£20 Balsa RC plane kit - and an 'almost' balsa beginner. Part One.

[Bonzodog]

After 10 or 15 years of foam board builds and converting Lidl chuck gliders (20 of them 🤨) I decided to have a go at a balsa build again. It has been an interesting challenge. A lot more difficult and time consuming than sticking stuff together with a hot glue gun that's for sure. I got this 'no name' Black Hawk kit from AliEXpress but someone suggested it's called a Mini Stick? Looking at the forecasts and storms of late I think it'll be useful to have a small indoor flyer too!

 

[bisco]

looking good! i love balsa building, but i'm terrible at covering. always a wrinkle or two i can't get out.

 

[Piotrsko]

The covering pro's apparently stretch the covering after warming it some with a hot air gun. For me, all that did was make a bigger mess.

Cool kit, but here in 'murica, if we could get it, would be something like 60 quid so not so cheap. Could bother son's significant other to use her laser cutter, maybe.

 

[Bonzodog]

The covering pro's apparently stretch the covering after warming it some with a hot air gun. For me, all that did was make a bigger mess.

Cool kit, but here in 'murica, if we could get it, would be something like 60 quid so not so cheap. Could bother son's significant other to use her laser cutter, maybe.

Thanks! And yes, crazy cheap. It has been a challenge I must admit and I found hacking and building all those Lidl foamies a lot easier, though the satisfaction level has been much higher. Might even try another through the winter. Very time consuming!
Part two with the covering out tomorrow. It was an even bigger challenge, though reasonable results considering it's 12 years since my last balsa build. And I can quite see the warming and stretching idea for covering. I got much better as I went along with it. It's a black art!

 

[Piotrsko]

No Art involved, maybe some Robert. I accept wrinkles as a factoid of covering. Had one once with no wrinkles, flew one flight, crashed massively. Rebuilt it, had wrinkles, think it's still n the garage ready to fly after 30(?) years.

 

[Bonzodog]

No Art involved, maybe some Robert. I accept wrinkles as a factoid of covering. Had one once with no wrinkles, flew one flight, crashed massively. Rebuilt it, had wrinkles, think it's still n the garage ready to fly after 30(?) years.

Yes, I guess we have to learn to love with them. Like getting older wrinkles!

 

[bisco]

i've seen some beautiful work, probably helps to have all the tools and years of practice

 

[Bonzodog]

i've seen some beautiful work, probably helps to have all the tools and years of practice

I think the years of practice would be good!

 

[Piotrsko]

Got 50 years practice, still looks like a beginner. Don't care, they fly well and you can't see the wrinkles in the air. Can do silk (or now-a-days) lingerie grade synthetics, or tissue, but those get shredded when landing in tall stuff with pokey things.

Bought a self sticky thermo plastic film from Fasson, didn't wrinkle but did collapse the wood structure if you got it too tight.

 

[Bonzodog]

I'll bear that in mind!