Highflyer2

My Feedback: (1)

just curious as to your preference

rwright142

Laser cut for me.
I don't feel skilled enough yet to cut ribs or intricate shapes.

MasterAlex

Laser cutting all the way for me ...

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

I like laser cutting. One of the benefits if it is engineered this way is to have a tab-lock, mortise and tenon type construction. This just about guarantees a straight structure.

Mode One

Six to one half a dozen to the other. I'm fine with die cutting, too! The die cutting I've seen in the last three planes I've built has been excellent.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I feel that laser cut parts are more consistent when you look at things like wing ribs; one thing to consider, though is how accurate are the plans? Unless a kit cutter has been working with a designer for a while, they may not be familiar with flaws in the plans. They cut them just like the plans, and if the plans are wrong, the parts are wrong. Then laser cutting isn't any better than hand cut.

sfsjkid

Agree that laser cutting offers precision and having everything lock together without glue is statisfying! However, I had a Pica Spitfire with laser cut ailerons and I don't think they took the kerf into account, for there was an 1/8" gap between all the pieces and had to remake the pieces by hand. Laser cutting can be problimatic on electric flyers if there are no cap strips and one ends up having to sand down the edges to get rid of the burnt color anyways. I think Airtronics used to bandsaw cut their parts which I liked, and don't mind die cut as long as it is done right.

Mode One

Machined parts as discussed by sfsjkid are also very good. They likely are cut on a band saw; but, then they are belt sanded as a stack and come very much ready to use. I prefer this method over laser.

mgnostic

I had to weigh in on the side of laser cutting. Once the files are set up the economy of scale really starts to come in and the cost of the kit can go down, or at least the manufacturer stays in business longer. I think it really boils down to the skill of the person setting up the cut. The best parts I ever saw were done on a routing table.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I prefer laser cut. The last hand cut kit I got looked like it had been cut with a hand held razor saw and sanded by a 3yr old. This was from a very well known kit cutter.

I just hit the burnt edges with some 200 grit paper and then glue it up, when building a laser cut kit. If it's designed and drawn right, they should line up like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

GAP-RCU

I would have always said laser cut a few years ago... then I built a Bruce Tharpe Venture 60. BTE drove home just how truely nice a hand/machined cut kit can be. So, if done right, I'd say either beats the old Sterling days.

Gary

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

If its not by my hand I prefer hand cut. Usually I just take what I can get for less common designs. I think the technique is more important than technolgy.