Ouch, that's a bummer! I live in Australia and we only have Bunnings. They sell their balsa in 91cm lengths and 7.5 or 10cm wide. I have scratch built two balsa planes before, but you're right, I did pick quite a full-on project considering my design and building skills! I guess I'm learning on the job, asking questions before doing anything tricky so I don't find out the hard way. I'm really keen to design and build crazy planes for the sake of a challenge, which is why I'm building this. it's not that hard anyway with all the ideas and expertise everyone on the forum shares, including you. Thanks!Last bird attack was mid wing right side and was fatal. Bird looked ok but was really shocked since it had to ride the crash down.
Do you have a Michael's or Joanne or big box craft store near by? The bigger ones have cheap 48"long balsa and spruce. And sometimes K&N music wire. Not to the same extant but true value hardware sometimes or Canadian tire if you're up that away.
Im thinking you might want to consider something about 2 meters as a first attempt . Just saying because 4 meters is more like building a full-time airplane than anything else.
Parle vous airplane? OUI? Just ask. I'm also fluent in geezer if you stay off my lawn.
Thanks Bracesport! Neither can I! How's your Vista DLG style motor glider going? I'm really intrigued by all the foamboard DLG's that you, Flyboa, and a few others have been building. I've been looking into some ways I could make a DLG. Where do you get your foam from over in NZ? How heavy is it? I get mine from Riot Art and Craft, and it's ~ 450 grams per square metre.@Jackson T - love your effort on this one - can't wait to see the final bird!
Thanks Rockyboy, I will do that!I like to put a slow glue (like Titebond or Superphatic) on the leading edge, spar, and all the ribs where the sheet is going to touch. Then I use a combination of weights to hold the sheeting down at the spar, and masking tape to hold the leading edge down tight. Or you can just glue the leading edge to the sheeting first using pins or clamps to hold it in place, and after the first glue dries then bend the sheeting down and glue the rest in place. Sort of depends on what you have handy to hold things in place with.
Adams ready board as in the original stuff FT used to use? Where do you get that from? Yeah, flyboa certainly does make some sweet planes!@Jackson T - I use Adams ready board which is light and cheap, but the paper falls off too easy - I also use a heavier one (surface is a tad more card like) but I don't know the brand - they both fly well as weight is not that different!
I can't compete with @flyboa for his sweet birds, he can sure make them light!
Sounds like another good idea! It all depends on whether I have the patience to wait for my ca glue to get here from Hobbyking . Yeah, it's a pain when you glue your fingers to your work. I have done it more times than I'd rather admitI use CA glue when sheeting. Hold the sheeting in place and put a small drop of glue on the edge. Hold it for 15 seconds while it wicks into the wood and sets. Move down the sheet a few inches and tack it down again. When the whole sheet it tacked down go around the edge again adding small drops in between the first tacks. If you can get to the backside of the sheet add a final bead of CA around the whole edge. You get no warping from the weights or holes from pins. There's no waiting for the glue to set and no lifting of the edges. On the downside, If you use too much CA it is hard to sand smooth so use very little, take your time and don't glue your fingers to the wood,