I just found a great building board. This goes to show that it doesn't take a whole lot to get someone in this hobby excited...

Get to the hardware store and buy a hollow core door. They come in assortment of widths. Make sure you put a metal ruler/straight edge on them. I had to pick through almost a dozen doors before I found one that was acceptable. My 24"X80" door cost me $20.

Then call Jelinek Cork Group at (716) 439-4644 and ask for the CR115 composit cork sheets. They are high density cork and are of very high quality. The largest sheet available is 24"X36"X8mm. I got 2 sheets that cost $35 for both of them (including shipping). Then just put glue or spray adhesive on the door and lay on the cork sheets and you have a dead flat, light weight building board that is fairly inexpensive that will last a long time. The cork is plently thick and holds pins in great.

Good Luck!
Shawn Kappner

The door is a good idea.

Try using an acoustic ceiling tile available from Home Depot as a surface to pin to. They are about $2 and 2 x 4 feet. Use double-sided tape to hold them down. Works great with pins.

Ken

Or just pin right to the door. I've found that making an ugly face helps getting the pins in the door.

Eric

I went out to a lumber yard and selected a nice big piece of oak. Flat as can be, and perfect for building my 40 size planes on. It's sized exactly the same as the ceiling tiles I can get at the home store. One of the best things about it is that it's portable. I can take it over to a buddy's shop to build there, or if I'm feeling adventurous and the weather is nice I go out on the deck.

Ok
Guy's
can anyone help here

We all know now how to get and use a building board for SMALL models ( what about a solid door )

What about the rest of us with BIG models starting with 84" to 120" wings spans, they tend to hang off the edge by several feet. A door is 6" 8" or 80"

Has anyone measured from end to end on this type of building surface to see if there was any washout or difference of say 1 /16 - 3/32" from end to end. Is it possible for them to make a door with + or - of a 1/16 in 80" span If we build a bigger / longer door 10ft., they don’t make 10’ doors, at least that I can afford. How do I get it in the house and move it around the shop.

What happens if you lean on a hollow core ( 279 lbs, 6' 4" ) door does it have deflection while building and by how much as I would like a straight wing when finished building including the dihedral in both outside halfs.

Does anyone have a design that would cure these problems
Thanks
JR

As far a big boards go 2 yrs ago our local hospital went on remodeling phase. They replaced 600 Solid core doors length was 10' I bought 3 of them for great building tables.

I think I paid 50.00 each flat as you could only dream of....only thing, heavy and don't even think about pushing a pin it, never happen. This set up will last for years and I will never use all of them. I know this don't help anyone, but maybe a good salvage yrd. might yeild a few.

Hi Mark

Where do you live, can I come by and pick up some of the doors are they still available I could use two of them have 90" biplane to build

[ the building surface needs to be 3 - 4" wide and 120" long, flat with no washout or deflection over the entire with or length of the span - - as close to perfectly flat as possible, than I will look for something to put on top to pin to. ]

Thanks JR
Aircraft need two wings to fly

JR, about 1,300 miles south of you. I have been very happy with the doors so far. Only problem is in moving them. I have mine set ontop of some metal I beams as a base. I got mine from a hospital supply salvage yard. You might call your local salvage yards around your area.

ive used a table and it works for arfs, but the ceiling tile is awsome and so cheap! and for the big planes, just get like 5 ceiling tiles and tape the together!

I use a Steel door I got at the Home Depot for $99.00. I use magnets to hold down my parts. Works great. I currently building a Ziroli SBD (100")

Andy

Andy

what size door would that be and do they make something longer than 6' 8"

How does the wing build when you have 100 - 120"
when you measure the dihedral for the wind what do you measure off of at the wing tip that hangs over the table ( door )
or am I missing something.

There is some other material that is used for building but I am not sure where to get it yet

Thanks JR
Aircraft need two wings to fly

Mark Turner
http://www.de-havilland-models.com

I have decided to get my Tractor trailer license ( for other reasons ) and when I start driving Ill let you know and maybe stop by and take a look at those 10' doors.
Yes this is not a joke


Thanks JR
Aircraft need two wings to fly

Jr the door is a standard size. Not sure if Home Depot makes one or not. I would call them to see.

"How does the wing built when you have 100 - 120"

Most wing build in halfs. does yours. Mine is 3 pieces


"when you measure the dihedral for the wind what do you measure off of at the wing tip that hangs over the table ( door ) "

I push the wing half that is flat, on the building surrface, off the door so that the reference point (on the wing half that is in the air) for the dihedral is lined up with the edge of the steel door. That is what I measure

Here is what I did, and I am building a 33% plane on it. I bought lumber and built a frame that is 40"x88", put legs under the frame in all 4 corners and an adjustable leg in the center. Then I put a sheet of 1/2" OSB on top. On top of that, I put down a sheet of 1/2" drywall. I can stick pins in it any where and when it is time to replace it a new sheet only costs $5. You can also draw and write notes on it. With the adjustable leg you can KEEP it LEVEL and STRAIGHT. Has been working great for me.

Jeff

I built a 10' table a month or so ago. Basically 1 and a half hollow core doors on a 1x3 aluminum frame. It has 5 adjustable legs so getting it level was a piece of cake. It is a very light table for its size.

I use a 4'x8' piece of 3/8 glass to build on. It is perfectly flat and anything spilled on it is just scraped up when it dries. For built up structures, I used the GP magnetic building board (see pic below). Check out your local glass shops, they usually have a VERY dusty piece of unused glass that they will sell for some beer money.

GP magnetic build board on the glass....perfectly flat....regardless of the humidity.

sideshow

Magnetic building board

GP magnetic build board on the glass....perfectly flat....regardless of the humidity.

Also what about the table you have it on looks well made, long, can you discribe it, the one that the glwass is resting on -- green ?


My problem is in the size as I ( first time ) want to build a large plane in the 84 to 115.2" and I am having trouble understanding what is possible or not.

Well I was looking more for a base or first up table but this idea I like, what size is the glass and how thick, is it expensive, what kind of support does it need, so it doesn’t crack.

As the wing should be straight , if you fasten it down to a table that is 10 ft. long will the wing have washout in the wrong place and will it be straight if the table is not perfectly flat from end to end and side to side, if I overhang one side of the wing will the wing be straight and have the proper washout etc. on a shorter table.

Errors., what type and how many can I have in building this plane and allow me to fly a large plane well........ with how much misalignment in building is allowable

How do these guys out there build an aircraft that’s over 60" wing span , mostly the 80 - 120" size with out mistakes.


Thanks
JR
.

The base is an old kitchen table with a thick wooden top, on top of that is a long hollow core door, then the glass. The glass is 1/2 inch thick tempered, I think I said 3/8 earlier, which is wrong.....its very heavy. I went into a glass shop and asked to see what was lying around. I found it with an inch of dust on it propped up on a wall behind an old pinball machine. It was for a table-top that never got picked up. Since its tempered it can't be cut. He said I could have it for $50. If you have ever watched any of the Dave Platt videos it is what he uses, and he builds some big scale aircraft. Thats where I got the idea. LMK if you have any more ?'s.

Bob

sideshow
Bob

The glass is 4 x 8 and it looks like it over hangs the long door what size door is on top of the table.

How did you like Dave Platt videos, if there any good do you know where I can get a second hand set.

Thanks
JR

The glass hangs over about 3/4 inch all of the way around....not enough to matter. I got the door at Home Depot, I think it was around $30.

I got my videos from ebay and paid $95 for the set of 3. I was thinking I would put them back up for auction.....but if you are interested let me know.

Bob

Bob

The glass hangs over about 3/4 inch all of the way around....not enough to matter. I got the door at Home Depot, I think it was around $30.

I got my videos from ebay and paid $95 for the set of 3. I was thinking I would put them back up for auction.....but if you are interested let me know.

If the glass is 4 x 8 and hangs over very little what size does that make the door a standard 6 ' 8" or 8 ft door

Let me know more information on the tapes [email protected]

Thanks
JR

I can go measure if you are interested. I know that they (HD) had several different sizes that I looked at...I just got the one that matched the size of the glass the closest. I forget how Dave Platt does the big wings on the Macchi (sp?) that he is building on the tapes, but it is very interesting how he builds. I'll email you about the tapes.

Sideshow

I have access to a good piece of glass. It's from an old sliding glass door, I took the metal sides off and I do plan to use it the same way you do.
My questions are, how do you hold the parts down like the spars directly where they are supposed to be?
Do you place the plans over or under the glass?
What about holding the ribs in place?

I'll be putting my table together soon so any ideas would help and be appreciated.

P.S. You can get great building surfaces at new and used building outlet shops around the city. We have a good place here in Austin,TX where they have tons of new and used doors, glass too. E'mail me if you're interested.

Thanks,
Manny

hollow core doors can and will warp.they will not just bow but will twist. use a steel door. then glue your cork to some particalbord. and lay ontop of the steel door. should last for years.