What two or three power tools would you folks deem to be absolutely necessary in one's workshop. I am a fairly new pilot who will probably be flying and repairing ARF's more than anything. I do however see myself wanting to build a modest kit over the winter. With that in mind all suggestions are welcomed.
Power tools are not a necessity in model building besides a covering iron and heat gun. I use an x-acto knife, a razor saw, glue, and a building board.
You need a motorized hand tool (Dremel, or something like it). You also need an electric hand drill - nothing fancy. A jig saw (vibrating type) with a platform for the material is also "necessary", as far as I'm concerned. You can build about anything if you have those tools.
They do not have to be brand name tools, nor even new. There are lots of Chinese power tools out there at really low prices that do a fine job. Hit a local pawn shop and see what they have in stock.
Ed Cregger
Vance-
Agree with that, but two power tools that make life easier are an electric drill, preferably with a drill press accessory, and a Dremel rotary tool with cutoff discs for lopping off music wire, sanding discs and drums, and some cutter bits for lightening holes etc. in balsa, ply and plastics.
Abel
I would agree that if you want a basic power tool, the Dremel or equivalent is the way to go. Other than that, the jig saw for cutting parts is good too. Other than that, a sealing iron, heat gun, Xacto knife or equivalent, and a razor saw are all that is needed especially if you build from kits. If you take the plunge and start building from plans or even totally scratch build, your repetoir of tools will expand. My .02.
Let's make sure you have the necessary hand tools first. One thing often overlooked is a good long sanding block. The 11" model tower sells is good for standard size planes. Get two, that one and a shorter one. Put course grit on the short one and fine on the long. These will do more for your building skills than any power tool.
As for power tools, the only one really, really absolutely necessary is a drill. The next one you will want to have and wonder how you lived without is a Dremel. Cut off wheels, sanding drums, and the sheetrock style bits are great timesavers.
After that, you need a good solution for cutting plywood if you are going to stray away from ARF's and stock kits. A jigsaw is the most versatile here, but as I said, you don't need it until you want to do your own "dirty work". Though not necessarily a power tool, an airbrush/touch up gun combo is very nice.
I wouldn't worry about power tools if that is all you intend to do. A good cordless drill is ALWAYS useful around the house.
Very true.
Just that quick, I forgot he mentioned mostly ARFs.
Ed Cregger
And remember !!!! Harbor Freight is having a tent sale this weekend !!!!! Wish my damn toothache could have happened at another time : (.
CJ
Obviously you need an electric drill with bits. Beyond that, I don't see that you need anything else. You might consider a Dremel outfit as a very useful addition to your workshop.
Also I would recommend the following prosaic items:
Ciao,
Mr Akimoto
Necessary power tools:
Other power tools I use for R/C all the time:
Other building tools I use all the time:
Xacto handles and blades
12" and 36" straight edges Hollow core door - cheap/flat/storable building surface Razor saw and pull (kerf) saw Sanding bars - I have 2 of the GP 12" ones Wood rasp - for quick shaping GP laser incidence tool - not necessary, but nice! GP surface deflection gauge - ditto Home made CG stand - board, knitting needles, erasers Engine test stand - nice for debugging / break inI suspect many of those who have been in this hobby for a while have made some of there own equipment/tools. The CG stand appears to be one that a lot of guys make. It would be a big help to those of us who are new to have a description of your home-made tool/device. A picture would be better, but I'm not sure if there is a place setup to view binaries.
I would be especially interested in the CG stand.
H Davis
I doubt my one would hold your attention for long >:-)
A flat piece of wood with two holes drilled in it. Into the holes are glued two pencils, the kind with erasers on the end. The pencils are glued in so that the erasers are uppermost and the erasers themselves are cut to a wedge shape. The pencils are spaced apart sufficiently to allow a reasonable range of fuselages to fit in between them, a little thought will indicate which way the thin edges thus formed on the erasers should run.
The model is placed with the wings, at the estimated C of G position, and allowed to teeter on the thin edge of the wedge shape of the erasers.
It is around this time that you normally realise that you are going to be cutting some more lead >:-)
I do *not* claim this as my original idea, can't remember where I first came across it, but.. I use it and they fly >:-)
Reg
Philip --
I think as far as repairing ARFs go, you might start with a covering iron for MonoKote repairs; you can add a heat gun later. You will also find that perhaps the best model tool is a Dremel Tool; be sure to get a Robart Tuf-Grind Cutoff Wheel for it. Don't opt for a cordless. I assume you have a standard 1/4" drill around the house; need not be cordless. Pick up a set of bits 1/16" ~ 1/4". Next in line would be a light duty scroll saw; Home Depot & Lowe's have a small one made by B & D, as does MicroMark. One last item I'd get would be a Radio Shack digital Multi-Meter. While there, get a small soldering iron and rosin-core solder for electrical work. Have someone teach you how to solder leads, etc. Use the meter to check your batteries. This would be a good time to refer you for a session on the couch at "The R/C Battery Clinic"
Cheers -- \_________Lyman Slack________/ \_______Flying Gators R/C___/ \_____AMA 6430 LM____ / \___Gainesville FL_____/ Visit my Web Site at
| You will also find that perhaps the best model tool is a Dremel Tool; be | sure to get a Robart Tuf-Grind Cutoff Wheel for it. Don't opt for a | cordless.
Go ahead, opt for a cordless. To be more specific, the Dremel Li-ion cordless. It rocks. It's just about as powerful as the corded model, and only costs a bit more. And it's cordless.
But that Li-ion dremel, it's my favorite power tool. :)
| One last item I'd get would be a Radio Shack digital Multi-Meter.
Instead, get the multimeter at Harbor Freight Tools that's usually on sale for $3 to $4 instead. In fact, get four or five of them. Or more, for the same price as the Radio Shack version.
They're not going to put Fluke out of business, but they're quite accurate and do most of what is needed.
| While there, get a small soldering iron and rosin-core solder for | electrical work.
Actually, you don't really want a small soldering iron. The small ones are for delicate electronics work, and that's mostly not what you need for R/C. I get the most use out of the 80 watt soldering iron I bought at Fry's for about $13.
(Though I do have small soldering irons too, and occasionally do use them on R/C stuff. But that's the exception rather than the rule.)
Avoid the soldering guns. Irons are better, as they can store up some heat and so you can solder things more quickly.
| Have someone teach you how to solder leads, etc. Use the meter to | check your batteries.
Do be aware that without some sort of loading, it's not a replacement for an ESV. Red's site does talk about that, however.
| Stay away from 'gadget tools' like hinge slotters and sanders.
... at least at first. I'm pretty happy with my Z-bender, for example, even though you can do the bending yourself without it.
Mine is dead simple and I've been using it for quite a while. The two vertical uprights are a stout set of aluminium knitting needles (1/4 or
5/16" x 12-14" or so if memory serves). Get the big needles so they don't flex too much, and leave them long so you have room to work when balancing. Anyway, I cut the pointy end of the knitting needles off and that end goes into holes drilled in a wooden base that's large enough for some stability (1" x 6" x 18" or so). The other side of the needles has a pressed metal cap and I ground the diameter of that cap down until it was just right to fit into those wedge shaped erasers that fit on the top of wooden pencils. Trim the point so it's not quite so sharp to distribute the load a bit (to protect your finish) and you are done.If you really want a picture, let me know and I'll send one privately. I guarantee I just spent longer describing the thing than it will take you to make one.
Tom:
Guess I spoke too soon in the previous e-mail. Those erasers are obviously still available. I get the picture without the, er..um, without the picture, but thanks for the offer.
One question, is it necessary to balance close to the fuselage or can it be done out on the wingtips?
Harlan
It does not matter. Just make sure that the measurement is accurate if you have tapered wings.
That's funny - I sent a couple of pictures anyway under separate cover. To think, I've been building R/C models for about 15 years and my 15 seconds of fame is for a CG stand I spent 5 minutes on ;-) Now that I'm home to measure things, the needles I used were 1/4" outside diameter and probably 14" long. Were I to rebuild it, I would look for larger diameter needles for more stiffness (or maybe shoot the moon and go with carbon fiber...) but I would keep the same length. Much shorter and I would have a hard time clearing the tails on my larger low wing aircraft. The erasers are great, they don't slip, are cheap and easy to replace and can be cut down to provide enough surface area to not damage the finish.
Balance close and equidistant to the fuse. That being said, balance on something solid - if you balance on just covering over an open structure the balance points will at least leave a nasty dent (if they don't punch right through it).
Your instructions will mention it, but in general high wing airplanes are balanced upright and low wing aircraft are balanced inverted. Also don't forget that while fore and aft CG is important, but so is wing tip to wing tip balance. For the latter I suspend the model in a level attitude from the nose and tail with strings and then check the balance with a small bubble level on the fuse, adding weight to the lite wingtip.
Good luck, hope you enjoy the hobby as much as I do.
H Davis wrote: > One question, is it necessary to balance close to the fuselage or can it be
On a plane without dihedral, it makes no difference, but on one -- particularly a high winger -- with a lot of dihedral, the closer to the wingtips, the more the effects of imbalance are diluted, i.e., harder to discern.
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