carrellh

Glue a balsa "doubler" (1/8" or possibly thicker) to the rib on the wing panel. Sand it to get the desired angle.

jship

My Feedback: (4)

Put Me down for one of the $150 Duellist kit too.
One more thing, I have never had the landing geer come out of a kit built plane. Of course there is the pride in haveing something that You created.

john

nickj

This is a great thread. It does feel like we're seeing a resurgence in kit-building. As previous posters said, building and flying are seperate hobbies, but one often leads to the other. ARFs bring in more flyers, and more flyers means more potential builders. I don't have a problem with ARFs, especially trainers, if they bring more people out to the field.

stever33

It would definitly be thicker than that because the angle is so far off. So would that make the span greater or do i sand from 1/4 to nothing?

thanks alot

steve

carrellh

Top, or bottom, sands to nothing. Total wing span will change very little.

carrellh

I'm a person who will probably always have a combination of kit and ARF. My current hangar is 4 kits and 3 ARFs; and I'm trying to pick another kit.

SunDevilPilot

I have always been into building my own planes. While I think ARFs are good for those that enjoy flying and not building they are not for me. I enjoy the process of building and love that sense of pride you get when something you took from a box of sticks takes to the air. I also like having a one of a kind plane.

Here is one I am just about to finish up. FYI: It is an Aeroworks 29% Edge 540 (From when the kit was still produced in 2004!).

SunDevilPilot

millsap

HI ALL I learned to fly about 6 years ago only owned one arf my trainer. Bult several plans sinc old kits and new kits ...... NOW IM A KIT HORDER AND WILL BUILD THEM ALL..... oYA I HAVE A 40 SIZE PATRIOT FOR SALE OR TRADE

jship

My Feedback: (4)

What a GREAT looking plane.
john

somegeek

My Feedback: (2)

I noticed the increased activity in the kit building area as well... I like it. [8D]

somgeeek

kbear

High guys. I'm new around this forum but have spent several years in the Spad area. My first plane was a Spirit sail plane kit. I got into spads because I like to build and experiment. I ended up here because I'm wanting to build a 3D Hot Hots, and maybe later a Virginia Creeper. I think ARFs have added to our numbers at the field, but also think that we end up with a large group that simply replaces planes as they crash them and don't learn how to fix or build. There is no since of pride with ARFs, and I see many guys get board and walk away just as quickly as they showed up. There is nothing like seeing something you built and put time into take to the air. I'd love to see more plans from the Mags with short kits available. I also like showing up at the field with a plane that is more me than everyone else.

GAP-RCU

kbear - I hope you have a long and successful career building kits, spads, and anything else in this hobby.

Though Spads aren't my style of model, I was really happy to see their rise in popularity a few years ago. The creativity involved with starting from a pile of raw stock and making something, experimenting and rebuilding as you go, is great to see. Creativity, a willingness to explore and try something new, and working with tools are all lacking in so many these days. We had a guy test flying a profile made from pink foam the other day. Saw a guy use a coke bottle for a fuselage a few years ago. I love it - people trying something new, spending time at a workbench, and learning as they go.

Gary

Klaatu

My Feedback: (4)

I have noticed more than a few people like me, here and at the field. I built kits of all types as a kid but got away from it when life interrupted with things like Army, University, Wife, etc. came along. Then I hit 50 and started looking for something more interesting to pass some time with and came back to modeling. The word is important. Modeling is building something. I cannot imagine buying an ARF. It would satisfy nearly nothing I desire. A new Top Flite or 20 year old Royal warbird kit will satisfy months or building satisfaction. There is no contest for me. If not kits, plans or scratch. Yes, of course I will fly them when they are done, eventually...

gamedog53

Having done both kits as well as arf's I think that there is a rise in building interest due to the internet and forums such as this one. If you do not have any people living close by that build or you are not confident in their building skills its a pretty intimidating hobby. The internet has allowed someone to post a question and receive answers from all across the world. True you have to read and then judge for yourself if the person actually knows what they are talking about or just trying to make it look like they do but with the build forums you can actually see pictures of models and sometimes just seeing how that former or piece fits answers two or three questions. Also the availability of parts and tools is a click away. I know my wife thinks I spend a little too much time on the internet reading or in the shop building but she loves the hobby as much as I do, so its all good. Besides who wants a plane that is exactly the same as everyone elses. Just my opinion but I know it makes my builds a lot easier

CrateCruncher

My Feedback: (1)

A lot of chatter about a particular plane kit can be contagious too. The internet forums provide up-close exposure to product I may never have given a second glance at in a magazine or catalog. Praise from other hobbyists is so much more credible to me than that sticky boiler plate drivel so many manufacturers love to coat their advertising with. "Acme is pleased to announce the greatest thing.....Be the envy of the flying field with....." Even the glowing magazine "reviews" seem to me a conflict of interest.

A build thread presents the good, bad, and ugly as well as "here's what I did about it". No question, a detailed build thread of the TopFlite Stinson Reliant convinced me I needed one.

kbear

I'm a big fan of and believer in the in depth build thread. It's like having a second manual, and beyond that you can ask questions. A lot of the time you even get an answer from the person who designed the plane. I don't think I would be as far into this hobby as I am if it were not for these forums. You can get good info at the field from you flying buddies, but I like spending time flying at the field. Forums let me get my help, and RC fix, on the weekdays when I can't go fly. As for the info here, I rarely get just one response to a question, so It's usually not to hard to discern between good and bad advice. First rule, always take, with a grain of salt, the advice from someone who hasn't built, flown, or owned the equipment your asking about.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Activity in this forum might be up slightly, but I don't see many build threads. Many of the topics here, including this one, could be posted in other forums just as easily. I think its just a random change in the location of some of the posts.

kbear

I hope to bring that number up by one in the near future with a 3D Hot Hots build, but you may be right. I'm new here, so I can't really say.

CrateCruncher

My Feedback: (1)

I think there is more build related activity in this and other categories too. The RC Scale Aircraft and Warbirds categories are where you'll find the hardcore threads.

True story. I was returning to the pits Wednesday after wringing out my hand-built Kaos and one of our better teenage pilots walked up and asked me to recommend a first full-build kit. What?!! [X(]I almost tripped over my feet I was so surprised.

ron9844

My Feedback: (65)

I hope to bring that number up by another one in the near future with a 77" Weeks Solution X build.

Ron

DaddySam

My Feedback: (9)

I started in RC back in 1970. I built a Goldberg 1/2 A Skylane, a Sterling Mambo Special, a Little Stick, and a Sig Piper Cub. None of them made it past their first flight. No buddy boxes back then (heck, I didn't even fly them -- one of the club's veteran pilots was!) I was so disappointed that I dropped out of the hobby for many years. Ran into a guy who had been in the local club and he suggested I try it again (circa 1990). This time, with a buddy box, I STILL went through one or two Tower .40's (I honestly can't recall), one Tower .60 (bigger flies better....), and a second Tower .60, which I was able to sell after moving on to other planes. Despite the height of my learning curve, the fact that the crashes were ARF's is part of what kept me going. When you build a kit, you put a lot of yourself into it, and when it crashes without you getting any flying time on it, that's disappointing.
Since learning to fly on an ARF, I've built nothing but kits, and I enjoy building as much as flying, especially when weather, work, or life makes getting to the flying field out of the question. Building lets me enjoy the hobby year round. I also can apply the skills/tools to things around the house, or more importantly, toy repair for the kids. My oldest son, who soled with an Astro Hog last summer, and now can land better than me (okay, not saying much for me), is interested also in miniature figures, and I'm basically the technical advisor while he builds a replica of LOTR "Helms Deep". There's a lot of satisfaction in seeing your kids sculpting foam and balsa, detailing, spraying paint with a detail gun, etc..
Two more comments. First, I do think that there are a lot of "builders" out there, but that they don't frequent this forum because they are building from plans, and maybe don't consider them kits. I myself just discovered this forum, been hanging out in the warbirds forum mostly.
Second, nice 29% Edge! I just got mine flying the way I wanted, and a broken spark plug boot caused the plane to go out of control on the ground, as I was taxiing to the flight line. I've attached a picture of what I'm using from the wreckage to make a mostly new fuselage. Hard to do that with an ARF!
Sam

Ralph78

I think as a lot of people who got into flying by buying an ARF or RTF are starting to show an interest in "Modeling". Old guy that I am I have always built from kits, plans, and occ. "Scratch".,

A friend of mine, who just started flying with an ARF, came to me a few months ago, with a problem, his wing seemed to be flexing in the air. I showed him how to remove the covering on the wing and we inspected the structure. We found a crash waiting to happen. The center section was not glued together well at all. We built another dih. brace and extended it out two more bays and added another brace near the trailing edge, then went through the entire plane and re glued many joints. I had him add epoxy reinforcement to the motor mount area, it was loose after just 5 or 6 flights, and we found the control horns were glued on with NO BOLTS or Screws holding them. After we reglued everything and fixed the control horn attachments, we covered the plane in Mica Film+ Balsa Rite to glue it down. The plane has served him well, including surviving several "mild" crashes.

Now he has just purchased a Laser cut kit for his next level plane and I have agreed to give him a bit of advise here and there if he asks for it. I believe as we continue to increase the "flyers" at the field, we will slowly increase the numbers of us who will build from kits at least part of the time. One thing is important. Volunteer to give help as needed when you can, so that the new "Builder" won't give up to easy and go back to RTF or ARTF planes.

Ralph

jship

My Feedback: (4)

Ralph;
You firend is one luck guy. This is what this hobby needs, mentors[8D]

john

jimm

My Feedback: (1)

I know that I find going to the hobby shows and walking into my local hobby shop just is not the same (enjoyable) as it used to be.

I find I walk in the store, look around for a few minutes, then walk out feeling disappointed. Seeing boxes of Styrofoam electric ARFS just really does nothing for me. Anymore, it is about the same as going into a toy store, not a hobby shop.

Collecting kits and plans for future projects is what I have been trying to do. Hopefully there will be a swing back to closer to what the hobby once was.

Jim

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Sam, that's not A lot to work with but that from A guy that hates to do repairs, rather just build another plane.
I just soloed my young student. His first plane is going to be an ARF from Tower. Why you ask???[:@] Because until he gets out of school he doesn't have the time to build. This way he can be flying his own plane and not just my trainer then when sumer comes along he can spend the time in my shop and learn to build his own.
I didn't take him on as A student until about A week before school started and I want him to keep flying. My planes are just A bit too much for him to handle at this time.