Tiled Build Plans Setup Hints and Tips

Sawyer2014

Junior Member
Hey everyone, I know that the build plans can sometimes be a pain especially putting together the tiled builds. Some of us don't have a 40 inch printer to print the full scale planes.

I've done tiled plan builds a few times, getting them lined up exactly perfect is a task on its own. But with trial and error i have came up with a good way to put them together so everything is as accurate as can be. My favourite plan format for the tiled plans is the ones used on the FT explorer. The page line up crosses work really well when your trying to line up the plans perfectly. What it do...

I print the plans and organize them in the order. a "sheet" is 2 rows of 4. All the plans start top left corner and go row, by row.

Take the first and second page and line up the alignment crosses. Take a look at where the rest of the image lines up. Sometimes printers don't print straight on the pages. Once you got a comfortable alignment, press down on the middle of the aligned edges. Fold the page back half way and lay down some glue from a glue stick and press the page back down. Run your finger up the freshly glues area from centre out. then repeat process to apply the glue on the rest of the seam.

Once you have the first row on the sheet done. It gets a little tricky. Now you got two edges to line up. What I do is lay out the pages in order for the second row and see what parts of that sheet actually cross over from row one to two. for example, the plans for the wings cover a whole sheet where as the fuselage sometimes doesn't. If plan parts are split between rows, you can just complete the row on its own. which is a lot easier then gluing all 8 sheets together. If it is like the wing sheet, here is what you do.

You start with the first sheet and line up the edges at the top. Use a ruler to make sure the plans "cutting" lines are straight. when they are, glue it in place. then the next page relies on 2 edges to be aligned. Start with the vertical edge.. line it up and keep in mind the top edge's position. Once your comfortable with the alignment, glue both the top edge and left edge down with a glue stick. Repeat until the sheet is done..

Reason i use glue sticks and not packing tape:

Glue sticks do dry at a reasonable speed, which allows you some time to re correct your alignment if needed. Tape... well its sticks like right now and when you mess up you risk tearing the page and having to start all over again..

The FT explorer calls for 6 sheets of foam board. Best practice i use is get 12.. So once your tiled plans are done you can glue them to the spare sheets of foam board and use them as templates. what also works really really well is getting 20X30 sheets of poster board. its dense enough to not deform over time from storing the plans and its ridged enough to trace onto a sheet of foam board..

If there is some interest in this or more questions that need a deeper sense of attention. I can make a video to explain.
 

mlapaglia

Junior Member
I choose the "cut marks" which gives you a point in each corner to cut to. Even if the page doesn't come out square, the cut marks will always be square to each other.

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Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
When you have exhausted all possible settings and your own patience just take your "PDF" to a local print shop and get it printed out at full size and to scale. Here in Aus the cost for a single plan is around $4 Aud.