If you scratch build or are a cottage kit maker like I am, then you know what it means to have to cut templates that will be accurate when cutting parts for your plane. In the past I have tried many materials ranging from thin plywood, metal, hardboard and thick poster board. I have struggled with all these materials in order to produce a better template that will last and be easy to trace around.
Some of you may have already discovered See Temp but for those of you that have not I wanted to share this information with.
See Temp is a brand name I think and there may be similar products out there with different names. Just like most people call the stuff you blow your nose on Kleenex which is a brand name but there are a lot of other tissues on the market. Regardless, this stuff is great template material.
It comes in sheets that measure 2 ft high by 4 ft long and feels about as thick as 1/64th plywood. It is translucent in color and the great thing is that when you lay it on the plans, you can see right through it. You just lay it over the part or parts you want to trace, grab a straight edge and a sharp # 11 blade and score down the pattern with the knife. Once you have gone completely around the part, you simply pick up the sheet and bend on the score line and it pops right out. It is as easy as that.
There may be multiple sources for See Temp but I buy mine from Tom Morris and it is not that expensive at all.
I have included a pictorial showing me cutting out the fuselage to build an Allen Brickhaus 746 profile Buccaneer.
I hope this is some value to you.
PS I almost forgot, you can sand the edges to get out any imperfections in your cut.....sands like wood.
Mike
Topic: See Temp Templates (how to) (Read 1136 times)