Building from Plans

[Jay Wood]

I have several plans I'd love to start on. But I need a bit of advice. How do you make the templates off the plans so you can begin cutting? Also is a small scroll saw the right tool to cut the parts needed?

Maybe I missed it but this might a good Forum topic

Thanks

[Bill Little]

I have several plans I'd love to start on. But I need a bit of advice. How do you make the templates off the plans so you can begin cutting? Also is a small scroll saw the right tool to cut the parts needed?

Maybe I missed it but this might a good Forum topic

Thanks

Hi Jay,

A couple ways of doing things are making a copy of the plans and cut them up, or pin pricking through the plans onto the wood.  I get copies from Staples for less than $5 for large plans.  I also measure a lot of things that are right angles and such and transfer the measurements straight to the wood.  I am sure there will be many more suggestions, but those have been the main things I do over the years.  I just remembered one more thing, and that is "C temp", or something like that, which I got from Tom Morris.  It is a thin, transparent plastic sheet that you can trace on then score with a knife and it breaks clean which is good for making templates from.

Bill <><

[Pinecone]

See Temp - http://www.seetemp.com/

I picked up some at Toledo.  Nice stuff.  Seesm kind of a waste for a one off, but it is easy to use and works well.

Of course, one could start a lending library of templates.

[Neville Legg]

If you use a Solar Film iron on the back of a photocopy of the part, the heat will transfer the toner from the copy to the wood!
Or you can use 3M photo spray mount on the copy, stick the print to the wood cut around the copy into the wood then peel off the copy when you have the part to the right shape!

Cheers     Neville

[john e. holliday]

Or he could do like I did.  Once I found out that laser cut parts were available I got the plans and then ordered the parts already cut.  Make for so much better assembly when parts are accurately cut.  DOC Holliday

[Tom Niebuhr]

I hate to see good plans cut up, so I use tracing vellum in most cases. Or as stated above, make a copy to cut up (ouch) for patterns.

A sharp exacto knife and a metal straight edge are most valuable.

We can custom make laser ribs if we have a copy of the drawing. I have a growing Cad file of ribs for many airplanes.

[Jay Wood]

All,

Many thanks for the suggestions.
Doc, who did you use to cut your plans?
Tom, I'm guessing you have a laser cutter? If I sent the plans I'm guessing you could cut the ribs.

It's a C/L Me 110 from the AMA plans service.

Once again thanks to all

[Jim Thomerson]

I have an antique artifact; carbon paper.  I put carbon paper between the plan and the wood and go over the part outline with a blunt point scribe (A ball point pen which doesn't write works for this.)

[john e. holliday]

Jay, go to vendors corner on this forum, look for Action Hobbies/Laser Works.  They have several designs listed.  DOC Holliday

[Leester]

Brodak sells rib sets to all their kits and at a good price. You could see if there Warbird set (48") wing is close and use it.

[Phil Coopy]

Straight lines by measurements,  curves with carbon paper, sometimes you can duplicate curves easily with a set of french curves.

Phil