Some beginner's questions

[Octavius]

Hi folks,

This relates to cutting out the plans.

Do you guys use spray adhesive to stick the plans to the Dollar Tree Foamboard?
If so, what do you recommend?

I've got some 3M 77 in an aerosol can somewhere but I'm pretty sure it won't peel off after cutting out the parts. Do you just leave it stuck on?

I tried just sticking the plans down with utility masking tape but didn't like that idea - tough to cut through and then the plan is no longer attached to the foamboard.

Do you guys run a thin film of hot glue over all exposed edges to prevent the paper backing from peeling off or will a coat of polyurethane do the trick.

Does this polyurethane support a top coat of water-based paint or only oil-based paint?

So many questions...

Cheers!

 

[RoyBro]

I just use the tape method. Cut, move tape, cut, move tape, and so on.

 

[Octavius]

Thanks Roy.
Yeah, another disadvantage of spraying adhesive (apart from being messy) is you really have to do it outside because of the nasty chemicals. I'll stick with tape.
Cheers!

 

[RoyBro]

I used the spray adhesive once on the plans for the Anycopter hub and they would not come off. I ended up sanding the paper off the wood after cutting.

You can always buy the repositionable glue stick. The key is to apply it to the plans, and then allow it to dry before placing it on the foamboard. It should stay in place during the cutting and then peel off. I tried this on my second wood cut with the Knuckle plans and it worked great. I haven't tried it with foam board yet.

 

[Octavius]

Roy,
Thanks for posting.
I'll give it a go!
Cheers!

 

[rcspaceflight]

I just hold the plans onto the foam while tracing with a pen. Sometimes it slips and I have to re-center the piece. I laminated some plans with packing tape which makes it slippery and hard to hold in place, but if you're holding paper against paper it works pretty well. You just have to be careful and hold the plans tight where you're drawing.

 

[Octavius]

OK, so you cut out the individual parts from the plans and trace them on the foamboard.
I just taped down the 8 1/2 x 11 page to the foamboard and then cut out the parts.
I'll try your method next because I wasn't too happy with my results.
Thanks for posting.

 

[srfnmnk]

Hey there. I lay the tiled plans down on the foam board, take some little pins and pin them in place outside the area of the actual plane. I then take a very sharp razor and gently and light cut through the paper into the paper of the foam board. I then remove the plans and I have an outline in the foam board plus my knife digs into that groove that's ready made and that helps guide the blade. Been working well for me.

 

[RAM]

Also a beginner question.

Has anyone used one of these?

With one of these blades



To precut foam board?

Seems like it might save a lot of razor blades.

 

[Thump2010]

(Spewing of the mouth warning)

I have used the solid wheel (large size) and it didn't work too well, it comes pretty much straight down so it squished the edge of the foam pretty good.

I would love to buy each kit and use it as a template but I just can't afford it as cheap as they are so I print the plans out once, use a permanent glue stick to glue the plan piece (I cut them out for optimal placement) to the foam board, I then take extra care to make it as perfect a cutout as I can, label each piece and use it for a template, I then put a hole in every piece to thread some twine through the hole to group the plane pieces together and then hang them in the closet of my work room.
for the 50% score lines I cut in just a little for an indent at each end of the line (I use small tipped markers) and when building the plane I mark each spot with a red marker and either draw the line or just cut there.

I know it sounds like a lot of work because you always make two planes the first time but it is SO much easier to trace them out then piecing paper together.

One thing cutter wise that I tried over the weekend was an exacto blade in my soldering iron, for the foam board my 30 watt was not enough to cut more than say 6"-8" without the blade cooling down to much (it is really thin and doesn't hold the heat)
you can get one from exacto or dremel but I am cheap so I found a $10 60 watt soldering iron online, made sure it takes a screw in tip and plan on using it.
I have to say though it worked AWESOME until it cooled down to much, I no longer was cutting foam board but just paper, and score cuts were mega nice also.

 

[Flynn]

Lately I've been printing on 8.5 x 11 card stock. It's slightly thicker than paper and I like the way it cuts. I trim off the edges and then tape them. I first cut them out then I use push pins to hold them to the dollar tree foam. This works really good for me. For example, on a wing section I use a pin to poke through the plans and give me holes, one on each side, to then do my score cuts. I also have bought some speed build kits to use as a template, that's been the quickest method for me.

I've found to make the plans last, using card stock and taping them together with packing tape works great. To store all my plans, I've been sandwiching them between 2 full sheets of dollar tree foam board.

Happy building!

 

[Octavius]

Good thinking, Flynn.
I've actually been thinking about making plans out of band sawn 1/4" plywood. How many Spitfires am I plan on making though!

 

[nlit3n]

What I do is if it's a one off I will print it on 8X11 and pin it to the foam board. If its something I know I'm going to replicate a couple of times. I will have it printed on the plotter at kinkos for 10 bucks full scale. Then glue it to poster board,cut out, and then use that as a stencil to trace out on the foam.

 

[monterx7]

hopefully i can state my question so it makes sense....

how does everyone use their pattern? 1. do you use the piece you cut out, to trace on the foamboard 2. do you cutout the pieces you dont want, and trace inside the bigger piece?


oooorrrrr i guess i can buy a laser cutter lol. i really dont know of a better way to explain it lol

thanks

 

[RAM]

I cut out the plans; tape the plans together; and trace them onto the foam board.

I'm thinking about switching to pushing pinholes through the plans into the foam board to speed things up a little. Connect the dots if you will.

 

[nlit3n]

All of my ft planes I use my template to trace the plans. Up until last month I used a razor but my girl got me the foamwerks tools for my birthday they make things easier. For the planes that are my designs I just draw them onto the dtfb.

On a side note, I built a hotwire cutter. I was able to cut dtfb with. It had no problem, I just had to heat the wire up a little more. It did make a channel on the cut side like the lazer cutter, and a faint brown edge. I was surprised how easy it went through the paper. I am going to build a little hotwire table and try to cut an entire plane to see if its do-able. Im interested to see which way is faster.

 

[Flynn]

I cut out the plans; tape the plans together; and trace them onto the foam board.

I'm thinking about switching to pushing pinholes through the plans into the foam board to speed things up a little. Connect the dots if you will.

Yeah the connect the dots works really good for me.

Love your name!

 

[JohnRambozo]

I just used a bbq skewer to poke holes through the lines in the plans and free hand connected the dots with a utility blade. Not too shabby and my plans are intact.