No Secrets - Tips from the FAC

[Mitch]

Hello Fellow Builders and Flyers,

In this issue of Flying Aces Club News the topic is "Bending Balsa"... the article starts off with...

"Contrary to common belief, ammonia doesn't really make balsa easier to bend."

So I misspoke when I answered someone recently on bending balsa. Basically, It needs to soak in water for a long time... like 24 hours. It can then be bent like cooked spaghetti. It will also require a long time to dry out. That's basically it. I will not retype the entire article.

For the complete article and the rest of the 20 page newsletter, filled with great info and plans, anyone can join the FAC (Flying Ace Club)

For now I need to get back to my building board... Getting ready for the Battle of Britain (and Poland)... FAC contest.

My planned models are:

Guillow's Me 109, 1/16 scale
Guillow's Stuka, 1/16 scale
Guillow's Spitfire (1940 version) increased to 1/16 scale with new plastic canopy from 400 series
Dumas Hurricane, 30 in ws (1/16 scale)
Dumas PZL Pc11, 30 in ws (approx. 1/16 scale)

Mitch... Keep Building, Keep Flying, Keep Learning

[davidchoate]

I got a Dumas Aeronca 30" Ws. I plan to do it FF. But I want to finish my Stearman first. I have a Thomas Morse also, A fw190 400,a 900 series p-51, and an Arrow. Oh, and also a 400 Spitfire. Also I got some plans for larger RC planes, but only if I had more time.

[Mitch]

Came across this in an email from my Squadron:

"For laminated rudder & wingtip outlines, try using liteply for the form. Take 3 - 32nd by 3/32nd balsa strips, apply dilute Titebond glue (about 4 to 1 with water) to center strip only and put the strips together. And here's the secret...try using a 1/8 inch wide plastic strip made from the binding used on large cardboard cartons for shipping. Holding the strip against one end of the form with the balsa strips in place, guide the assembly around the form, pinning as you go. The plastic strip will keep the balsa from kinking or breaking. No need to soak the balsa...the water from the glue will do the trick. The assembly will be dry enough to remove from the form in an hour."

I think I'll try that next time! Keep Building, Keep flying, Keep NO Secrets! Mitch

[squirlye]

I like the way this saves time. I have always done it by putting the strips in a tall skinny vase. Then bending it around a stiff form of the desired shape. So when you do it, can you post some pictures so we can understand the ste
ps easier. Thanks Squirlye

[slopemeno]

I did some laminated tips on a plane I built in 1994, and I'm rehabbing now. The laminated tops sand like iron, but they've held up well. Not the lightest thing on the planet, but they survived five moves....

I used three layers of 1/64th ply wetted and glued with Titebond. Once they've cured fully build the tips and sand to shape.