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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Frank Sheridan on June 14, 2009, 01:56:18 PM
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Does anybody else use a router to cut ribs? I use small squares of double faced tape to hold my blanks in place under the template, and cut several ribs at once. The router bit is a 1/4" straight two flute bit with a bearing on the end. I square up the spar notches with a file or x-acto knife while the ribs are still taped to the pattern. I don't have to worry about cutting all my ribs at once because they always come out the same dimensionally. I can cut a stack about 3/4" high at one time. All the edges come out square and no sanding is required. I use 1/4" ply for the pattern template. It took longer to make a good true template than it did to cut 25 ribs. These ribs are for a scratchbuilt profile plane called "Frankenplank"- the ugliest plane on two lines.
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Looks great and easy, of course it has to be a straight constant chord wing. DOC Holliday
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Instead of using double sided tape to hold your ribs together, why not try 3M photo spray mount! I've used it without any problems, even on thin light free-flight scale model ribs!
Cheers Neville
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Is that 3M photo spray mount a non- curing adhesive? Does it leave a residue that must be cleaned up afterwards? Are you spot spraying the glue or coating the entire piece of wood? Sorry for all the questions. - Frank
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Frank,
Spray mount is like the adhesive thats on post-it pads it doesn't set. Just a light coat on one side of the balsa is all that's needed, you don't have to clean it off.
Cheers Neville
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>>of course it has to be a straight constant chord wing.<<
I wouldn't think so. Just line up the spar location and it should work on a tapered wing. Interesting.