build question FB ironing

Aireal Anarchist

Elite member
I have been building and designing planes since we only had sticks, tissue paper and control line flying, but brand new when it comes to foam board and love the concept, so watching bunch of build videos on utube one guy had the cleanest build I had seen by far and he Ironed his edges, and he started this back in 2014!
wanting to learn more about it I did a search and ended up here watching battleaxe's video on ironing FB
( so you can blame battleaxe Im here :rolleyes: )
I dont struggle with cut beveled edges, using my monokote iron I beveled edges so easliy and neatly, I can also round off my edges for aerodynamics and clean looks but what I appreciated the most was the structural integrity benefits when you iron a beveled edge and it melts the foam to a clean bevel, it makes my trailing edges on flaps and ailerons etc so much stronger and more ridgid. so thanks for that video @BATTLEAXE

and the question is ....why are so many not using the technique, I see so many builds with far more time care and detail than I put in my planes, but I now notice those open foam core edges and some are smeared with hotsnot to stop the de lamination but it makes that nice work look ragged at times when a few minutes with your wifes or moms clothes iron can not only be more aesthetically pleasing but make your build stronger in some areas

is there a reason you guys arent sneaking your wifes/moms iron?..... besides fear of the wrath :giggle:
 
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JasonK

Participation Award Recipient
what do you mean by wife's/mom's, do you you have your own? ;)

also, never seen the method suggested. I would be a touch worried about the foam melting onto the iron and damaging the iron. How do you keep that from happening?
 

Aireal Anarchist

Elite member
yes I have my own iron, mines for working with RC monokote any clothes works too.....see the video @BATTLEAXE did on the subject

there are specific temperatures to use, bevels need to be hotter to melt the foam, then doing rounded edges or flatening warped FB which needs to be cooler........and cooler temps yet again for packing tape
 

SavageX89

Member
That's a pretty sweet technique. I'm gonna have to give it a try. I bet most people don't do it for one of two reasons: 1) don't know about it or 2) don't care enough to do it, as these are simple foam board planes.

this would definitly add to the cosmetic appeal of a master series plane though!
 

JClaude

Member
Hi, could you post the link to this video, please?
I don't use iron to melt foam; I tryed to meld foam thru the paper to make bevels, but without succes. I just made a test for covering the foam board, as balsa. The perfect T° is around 100°c.
 

Aireal Anarchist

Elite member
@SavageX89 I personally do not use it for cosemtic appeal , it strengthens the ailerons edges you dont cut off the paper on beveled edges which in itself makes the bevels stronger.......and its easier than cutting bevels or cleaner and faster than sanding

@JClaude the temperature is the key watch the battleaxe video and I suggest maybe revisit the idea, battleaxe is not the inventor there are videos on youtube about this since 2014 but his video sold me

the reason I brought this up is I think the technique is being sorely over looked




here is an armin wing I just put together and my flaps and ailerons are not just clean beveled edges, but STRONGER AND NO DE LAMINATION
get out some scraps and practice, Im sure you will appreciate this technique
FHD0008.JPG

here is one video on utube but search here for battleaxe's video

 
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Mr.Grinch

Well-known member
I just picked up a travel iron from Walmart for $12. It’s very handy to have a smaller form factor than a norm, full sized iron and especially not one shared with the clothes.
 

Hondo76251

Legendary member
Been using this guy for a long time:

20200515_185501.jpg


great for cleaning up overlapping hot glued edges too. Could use a bigger one sometimes, it's not quite enough to do a bevel but great at sealing edges and tidying up a build.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Been using this guy for a long time:

View attachment 169034

great for cleaning up overlapping hot glued edges too. Could use a bigger one sometimes, it's not quite enough to do a bevel but great at sealing edges and tidying up a build.
I will have an iron like that soon, I like the detail and temp sensitivity you can achieve with a smaller ion like that. Plus there would be so many other uses for it. For the hinges and edges, even smoothing out seams, the larger clothes iron has the heat capacity to be efficient and even. I like to use the edge of the table as a fence like on a table saw to guide the final couple passes on a straight edge to make sure its even. Plus the strength benefits are better then expected out of FB, my 2 cents