I just bought the TF P-47D 63" build kit. I know a lot of you have built these, so before the airplane is delivered, I want to get a running list of reccomended tools, epoxies, etc. I know the kit suggests items, but those of you that have built kits, have tried other things. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The list can be quite extensive, or relatively short, depending on cost and desire. Tools, for me, has practically become a hobby into itself.

Here's a start.

a couple of hobby knives with lots of #11s
a razor saw and miter.
Several sanding bars like the ones from great planes.
A good flexible steel rool, at least 18"
A Ell square.
an 18" clear flexible rule.
Dremel with cuttoff wheels and an assortment of carbide and/or diamond bits.
Clamps, clamps, and more clamps. I use the mini quickgrip, mini springclamps and metal binder paper clips.
Wax paper
5 min and 30 min epoxy. If you plan on glassing your plane, you could add West systems epoxy too.
An ultra fineline sharpie and a mechanical pencil.
Painters tape.
Drill
Bench disk/belt sander (optional but usefull)
Drill press (optional but usefull)
needle nose pliers
small flat and philips drivers
tweesers
Mini needle files/diamond files


I'm sure I'm leaving much out such as covering tools if you go the covering route, painting tools if you paint, hinging tools and so forth.

Scott

No list would be complete without Microballoons - http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXDS37&P=7

What's an "Ell square"?

Dont forget:
T pins (various sizes), and a surface to stick them into (I use a sheet of gyprock / wall baord as my buidling surface. Pins stick in nicely!)

Razor Plane, or a small SHARP plane

Balsa filler!

#80, #150, #220 grit sand paper. Go higher if you want a baby smooth finish!

A 2" x 2" x8" block, sqaure! with a sheet of sand paper glued to it, so you can get 90° sanded edges & such..

CA Med & Thin ( i use Med almost exclusively)

Alphatic Resin (Yellow Carpenters' glue) - sands easier than CA, great for 'edge joining' your sheeting, and sands without a seam.

Weights / hold-downs. A few heavy object, to hold things down / in position. Children's '(sand) bean bags' are a good investment, to hold sheeting in place..

A good desk lamp, one that moves around, so you can light what you need lit

Paper towel!

The mini triangles from a school geometry set. Great for gettign ribs to 90°.

Methyl Hydrate ( to clean up epoxy spills!)

The Squadron book on the 'Jug' so you can accurately detail a scale project! And read up on the monster!!

I would add all sorts of glues, epoxy, CA, canopy, titebond and E6000 for starters. I buy blades by the 100 box and sand paper by the 25 sheet in 60, 150 and 320. Wish I had space for a band saw.


Carl
Enjoy the build

Thanks, i am putting this shopping list together as we speak. I am framing in my hobby room this weekend. It will be 20 x 14. I should be good room for the hobby builds I do.

you will be surprised how easy the jug is to build the instructions are clear and easy to follow.
spend some time reading ahead so the steps are clear in your head before starting, then follow each step, a useful thing to have is a yellow highlight pen for marking your steps as you finish them and marking special areas to focus on.
I like the yellow because its easy to see and not miss any steps or notes.
also a straght edge ruler Home Depot or whatever hardware store has them, and those small plastic clamps not the super strong metal type,though you need them too, the little plastic ones work great for clamping balsa without crushing it.

A full shop, cool. I converted my garage about a year ago.

Some other suggestions are, lots of lighting. I put in 5 twin bulb 4' florescent light and am considering adding more. I decided to use the magnetic buildboard method as described by Paul Johnson on his website www.airfieldmodels.com. I build my workbench as an island, giving access from all sides. It's a 4'x8' torsion box construction benchtop covered with a sheet of 16 gauge cold rolled steel and a base made from two steel shelving units (Gorilla shelves). I added upper and lower cabinets along two walls for lots of storage and more counter space. An air compressor is a good item to have around a shop as well as a good shopvac. If you plan on getting into building from plans, scratchbuilding or kit bashing, a band saw is a huge help. I'm working on my first kit bash, and have used my new band saw much more than I thought I would. For inside cuts like bulkheads, a scroll saw would be helpful. As an alternative, there was a thread where a guy took a jigsaw and mounted it upside down on a table, with the blade coming up through the top.

Scott

WOW,
Great info guys. I bought a piece of glass that is 1/2 inch thich, 4 feet wide, and is almost 8 feet long. This will be on cabinets. I will take pics, but the air compressor will fit perfect under the stairs, where I will build a door access to it. I am geeked about starting the build of the shop/P-47. I might do a thread on my shop build, and transfer that into my P-47 build. We'll see. Thank you for all the suggestions.


Anyone ever use the UHU epoxy's? Blue is 5 min. and Green is long dry

A garage with heater and air conditioner ---- and a transportation.....

happy landings[sm=thumbs_up.gif]
G-Pete

Nice, gotta love it!