Making templates off of plans

[Tom Rounds]

This wont be new to a lot of people but thought that I might share with ones that have not used  a product called See-Temp. Its comes in either a clear or red tinted plastic sheet. You just cut out the size you need for the part that you want to make a template for and tape it to your plans. ( a little tip here, try to use as low tack masking tape so you don't damage your plans when you remove it) You then use a modeling knife with a #11 blade in it. Just follow the lines of the part you want to copy. Here is the nice part. Just use a moderate pressure on the knife and it will score about 1/2 way through the plastic. You then remove from the plans and bend the plastic sheet and the template will nicely tear out and you then can use this to trace around on your balsa wood. The knife follows the line under the plastic sheet very nicely. I thought that it would try and slip when I was pulling it along but didn't really have much of a problem.
you can buy this product on line from www.seetemp.com     This company also make some very nice sanding sticks in several grits.

[Tim Wescott]

Two other methods that work well are:

• Hack up the plans, glue the pertinent part to a piece of plywood with rubber cement, then sand down to the lines.  This works well if you have the plan in pdf form and can print out selected parts, or if you get a copy made of the plans.  If you're just making one part, you can just apply the rubber glue to the plan side and remove it later, leaving you with your part.
• Put your part-to-be under the plan and poke pinholes through the outline of the part, then cut to the pinholes in the wood.

[Randy Ryan]

Two other methods that work well are:

• Hack up the plans, glue the pertinent part to a piece of plywood with rubber cement, then sand down to the lines.  This works well if you have the plan in pdf form and can print out selected parts, or if you get a copy made of the plans.  If you're just making one part, you can just apply the rubber glue to the plan side and remove it later, leaving you with your part.
• Put your part-to-be under the plan and poke pinholes through the outline of the part, then cut to the pinholes in the wood.

Or run a copy of the plans. Cut the parts close to the lines and then tape to balsa with clear tape and cut out, saw or knife, I've done it this way for years. I also do Tim's parts on ply if I think I'll be duplicating the model in the future, its paid off a number of times.

[Terrence Durrill]

I use pizza box cardboard or breakfast food box card board for the same purpose that you guys are using the plywood.......effective.........cheaper.........works for me.......TDurrill           

[Randy Ryan]

I use pizza box cardboard or breakfast food box card board for the same purpose that you guys are using the plywood.......effective.........cheaper.........works for me.......TDurrill           

I've done that too, and hardened the edges with cya, but its still no where near as durable as a ply or aluminum template. One slip and a cardboard template is scrapped, at least if its me doing it.

[Jim Kraft]

I am a pin through the plan guy. Thats why all my plans are perforated. Some of them have so many pin holes that I will be able to tear the parts out and glue them to the wood like your supposed to do after a few more builds.

[bob werle]

I am able to get outdated display signs form my local pharmacy and use that for the template material and then a trip to kinkos for a copy of the plans.  A glue stick and cut along the lines.

[Tim Wescott]

Or run a copy of the plans. Cut the parts close to the lines and then tape to balsa with clear tape and cut out, saw or knife, I've done it this way for years. I also do Tim's parts on ply if I think I'll be duplicating the model in the future, its paid off a number of times.

I realized after reading Randy's reply to my post that I usually only use the "on plywood" technique for a bent-wood former, or for a template that's going to get a lot of use, like a rib template for a straight wing or for stack-cut ribs.  For anything that's "one off" I'll do the pin-poke method, or I'll zip off extra copies of the plans.

[Pat Johnston]

Tom, Tim,
The glue-stick from stationary stores is the sticking method I have used for years.  Order a second set of plans and cut them up for templates.  Glue stick the paper cutouts to the balsa and cut around that.  If you cut out the part relatively quickly the paper will peel off the balsa very easily.  In other words, don't let it go overnight.  It will be well adhered!  I've made ribs and formers from this method for years.  Also have used the pin through the plans for things like tail surfaces, fuselage sides.  That is a great method, too, for those kind of parts.  For punching the jig holes in the ribs, we use a length (4-6") of arrow shaft (the correct size, obviously) which is sharpened on the end and a hardwood ball on the other end.  The hardwood ball is obvious.  This punches cleanly through both the paper rib template and the balsa rib material.  Make the sharp end with an RCBS neck champfering tool.  Ammunition reloading supplies, there.   After the first rib is made, use it as a template to make the second rib.  That way, they will be a very close to exact match.
Of course as a crass commercial message, you can always get the ribs cut by your friendly laser cutter.
Pat Johnston
Templates and Cutting Studio
Skunk Works

[Tom Rounds]

Getting ribs from Pat for one of his designs would be a no Brainer. I was making the templates to cut out the rest of a Ringmaster S-1 drawn by Pat. Got a nice set of laser ribs just waiting on me to get off my butt with the rest of the parts. Got some really nice balsa from National Balsa for the rest of the kit.
Tom

[Jerry Leuty]

   It is hard to beat good ole balsa for building these airplanes. But getting good balsa can get time consuming and fairly expensive. So I am always looking for alternative light building materials. I have found at Hobby Lobby some quarter inch thick foam board. It is foam with paper sides. The white is fairly slick while the black is dull. I use the slick white board. It is priced a $1 on sale to $2 regular price. It comes in 20" X 30" to a larger size. I mark out the cut lines with a ink pin. Say I am making a stab/elevator assembly. Then I cut out the inside material to lighten the whole assembly leaving enough material to stiffen the whole thing. After that I scab the sides with 1/16" balsa and I have a fairly light part at a fairly economical price. I also have used some of the pink foam board from Home Depot. It comes 5/8" thick and 4' X 8' sheet for about $10. It is great for making very light and stiff ribs for the wing. I have not use it for fuselage stiffeners on boxed fuselages. If you use it to make a profile fuselage just be sure and use some 1/16" ply strips to stiffen the forward fuselage. Plus scab some 1/16" ply to about half way back on the wing. I out line the profile fuselage with balsa. What you have left is a foam filled profile fuselage assembly that has balsa wood completely covering the foam. 

[jim ivey]

yep randy connecting the dots(pin holes) is fastest and easiest. easy enough to copy the plans these days, so ya dont poke holes in the original. jim

[Andrew Tinsley]

My old scanner, used to give correct sized copies of items from the plan. Unfortunately it expired and my new printer scanner gives undersize copies. Anyone know how to alter the printed size?

Regards,

Andrew.

[PJ Rowland]

There is a product ( I just cannot recall what it is called....... )

Its red and it allows you to draw on it, cut it out and then use THAT as your template.

I just cant remember any more,.

[Dan_Austin]

I am a pin through the plan guy. Thats why all my plans are perforated. Some of them have so many pin holes that I will be able to tear the parts out and glue them to the wood like your supposed to do after a few more builds.

That's the same method I use.

[John Cralley]

My old scanner, used to give correct sized copies of items from the plan. Unfortunately it expired and my new printer scanner gives undersize copies. Anyone know how to alter the printed size?

Andrew,

Most (if not all) printer/scanners allow you to adjust the % increase/decrease of the scanned print. If yours does not the scan to a file and load the file into a photo processing/editing program (there are a number of free ones) and adjust the size there. Then print it from the photo program. It is a pain but that should work.

John

[john e. holliday]

I have used all of the above in my model plane building.   Laser cutting is the king for getting parts.  The next best is a second set of plans to be cut up.