File: D:/web/homefly/reference/how_to_build.htm
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<title>How to build balsa models (for beginners)</title>
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<p><b>Tools<br>
</b> 2'x4' laminated pine shelf (Home Depot, Builder's Square, Lowe's)<br>
1/16" sheet steel (Eldon J. Lind Co., Easy Built Models Magna-Board [www.easybuiltmodels.com]
or metals supplier)<br>
Rectangular magnets (Radio Shack, Home Depot, www.wondermagnet.com)<br>
Single edge razor blades<br>
No.1 X-acto handle & No. 11 blades<br>
sandpaper: 320, 220, 120 & 100 grit AlO<sub>2</sub> or silicon carbide<br>
Sanding blocks (made from scrap lumber)<br>
No. 2 round sable or nylon artist brushes (Floquil, Grumbacher or ModelMaster)<br>
Premium quality 3/8" flat artist brush<br>
Small empty paint bottles w/caps<br>
High speed twist drill bits (mild steel or low carbon steel is not recommended)<br>
Tungsten carbide needle file assortment<br>
Jeweler's screwdrivers<br>
Large drafting triangles<br>
Long metal straightedge for stripping sheet wood (e.g. drafting machine blade)<br>
Drafting scale (preferable), or ruler<br>
Plastic vernier calipers<br>
Small needle nose pliers<br>
Small diagonal cutters<br>
Hacksaw </p>
<p><b>Materials<br>
</b>Superphatic glue (preferable) or Elmer's/Titebond Carpenter Glue<br>
Thin cyanoacrylate glue<br>
Midwest (nee Pactra) Aero Gloss clear dope<br>
Midwest Aero Gloss dope thinner<br>
Mineral spirits (paint thinner)<br>
Airbrush thinner<br>
Testors enamel, assorted colors<br>
5-minute epoxy (QUIK-CURE)<br>
RC car teflon oil<br>
3"x36" sheet contest balsa: 1/16", 3/32" & 1/8"
(Lone Star) www.lonestar-models.com<br>
Brass tube, aluminum tube and steel wire assortment<br>
Mylar covering film (2um to 5um)<br>
Clear polypropylene sheet protectors [for windshields] (Office Depot, OfficeMax)<br>
Permanent Loctite<br>
60/40 rosin core solder<br>
Rosin soldering paste flux<br>
</p>
<p><b>Household tools & supplies<br>
</b>Scissors<br>
Scotch tape<br>
Paper clips<br>
Rubber bands<br>
Straight pins<br>
Plastic wrap or wax paper<br>
Needle & sewing thread<br>
Paper towels<br>
Dishwashing soap (for cleaning paint brushes)<br>
Sanford Sharpie Ultra Fine Markers, assorted colors<br>
Premium quality glue stick (Uhu, Elmer's or Avery Permanent) <br>
<br>
<b>Auxiliary tools</b><sup>1</sup><b><br>
</b>Hypodermic syringe body (for dispensing paint thinner)<b><br>
</b>Allen wrenches<b><br>
</b>Tapered reamer set<b><br>
</b>Zona saw & miter box<b><br>
</b>Proxxon/Microlux table saw (Micro-Mark #50304) & re-sawing jig<sup>2</sup><br>
Dremel MOTO-TOOL with Micro-Mark #81049 chuck (www.micromark.com)<br>
Tungsten carbide grinding bit assortment (Dremel bits are not recommended)<br>
Soldering station<br>
CAD software (AutoCAD, MicroStation, CADKEY etc.)<br>
MonoKote sealing iron<br>
Heat gun<br>
Gram scale <br>
Digital multimeter (DMM)<br>
Fourmost Products MITER MASTER<br>
Bench vise<br>
Locking pliers (Vise Grips)<br>
Airbrush & compressor</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Building board</b>: The 2'x4' pine shelf may be placed atop an ironing
board. Then the steel sheet goes on top of the shelf.</li>
<li><b>Sheet balsa storage</b>: Band sheets and scraps together sorted by thickness
and store in carboard boxes.<br>
</li>
<li><b>To glue wood</b>: Put a few drops of Superphatic on a piece of plastic
and apply with a #2 brush. Put a drop on the end grain and allow to soak for
15 seconds. Apply another drop and assemble. After removing a finished frame
from the board, apply additional small glue droplets to the underside as necessary
to insure that the joint is glued all the way around. Use cyanoacrylate on
carbon rod.<br>
<b>Cyanoacrylate</b>: Put a puddle of glue on a piece of plastic and apply
with a needle. <br>
</li>
</ul>
<p>1. It is better to develop building skills than to buy fancy gadgets. Spectacular
models have been built using only a few primitive tools<br>
2. Re-sawing jigs (for stripping sheet wood) are not available commercially
but can be home made</p>
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