Is there a FAQ for a newbie?

| I looked around this NG (and historically), but didn't find a FAQ (I | have found some on various www sites). | | Is there a favorite FAQ you could point me to?

There's a lot. The hobby is very broad, so it really depends on what you're after. Alan keeps a good list of links --

Alan's Hobby, Model & RC Web Links

| For example, I'm about to embark on an electric RC kit, and I don't have | any experience with things like Monokote, so I have questions like: "Can | I use my clothes iron and my blow dryer rather than buy a specific iron | and specific hot-air blowing device, both specially made for monokote | and its siblings....?"

Many of the electric kits don't involve monokote or similar coverings at all, and are instead made of foam -- it depends on what kind of plane you're talking about.

Of course, many electric kits are built up just like the glow kits have always been. It just depends on what you get. For a newbie, the foamies are popular because they're much more resilient.

Yes, you can use your clothes iron, but it's big and bulky, and won't work well for the tight work. Go ahead and get the suggested iron -- it's cheap and well worth it.

Your blow dryer will work fine. Actually, you really don't need a blow dryer at all most of the time, and they can get you into trouble if used incorrectly. An iron with a sock is usually all you need.

Ironically, my wife used to be into quilting, and they use our covering irons for much of their quilting work, as it's much more precise than the standard iron. They even sell them at the sewing store ...

Besides, you'll get bits of the adhesive on the iron, which will make you _really_ unpopular with the designated user of the iron -- particularly if she discovers it while ironing something white.

I know this from experience with my mother's iron (but the airplane came out nice :).