first balsa experience, Stevens Aero DH.53 build log

[zev]

hello folks! I am finally building the DH.53 I got for a short film I am working on. it happens to be my first balsa build as well, and first impressions, I am super happy I didn't go with a cheap chinese model. it has fantastic instructions, super accurate cutting, nice plans and a step-by-step photo supplement. no complaints. there don't seem to be many younger balsa builders, (I am 14) but I think I am now an addict.


today was my first evening of building, only had a couple of hours, and I had to take breaks every few minutes to shoot bits of the film (it is going to have a building sequence). here are the photos:


it is like a 3d puzzle. hardly needs glue to hold it together, but nothing was to tight:


this is all I got done today, expect more building soon:



also, any of you have experience with this glue? it was the cheapest I could find on ebay, and I sort of assumed all CA's are the same, am I wrong?

also, the instructions say you need balsa filler, but I don't see in which step you use it. is it necessary? is it for smoothing it out before covering?

 

[xuzme720]

I would try the CA's you got. They are the same for the most part, but some of the off brands can have a lower percentage of purity and won't last as long in the bottle, but still work decently.
You can use a lightweight spackle from the hardware store as a filler. It should be in the paint section and almost feel like an empty tub when you pick it up if it's the right stuff.

What camera are you using? Beautiful shallow depth of field on it! Almost like a miniature effect...

 

[Epitaph]

The best thing for balsa really is white wood glue and pacience, as the white glue needs time to cure, and with it you would have only a third of what you have done now (and white glue is a LOT cheaper than CA... Don't get me wrong, CA is good, but each glue has it's applications. For example, CA is too "dry" a bond, where as white wood glue is more "flexible", as is the wood you are joining. In a crash, with CA it is likely to break in the joint, whilst with white glue it is more likely to absorbe the impact better, and if it does break, it will break somewhere not glued, which is better because you shouldn't apply glue on glue in a repair job with any type of glue, and breaking somewhere else gives you a nice clean glue free surface to repair). What company made the model you are doing?

It's great to see the younger generation using such traditional methods! I agree that foamboard is great, but for the overall appearence and the feel in the air you can't beat balsa! The flight envelope is quite different, and if you try it out on a thermal glider or on the slope, I can guarantee you won't regret it!

One thing that is very important, as I see this is a lasercut, remenber to sand a little the joints to glue togeather as to expose the raw wood behind the scorching, as ths will help the glue penetrate into the wood and make a much more lasting bond.

Good luck, looking great so far!

 

[zev]

xuzum, it is a nikon d7000 with 35m f.1.8g. same camera I am using for the film. it is really the lens that is causes DOF. funny you should say 'miniature', the film is actually involving miniature people green-screened in building the plane.

Epitaph, the model is from Stevens Aero. the instructions recommend CA, do you think there could be any reason why, or is white glue always superior? also, I haven't been sanding the edge of each piece, is that what you mean? I sanded the back of each board, as per the instructions.

thanks!

 

[xuzme720]

If your joints are tight, using thin CA allows for wicking into both the wood and join to occur, which is completely acceptable for strength. Try not to go too wide on any gaps and use the thicker CA's, not for gap filling, but for assemblies that can not be assembled before gluing to give yourself more working time.
Wood glues are very good and have been used for a long time, but CA's are acceptable when used correctly. Balsa is pretty forgiving that way. For ply, I'd recommend epoxy as it works better for that application.

Nice camera choice! I love mine. I still have my my old d40x as a backup as well as the 7000. I'll have to take a closer look at that lens. I have a 50mm prime now along with a selection of telephoto's but have been thinking of getting a smaller prime, maybe upper teens to low 20's. Looking at the pics from the 35 make me wonder if I need to go that small.

 

[Epitaph]

The common misconception is that CA is a stronger glue all round, but really it depends on what material you're gluing... On the other hand, if you're not using sandpaper on the edges of the balsa, then the pores are burned closed from the laser, and white glue wouldn't work well as it has nowhere to penetrate, so in that case, CA would be the strongest. Now, if the lasercut is too spot on as far as size goes, then sanding would make that difference in thessize. If the instructions say to not sand and use CA, then it's because they didn't allow for that in the measurements. For you to sand down and use wood glue, they should have lasercut the pieces a half a milimeter bigger to allow for this. Most companies consider white glue as very yesteryear and that people don't have pacience to allow a piece 4+ hours of curing, so assume you will use CA to get it done ASAP. This is great for time, but counterproductive for balsa... Hence I don't usually like kits, and prefere a set of plans from which to work the balsa strips from, also giving room for modifications in the case of gliders like for spoilers and such.

A kit is good for introduction to balsa, and the model will come out beautiful indeed, but for when more experience is aquired, remember it can be even better still from scratchbuild, or a non-laser CNC cut model.

A good example is Chris Foss' "Phase 6", which is a fantastic slopesoarer, very fast and nimble, and can be made with one servo ailerons, individual ailerons or ailerons and flaps... The wings are composite foam laminated in balsa with a fantastic finish, but the rest is general size cut pieces of balsa, all slightly bigger than needed and not lasercut, rather machine cut, this allowing to use white glue for maximum strength to take the stress this model has to withstand.

 

[xuzme720]

Epi, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Wood glue is a better choice for overall balsa building and what I use when time allows, but CA is an acceptable substitute for a lot of areas, provided it's being used correctly and the user understands the limitations. Main limitation of CA is the hardness, meaning no flex or give. This puts pressure just beyond the glue joint which can cause stress in odd places. I've done builds with both methods without undue side effects. Aliphatic resins and CA alike, will break the wood before the joint when applied properly.

 

[Epitaph]

Epi, I wasn't disagreeing with you.

I never said you was hehehe

Definately use epoxy on reinforcement areas though, like the firewall and such, and another good trick to get more strength in areas of high tension is to cut down some epoxy with alcohol to make a thin liquid mixture, and then "paint" it on to the areas, especially in places like wing roots/joints or belly/nosecone on bellylanders... The balsa will absorb the mix, and then the alcohol will evaporate, leaving the epoxy actually as part of the wood, and adding an almost non-apreciative amount of weight. Another trick is a 50% mix of woodglue and water, achieving the same effect

 

[xuzme720]

I never said you was hehehe

Definately use epoxy on reinforcement areas though, like the firewall and such, and another good trick to get more strength in areas of high tension is to cut down some epoxy with alcohol to make a thin liquid mixture, and then "paint" it on to the areas, especially in places like wing roots/joints or belly/nosecone on bellylanders... The balsa will absorb the mix, and then the alcohol will evaporate, leaving the epoxy actually as part of the wood, and adding an almost non-apreciative amount of weight. Another trick is a 50% mix of woodglue and water, achieving the same effect

Just making sure!
As always, some more great tips from our new resident Filly Pegasus!
How long have you been building, Epi? You have all the old school tricks in your pockets!

 

[jhitesma]

CA...Aliphatic resin....bah. Where'd I put that tube of Ambroid

I love CA - but I've never used it for a balsa build, just seems too hard and brittle to me and not a good match to the material. I do use it to tack things in place sometimes while using carpenters (aliphatic) or white glue for the primary joint. I built a rocket glider or two with all CA and found that the brittleness of CA was just too much of a liability. On the other hand I love the wicking ability of thin CA for stregthening areas that will see abuse. On my rubber band launched fold out wing glider I used it to strengthen the hook for the rubber band - worked great until I tried using a pneumatic launch instead of rubber

Oh and to be honest I've never actually built with Ambroid...but I did inherit a few boats my uncle built with it and was always intrigued by it as a glue. And I know a number of people who swear by it as the best option for balsa - if you can find it. And I do have my uncles old tube of it laying around somehwere....

Guess I'm just agreeing with both xuzme and epi in that if it was entirely up to me I'd be using carpenters glue or white glue - but if its' a kit and the manufacturer suggests CA then I'd go CA.

 

[Epitaph]

Just making sure!
As always, some more great tips from our new resident Filly Pegasus!
How long have you been building, Epi? You have all the old school tricks in your pockets!

I guess you could say I grew up with sawdust running through my veins, as I came from a carpentry family, my grandfather being a very artisan one at that. I started balsa more or less as my starting point in the hobby in the early 90's, making models from a spanish company called Modelhob, since disappeared, but I started in it pretty much alone with ideas I learned from my familys workshop. I used to play more with lego when I was little, finding the usual girlie games a little boring, but then I have always been a bit of a "someday's dreamer", being very much into technical things and games of logic... A little bit like Samantha Carter (Stargate) I guess, tinkering, always wanting to learn more, and to top it off, I have a pretty retentive memory! Some tricks are from family background, others from forums (or back then, BBS), and then there is the odd trial and error of course.

I guess aeromodelling was a kind of outlet for me, and a way to use my hands in creative ways, hence my preference of scratchbuild as opposed to buy and fly. I like a challenge, and I have a particular plane that I would love to do (hint: I also love anime), and I want to try it out some time in depron first to cross the T's and dot the I's, and after finally make it out of balsa.

 

[xuzme720]

CA...Aliphatic resin....bah. Where'd I put that tube of Ambroid

I love CA - but I've never used it for a balsa build, just seems too hard and brittle to me and not a good match to the material. I do use it to tack things in place sometimes while using carpenters (aliphatic) or white glue for the primary joint. I built a rocket glider or two with all CA and found that the brittleness of CA was just too much of a liability. On the other hand I love the wicking ability of thin CA for stregthening areas that will see abuse. On my rubber band launched fold out wing glider I used it to strengthen the hook for the rubber band - worked great until I tried using a pneumatic launch instead of rubber

Oh and to be honest I've never actually built with Ambroid...but I did inherit a few boats my uncle built with it and was always intrigued by it as a glue. And I know a number of people who swear by it as the best option for balsa - if you can find it. And I do have my uncles old tube of it laying around somehwere....

Guess I'm just agreeing with both xuzme and epi in that if it was entirely up to me I'd be using carpenters glue or white glue - but if its' a kit and the manufacturer suggests CA then I'd go CA.

CA does work based on my personal experience. I have two 2 meter R/E birds done in nothing but CA and epoxy(for the ply dihedral braces and other ply parts) that were built over 15 years ago and still with us. A little hangar rash that needs to be addressed before I'd call them fully airworthy, But a few minutes on those repairs and new radio gear (they "donated" their Rx's for more pressing airframes) and I'd have no qualms of hooking them to the highstart. Of course I'd probably feel a little better if they were done in wood glue, but I ain't skeered!

Zev, just go with what you got, use the extra building time you get with CA to make sure the joints are tight before you toss any glue their way and you'll be golden.

 

[xuzme720]

I guess you could say I grew up with sawdust running through my veins, as I came from a carpentry family, my grandfather being a very artisan one at that. I started balsa more or less as my starting point in the hobby in the early 90's, making models from a spanish company called Modelhob, since disappeared, but I started in it pretty much alone with ideas I learned from my familys workshop. I used to play more with lego when I was little, finding the usual girlie games a little boring, but then I have always been a bit of a "someday's dreamer", being very much into technical things and games of logic... A little bit like Samantha Carter (Stargate) I guess, tinkering, always wanting to learn more, and to top it off, I have a pretty retentive memory! Some tricks are from family background, others from forums (or back then, BBS), and then there is the odd trial and error of course.

I guess aeromodelling was a kind of outlet for me, and a way to use my hands in creative ways, hence my preference of scratchbuild as opposed to buy and fly. I like a challenge, and I have a particular plane that I would love to do (hint: I also love anime), and I want to try it out some time in depron first to cross the T's and dot the I's, and after finally make it out of balsa.

My dad got me into R/C before I got into the more traditional woodworking I did for a living when I lived in Atlanta. I was building stick and tissue freeflights at the age of 7 and never really looked back. I did occasionally get to fly some of my dads planes, but he launched them for me back then. Had a couple of control line birds, one was the ubiquitous Cox and one was a scratch balsa from plans. Always been technically inclined and good with my hands, so I get a kick out of many disciplines, like I now have R/C planes, multis, helis, cars/buggies. Also into photography, astrophotography, astronomy, computers, I have a fairly large plotter/cutter I use for vinyl and prints. Still have a bunch of woodworking tools beyond what you'd see in the average homeowners shop with a lathe, routers, sanders etc. in addition to the staples; tablesaw, chopsaw, drillpress....yadda yadda...As you can tell, I too love tinkering and learning and puzzles/riddles. Problem solving is just fun for me, as sad as that is. lol
Anyhoo, you have to get a thread going on the anime build when you get started! I'd love to see what you do with it!

 

[zev]

let me guess, are you building a Mitsubishi A6M, Epitaph?

and xzume, awesome to find another photo nut on here. do you have a website or flickr where you post pictures? if you are interested this is mine...


thanks for the advice on glues. I will be using white glue as well for the rest of the build.

 

[xuzme720]

and xuzme, awesome to find another photo nut on here. do you have a website or flickr where you post pictures? if you are interested this is mine...

Wow! some really nice stuff! I love the tilt shift focus you're doing! I was posting a few things on facebook, but I haven't been updating it for awhile now. Not in the same league as yours but if you want to take a look...https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.164025586971001.32941.164023536971206&type=1
There's some other albums in there but those are mostly Zumba events I shot for the wife and her friends.

 

[Epitaph]

Ok, I'll come out with it... it's the red Stuka-winged, Typhoon airducted, V-tail sportie plane from the first Gatchaman OVA, and I'm not going to do it right now for many reasons, maybe later on in the year. It makes a short appearence before being turned into a jet, but enough to get the 3 views needed!

I'll have a look for the youtube segment of the opening later so you can see which I mean

In the mean time, rather than hijacking this build thread too much with that, I want to see more DeHavelland updates!!! That CA must be dry by now, Mr. Zev!

EDIT!!

Ok, I found the video, and it doesn't appear that much in this video overall, but there's enough to get the information to make the plane IMHO... there is the small section where the plane is landing and another later on where the transformation is taking place, with side views of the plane taking off... I've always been very much into V-tails, although I'm sure there is more than one person here that would prefere the "swan tail" diving off the diving board (personally, I prefere the shower scene ^.^)

One thing that I find interesting also, is maybe it could be used to make some weird experiment... if you take into account the size of the air intake below the propeller and the shape and size of the tail end, it makes one wonder what type of powerplant this plane supposedly uses, and if in a proper balsa version it would be interesting to make it as a hybrid propeller/EDF plane, maybe using an EDF like for a boost of speed or something like that. What can I say?? I love weird ideas and thinking outside of the box!! I mean, the airflow into the intake will be pretty high because it's coming straight from the propeller, and an EDF fan inside would push that same air even faster out the back maybe... or maybe it would just end up being a total desaster and crashing into the first planet it finds!!

 

[rc@nyc]

balsa building

Your not the only kid who builds with balsa. I'm 13 and i think it's great

 

[altbob]

The Stevensareomodel kits look great. I have one too (the Caudron Racer) and it will be my first balsa build as soon as I can get some workspace set aside. I'm sort of in the middle of moving and so my hobby time right now is limited to designing stuff on sketchup.

 

[FAI-F1D]

Mmmm...balsa dust. It's soothing and refreshing and absorbs all the world's troubles. Make some today! (You get used to the coughing and runny nose after a good sanding session...or you get a face mask)

CA is just fine for most balsa builds. No need to fear it. I use the medium stuff and pay little attention to brands. For that which needs exacting precision, use Duco cement...it's better than Ambroid, IMO. Use epoxy for anything that will ever see any form of solvent (meaning on gas models or around joins where other glue might end up later and need removing or softening).

 

[FAI-F1D]

Mmmm...balsa dust. It's soothing and refreshing and absorbs all the world's troubles. Make some today! (You get used to the coughing and runny nose after a good sanding session...or you get a face mask)

CA is just fine for most balsa builds. No need to fear it. I use the medium stuff and pay little attention to brands. For that which needs exacting precision, use Duco cement...it's better than Ambroid, IMO. Use epoxy for anything that will ever see any form of solvent (meaning on gas models or around joins where other glue might end up later and need removing or softening).