helps to to keep the saw perpendicular, and with a little practice can help with 90s and 45s.

Wish I had a model shop like yours - lucky if I can get a decent range of kits and paint let alone all the extra goodies you guys seem to get.....LOL

I have to drive a minimum of 60 miles for my nearest hobby shop, and it's not that great. The next closest is about 190 miles.