Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Flipperk on May 21, 2010, 11:06:31 PM
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Well I just started on my very first Balsa model, it is a 20 in. wing span Cessna 152.
I have built dozens of plastic models before, 2 P-51s, multiple b17s, a b24, PiperCub, ect. But never tried balsa wood.
This thing is capable of a rubber band, electric or gas powered motor.
Since this is my first balsa model ill be sticking with the rubber band power lol.
Spent the first couple of hours carving and sand papering the airframe, I forgot the wood glue so ill have to get some in the morning. Got alot of it pinned together, the wings mostly still working on the fuselage. Im excited. Any tips?
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Wood glue is good but adds plenty of weight,if you actually want to fly it this can be a problem.
Crazy glue and Zapagap serve many purposes,like replacing all those pins! Just be careful with the stuff and work in a well ventilated room.
If you plan on skinning the plane with paper,get some decopage(sp) glue and mix it in a weak solution with water to help shrink the paper skin,you can repair holes and tears with this procedure too.
I've built a few balsa models,the last was a Stuka with a 42 in. wing,getting both wing exactly the same caused me no end of fits.... :lol
Take your time and have fun,post pix when done!
:salute
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and dont glue your self to your self or glue your self do the table it hurts trust me
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I did this once. Worked out great except that if I ever did it again I'd not use the tissue paper they give you to skin it but go to an RC (radio controlled hobby) store and get some "monocoat". It's a light plastic that you cut to fit and use a hair dryer to shrink up tight that RC planes use for skin. It'd be alot stronger than the tissue. Probably look alot better too.
Best of luck!
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Get what is called CA(Cyanoacrylate glue). Its at most hobby shops.
You will need the thin and a medium or thick. Get a bottle of Kicker, its a catalyst to cure the thicker glue. use it sparingly, if u use too much it crystallizes the CA and weekends it. Just a light spray.
The thin is for 90% of your building. Dry fit the parts hold them and let the thin CA wick down the joint. Dont soak it, just adding weight and wasting the CA. It has a limited shelf life so, purchase the smaller bottles.
The thick is for parts that have a gap needed filling or areas where you need a Bead of glue(like a weld). Hope this helps.
Also get a 2' x 4' ceiling tile and flip it over on a flat surface. Pin your plans to the tile, then lay and pin cling wrap wrap over your plans. Pin the parts, like wing spar / ribs. Insure all fits well then when all placed and pinned dry just start laying down the CA at the joints.
Use the thick at points like wing spar joints and gluing the horizontal and Vert. stabs on to the fuselage. I will lighty tack larger parts with the thin then come back with Thick.
Good Luck....
KAM
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If you are going to paint it, I suggest Enamel paint. It has a nice semi to gloss finish and it is very light when dried. Plus it will not interact with any adhesives (that I know of). :D
Im not sure if this is any help, but it is my experience that Balsa becomes weak when it comes into contact with oil or gasoline. Maybe it was just some bad balsa, but it's worth noting.
Good luck to ya :cheers:
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Got any pics of it? I would love to see what youve done. I am thinking of getting into it myself since I am going in to surgery and will have plenty of time to do nothing .
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Some of the advice here is terrible... Regular Monokote on a lightweight balsa framed model that can fly on rubber bands is a sure way to kill the model, because the plastic shrinks tight enough to warp even well built structures. Monokote will crush a lightweight wing as it shrinks.
There are a dozen other specialty coverings designed for lightweight airframes, so if you don't want to go the route of tissue and doped paint (which is likely what is recommended by the instructions), then do a lot of research first and get whatever matches your model and skills. Just realize that heat-shrink plastic films can be tricky to work with since too strong of a film can warp or break the structure, and the lighter weight films will burn through with even a tiny bit too much heat.
Practicing on a second fake wing or fuselage might be the way to go... Build a simple box or fake wing section out of spare balsa wood, and try to cover it with your covering of choice. Practice makes perfect.
As for glue, CA glues are often a good choice for balsa models but if the plans call for epoxy in certain places, then you need to think really hard before deviating from the recommendations. Thick CA is pretty strong, but it may be too brittle for things like wing spar to fuselage joins or motor mounts. When using CA, if there are gaps in the parts you are joining then you need to use the thicker glues. The thin CA is great for parts that fit well together, but it also will flow very fast and you might glue your fingers to the parts without even realizing it until your fingers suddenly get hot (CA glue releases heat as it cures). Follow the directions and you'll be fine, and then you can experiment with your *second* model :)
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If you are going to paint it, I suggest Enamel paint. It has a nice semi to gloss finish and it is very light when dried. Plus it will not interact with any adhesives (that I know of). :D
Im not sure if this is any help, but it is my experience that Balsa becomes weak when it comes into contact with oil or gasoline. Maybe it was just some bad balsa, but it's worth noting.
Good luck to ya :cheers:
Sorry Wldcat I haven't touched balsa wood models in 30 years but...enamel paint is oil based and is thinned using either acetone, turpentine or toluene as its primary ingredient...all of which will disolve glue and plastics and weaken balsa wood if steps aren't taken to prevent it. Letting the glue properly cure then applying a coat of unthinned primer before applying paint is recommended. Other than that you could use an acrylic enamel model paint.
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Sorry Wldcat I haven't touched balsa wood models in 30 years but...enamel paint is oil based and is thinned using either acetone, turpentine or toluene as its primary ingredient...all of which will disolve glue and plastics and weaken balsa wood if steps aren't taken to prevent it. Letting the glue properly cure then applying a coat of unthinned primer before applying paint is recommended. Other than that you could use an acrylic enamel model paint.
Why can I never remember the difference between Arcylic and Enamel? I'm sorry, Acrylic is correct, Enamel isn't. Probably should've checked first, with my memory how it is. :noid
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Some of the advice here is terrible...
As for glue, CA glues are often a good choice for balsa models but if the plans call for epoxy in certain places, then you need to think really hard before deviating from the recommendations. Thick CA is pretty strong, but it may be too brittle for things like wing spar to fuselage joins or motor mounts. When using CA, if there are gaps in the parts you are joining then you need to use the thicker glues. The thin CA is great for parts that fit well together, but it also will flow very fast and you might glue your fingers to the parts without even realizing it until your fingers suddenly get hot (CA glue releases heat as it cures). Follow the directions and you'll be fine, and then you can experiment with your *second* model :)
Its a rubber Band Model...No need for epoxy anywhere. epoxy is better in some applications...But at the size hes doing Not Needed....Be careful with being critical....
As far as the covering the Mono-cote is prob. better...although the tissue paper is a unique experience.
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Very cool .
I maiden mine yesterday . Flying FPV .
Not wood tho ..
http://vimeo.com/11994032
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Its a rubber Band Model...No need for epoxy anywhere. epoxy is better in some applications...But at the size hes doing Not Needed....Be careful with being critical....
As far as the covering the Mono-cote is prob. better...although the tissue paper is a unique experience.
I agree Kam,the CA{crazyglue} and zapagap{thinkened CA} should do the job,I've only done 2 or 3 that way as I like to use the old woodglue and pins technique.
As for covering the model,well it's his first so I'd save the money the mono-cote costs and use the paper for this one!
Then if he's really into it do another and go the mono route! Afterall it's a rubberband powered model and likely doesnt even have moving surfaces and would need considerable work and modifications to be a real flier.
:salute
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Weight is important for theses lighter aircraft. Any where you can save .2 oz or .1 oz do..I shaved off 1 lb on a 80" kit by taking small amounts from areas all over that bird.
Have a great time Its a wonderful hobby.