Attempting to build a kit...questions
 

Hey RCU,
Been in the hobby for over 20 years now since I was 11.
I've built probably 50 arfs over the years but only 1 kit when I was 16.
I'm now taking a stab at an old great planes die cut kit.
My question is what do you guys use for a building board now?
I remember having a great planes building board but those are long discontinued.
Any good alternatives to that? Thanks

I like ceiling tiles. Sometimes you can go to Loews, or Home Depot and buy damaged sheets cheap.
I work off of the back side, covered with wax paper over the plans.

A hollow core or solid core door from your local home center topped with something you can push pins into: ceiling tiles, Homasote, or a sheet of drywall.

What they said... all good info. Flat flat flat is best. I like the hollow-core doors and ceiling tiles myself. I built off a door for years before I got a better bench set-up. Nice thing about that is you can really put it on just about any sturdy flat table and the door/ceiling-tile acts as a nice topper and base to build.... then move it or put it away when your done. I used one when I lived in apartments years ago. I'd do my work, then just stow the work table in a closet or somewhere out of the way. If you've got a bench already you're ahead of the game.

Old die-cut Great Planes kits are very cool too. Most if not all of them if built per plans are great flying planes. I've got several I've built over the years... and several I've yet to build.

So.. whatchya buildin?..

I did have two Guilows Balsa building boards that where great to build on. One of them was in pieces and I didn't use it except to build tail feathers for my different airplanes. Well two years ago i moved 350 miles to the north and had both boards with me. But when I moved to my current house the one I use the most just vanished and I have no clue where it went. So A friend from Lowes where I work said he put the broken board back together for me.He cut both sides on a table saw then he cut biscuit slots in it then I glue both half's together and that is what I am build on now. Everyone that I talk to here where i live said they used sheet rock laid out on there build boardS to pin to and I going to try this on my next project.
Michael

Hollow core doors are great and are available in a variety of sizes. If you already have a flat table, then just use a piece of sheet rock cut to size. As for me, I built a table and used a 36" x 96" hollow core door with a sheetrock surface.

I've used nothing but a solid core door for the last 30 years. Dead flat and no problem to push T pins into when pinning down spars.


carl