Short Kit

[Dick Pacini]

I have seen this mentioned several times, but I am not sure exactly what is included in a short kit.  Could someone enlighten me?

[Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach]

Hi there.  Usually a short kit contains all the wood that must be cut, which leaves the builder to supply the sheet goods, etc.  Hope this helps.  Cheers

[Dennis Moritz]

Very useful idea, I think. Since most of the cut wood can be harder less expensive balsa and frequently the sheet wood in kits is problematic-- too heavy. Of course rock hard ribs that weigh a lot can be an issue. Though, depending on the construction, much of the weight can be cut away. All in all, a short kit can be a cost efficient compromise between a standard kit (pot luck wood) and a high cost contest caliber 2 to 3 hundred dollar alternative. Different laser cutting services (perhaps even Brodak, RSM does definitely) offer short kits or are willing to cut the equivalent of a short kit from CAD (sp?) drawings. I think many of our best builders use, in effect, short kits, since they laser cut different constituent parts, even in original designs.

[Leester]

Action Lazer Works in the vendors corner has a listing of short kits. They will also cut what you want from your CAD plans.

[Paul Smith]

If were buying kits, I would rather find my own LE, TE, and spars than have them sawed half to fit a small box. 

[Tom Niebuhr]

My "Short Kits" generally include any parts that require laser accuracy for proper alignments. This would include fuselage sides, ply doublers, ribs,  custom formed landing gear, gear rib doublers, etc. The parts included will vary some from airplane to airplane.

Hope this helps.

Tom Niebuhr
Blue Sky Models

[john e. holliday]

Pictures of short kit I got off the UK bay.  Also a pic of my helper at work.