What is your favoite tool in your tool box?

[Keno]

Here is tool that Is well used, works great for smearing pwr grab when laminating and filling oops with filler. I does need cleaning though

 

[thenated0g]

A real favorite is my "Cricut" graphics cutout machine. Print graphics on vinyl or plain typing paper then put it into the machine to cut. Stick these on and you will have better looking project. I use paper for most and seal with "Krylon Glitter Blast" clear sealer. Glitter Blast does not attack foam nor will it delaminate paper on you project and brings out the colors. (my grammar needs improvent)

Love my explorer one as well. When i feel creative but don't want to work on a plane i will open up my "future projects" folder i keep in my gdrive and download ideas from images.google.com for vinyl stickers.

 

[randyrls]

Lots of tools to choose from here, but one I'm using on a lot of my builds recently is the sharpened copper or brass pipe for cutting perfect holes in foam or balsa.

I have a thin wall 1/2" (12mm) brass tube. Cut a few "teeth" in it with a triangle file and glue it into a dowel handle. Drill the hole for the brass tube entirely through the handle. You will need a way to push out the "plugs" of FB.

The tape measure I got at Home Depot has both Metric and Inch marks on it.

 

[Seahunter]

My new favourite is my 3D printer. I no longer need to cut Ply or Aluminium to make parts for my builds. Once the design is done the printer does all of the work!

Have fun!

Iv'e been studying these. I really want one, but don't have enough knowledge on them to make a good choice. Whenever I rush to grab the latest craze or new item, it is almost immediately upgraded and given a breakthrough in performance or lowered price. For now, I'm ordering parts from those advertising these parts for sale. Last shopping venture the listings on the available printers had more than doubled. Will buy one in the near future though.

 

[Hai-Lee]

Iv'e been studying these. I really want one, but don't have enough knowledge on them to make a good choice. Whenever I rush to grab the latest craze or new item, it is almost immediately upgraded and given a breakthrough in performance or lowered price. For now, I'm ordering parts from those advertising these parts for sale. Last shopping venture the listings on the available printers had more than doubled. Will buy one in the near future though.

I also knew nothing about them so I purchased on price. I risked $200AUD (delivered from china) for a kit. I built it as per the instructions and used it to learn as much as I could. Now I am about to buy a replacement and to convert the original into a FB and wood cutter to make the cutting out of FB and balsa easier and more accurate, (the thread is current stalled but should spring into life within a fortnight or so).

I reasoned that the $200AUD was less than I spend on a retail foamie and it would definitely last longer!

Now I can print those parts I can not buy to fix the foamies in my hangar so I actually sae money by being able to fix rather than replace squadron of planes.

Have fun!

 

[Flite Risk]

Exacting knife.
Gotta keep it simple.

 

[Keno]

A reasonable cost or better yet FREE CAD or like cad program.

 

[thenated0g]

One tool i have been using a lot lately is my scroll saw i converted to hot wire. I just removed the blade and inserted some nichrome wire wrapped around two short lengths of FT control rods and than tightened the tension screw in the back. I used a 10 foot 2 wire extension cord. Replaced one end with xt60 and the other i soldered on 2 alligator clips.

Next up i want to find an old band saw. The scroll saw works great but i need a little more height.

 

[kilroy07]

A 3D printed Bevel Cutter I found on Thingiverse
(Couldn't live without it, well... I could, but it makes foamboard planes a WHOLE lot easier!)

 

[checkerboardflyer]

Another tool used in balsa model building that can come in handy for foam board models. The Easy Cutter is great for making clean cuts in skewers and popsicle sticks. And if you need cuts at angles, the Easy Cutter has a protractor that gives you pretty close approximations of several angles. I checked a couple of online suppliers and this product is still available. More tools and tips at: https://foamboardflyers.com/

 

[Jackson T]

I have many favorites but the one I must have to hand when doing FB or Balsa plane builds is my trusty old Balsa Stripper. It works equally well for cutting balsa stringers, FB spars, and those hard to get right otherwise bevels in the FB.

Have fun!

What's a balsa stripper? It sounds like something I need! Could you post a photo of it or a link where I could buy one please?

 

[Hai-Lee]

What's a balsa stripper? It sounds like something I need! Could you post a photo of it or a link where I could buy one please?

Here is a link to the version that Hobby king sells:- https://hobbyking.com/en_us/master-airscrew-balsa-stripper.html?___store=en_us

Have fun!

 

[Jackson T]

Here is a link to the version that Hobby king sells:- https://hobbyking.com/en_us/master-airscrew-balsa-stripper.html?___store=en_us

Have fun!

Thanks Hai-Lee! I will probably get one with my next HK order.

 

[checkerboardflyer]

Here's a picture of a Master Airscrew Balsa Stripper. Hai-Lee is right; works great on FB. An Internet search will bring up a number of suppliers. More tools and tips at: https://foamboardflyers.com/

 

[sprzout]

Found another tool I can highly recommend, although it's not exactly a physical tool, but it's one I've used on just about every single build I've done!!!

I have been trying to use some less expensive motors from Amazon because family has given me gift cards; problem is, I don't know much about matching props and ESCs and such together.

Here's where Ecalc came in. They have a demo version that gives you access to SOME batteries/motors, and it gives you an idea of benchmarks for power usage and what will burn up and what won't. Paying for an annual subscription unlocks the full version, and that has been a HUGE help to me in deciding props, motors, ESCs, etc.

DEFINITELY something to add to the toolbox - link is out at https://ecalc.ch, and for the annual cost, it's saved me headaches galore on worrying about underpowered or overpowered equipment.

It's not perfect; a Watt meter gives me a better reading on how much actual power is being used. But, at least I can get close BEFORE I buy something, and not have spent $50 on a motor that's really meant for a much bigger plane than what I have!

 

[kilroy07]

ot have spent $50 on a motor that's really meant for a much bigger plane than what I have!

Sounds like what you REALLY need is just more foamboard!!
(This comes from a guy that is having just too much fun with his new Kraken build!!)

 

[Keno]

Just order another 50 pack from FT. Have motors will fly.. The Kraken sounds excellent, winter build... Found a new tool it helps you put on those pesky prop rubber bands.

 

[sprzout]

Sounds like what you REALLY need is just more foamboard!!
(This comes from a guy that is having just too much fun with his new Kraken build!!)

True. But I haven't explored upscaling the planes because I can barely fit half of them into my Mustang as it is!!! LOL

 

[Keno]

You might think about a piece of 3/4 inch 12 inch long thin wall conduit. What is it's' purpose? It can be used as a roller pressing down on form board (paper removed) to form a curve shape. You can roll the board around this conduit at 50% its diameter and compress the foam to form your desired curved shape.

 

[BS projects inc.]

You might think about a piece of 3/4 inch 12 inch long thin wall conduit. What is it's' purpose? It can be used as a roller pressing down on form board (paper removed) to form a curve shape. You can roll the board around this conduit at 50% its diameter and compress the foam to form your desired curved shape.

Walmart also sells half inch wooden dowels that can be used for the same purpose.