Hi All,

I'm about to resume a building project that has languished for a while, and I'd like some advise in a couple of areas. I'm building a Ziroli Stearman from plans, and I'm wondering what type of building surface I should be building on? I've used "foam board" before, but it was quite thin, and thus difficult to stick pins into, so I'm looking for an alternative. I've heard that a ceiling tile over the bench makes a good building surface? Thoughts?

I'm also looking for an alternative to wax paper over my plans. The last stuff I used could actually be glued to the wood with CA. Is there a specific brand of wax paper that works well for this job and won't stick to CA, or should I be trying something else?

Thanks,

John

Ceiling tiles are a great work surface if the tiles are laying on a flat table. They make ceiling tiles that are designed for kitchens. They are almost like dry wall. You can also use dry wall as a building table, however the edges will always get you dirty and fall apart, where as the kitchen tiles are sealed on all edges. Great Planes makes a plan protector that works okay, however I still like wax paper from Safeway. Good Luck, Dave

If you don't like wax paper, parchment paper is a little thicker. The backing off Monokote also works well for a plan protector.

Ceiling tiles work well as does drywall for a building surface.

im building on this http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXPF36&P=ML
and very happy with it, its not as long and not in stock right now.
wax paper is king.

Like Dave said, a flat bench is the first consideration. Drywall, Celing Tile, cork, is secondary. As for plan coverings, the backing of Monokote is also a good covering. I try to salvage as much as possible. Painters drops from the hardware store is another good plan protector. It is cheap and works well. Big howerver, if you splash Ca on things when building, it will weep down the pins and through the plan covering what ever it is. Wax paper and prachment paper are old stand bys, but neither will stand up to CA. I guess the answer to plan coverings depends on the adheasive you are using. Just keep this in mind.


Don

Old school, I built my building board from two 3/4" X 12" X 6' Pine. Glued the two together then screwed a few cross pieces on the bottom. Took it to a wood shop and ran it through the over head sander, been with me for about 15 years now. Every 5 or 6 years I slather filler over it and take it to a wood shop again and run it through the sander until all the writing is sanded off and it's smooth again. There is no wax in wax paper anymore, people didn't like the wax getting into there food when they used the micro wave. I still use it though without problems but I don't over use the CA so no problems. The painters plastic drop cloth works pretty well.

After you've conjured up a flat, sturdy building surface....

You can never, never, never have enough clamps.

Watch the harbor Freight catalogs, every now and then they have some really good sales on clamps. I've picked up two sets of the small clamps, something like 20 or so per set for the small spring clamps. Their plastic bar clamps are nice also, I've picked up 6 of the 4", 4 of the 6", and the next time the 12" goes on sale for $2 each, I'll pick up some of them also.


Don

the best building board I have ever been able to get my hands on is made from a hollow-core door topped with with a sheet of homasote (which is a 1/2" thick x 4' x 8' sheet of a sound deadening material made from recycled newspaper. IT has "just the right" density to be easy to stick pins in, but they still hold well, smooth surface. It should be glued down on the door using construction adhesive, or something similar, and weighted down all over till the glue sets... A board made like this will last several lifetimes if reasonably treated... The door will need reasonable and level support when in use, just stand it on end to store.

Since you are building a model of a vintage plane (rag covered), consider the "uncertified" dacron fabric from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty. I has excellent shrink, is light but tight weave (needs little filler), works well with water-based polyurethane, takes paint well, and is as cheap as any you will find.

Do your self a favor and buy the Great Planes building board. They come in three sizes,the biggest being 16x48x 3/4. The bigger one is thirty bucks and well worth it! I have had mine for about fifteen years and is still dead flat.Made from peices of balsa wood gluded togeather and sanded flat.I have my P 47 on it right now. Holds pins very good.