Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

Hi Guys, it's been some time since I've been here. Weather is just too cold out in the garage around here. Well the Skybench Viking project has sat idle since Nov. but almost done, just the covering CHORE remains (which I dread)

For Christmas my wife gave me a couple of kits! One to replace the 1/2 complete BOT she, by mistake ran over with the van, and a GL for the plane I promised to build together with my little (10yr. old) girl should be fun, I hope. I've been telling her 'someday' since she was six!

Anyway, anybody have any 'tricks' or advice on either? I've been building for most 20 yrs. but there's always something new to learn.

As a note: Both kits seem to be much improved, the die cutting and wood seems alot nicer on the BOT kit now then the one I was working on four yrs. ago as does the GL, compared to the die cut one I built so many years ago though I've read here that there might be some trouble still with the GL as in the past despite now being laser cut . . . or so I hear. Well if ya got anything to say on either please do so.

Rick K
LSF 6493

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

Rick,

I built a "new" GL for my 8-year-old nephew for Christmas. The ply parts were laser cut, the rest of it was same ol'-same ol' die crunched stuff. It built about as well as any other GL ever built. If they decided to laser cut the whole thing they might have something better. Nephew's reaction made the whole thing worthwhile.

I've built both the BOT and the GL, still have my original planes (repaired many times) and they still fly great. I enjoyed building both, and I'm sure you will too.

papermache

Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

Hi 'Paper', Well I haven't really gone deeply into the GL box yet, just gave it a cursry look . . . what got me though was the price! As I recall I paid under $20 for my first GL way back when, I see it's $45 at tower. Kinda steep for a basic 2m compared to the $65 for the BOT (admitedly, one of the best bargans out there, I know of no other 3m that goes for less than $140. It's sort of disapointing that to compete in RES ya better have $300+ around, I don't think that's what the people who came up with the RES idea had in mind when they made the rules. In fact I think they were trying to achive the opposite, to get away from the 'big buck' planes where one could 'buy' their way to victory. NOS is a better idea in my mind though the reproductions of the old school kits are starting to get a little steep too.

I keep considering to start building from plans, although it looks to be somewhat tedious at least I can build what I want for a reasonable price. Of course I'd have to get a decient jig saw and perhaps a sm. band saw too. (don't really think my very old dremal saw is quite up to the task, though could be used in a pinch) so any money saved over paying kit price would be offset by the expenditures of the saw(s) prob. to the tune of $400 for the pair. It'd be around three or four planes to break even.

Rick K
LSF 6493