Building Tables, Boards, and Jigs

What do you have available to you? Maybe we can find some quick, simple, (and inexensive) ideas for people to fabricate a flat building surface that will help them in the building and alignment of their planes.

Also, if you use a jig for the wing or fuselage, what do you use and how good is it. We have used an Adjust-O-Jig for a number of planes, but the last two Matthew has built using the "lost foam" process. This works well, but will only build one, precise wing. You would need a new set for every new and different wing you built.

OK, now, your turn. What do you use? What have you seen used? What would you recommend to newcomers on a budget?

I then rip pine strips on the table saw to the proper thickness to support the L.E. and T.E stock above the board. These strips depend on the airfoil and the stock sizes I plan to use.

The pine strips are then screwed (countersunk) onto the board.

I pin the L.E. and T.E. to the pine strips after marking/notching them, and assemble the wing.

I am pleased with the results. My wing frames come out straight.

Michael

Plate glass...
When I found out that the master Scale builder Dave Platt used it to turn out his masterpieces, that is what I went with.
It isn't exactly cheap, but it sure is flat, and stable too. Put a piece of sheetrock on top, and you have a real nice surface. The cost of the glass and it's supporting table are trivial compared to that of your airplanes and the time and effort you put into each one. It is like tools, I only buy the best, it pays off in the long run, even if more costly at first, you'll be glad you did later on.
I use various home brew jigs and such for each model as required, making what I need, just as with templates, based on how many of each design I expect to build in future, as to how elaborate the "tooling" gets.

I basically use good old shelving material that I can get pretty cheaply at Lowe's or Home Depot. I get the 5/8 inch thick by 16 inches by 48 inches. I take a 4 foot nice straight ruler to the shelving department and make sure it's nice and straight. Then I put in on my hobby card table, and go to town with my Jig Blocks. It's pretty simple but works real good!

This past winter I bought a Great Plains wing jig that has helped me a great deal. I'm still building profile type airplanes, but my progress has been good.

I have to give credit to the wonderful group of C/L modelers that have helped my through my re-learning process. Things sure have changed in the 35+ years I was away from flying and building. If it wasn't for this forum and others, I would have had a lot of trouble. Because of the help, I've avoided many mistakes. Thanks, Guys!

Bill
Flyin_Again

Of course, I would never five-finger discount any of the more choice stuff under cover of darkness. Certainly not.

(Actually, the local Heat likes to drive around these quasi-finished subdivisions at night with their lights off. Makes an honest person out of all of us).

When I was setting up my new shop recently, I went to a local glass contractor to see what was available. He had a 70" x 44" piece of ½" tempered (actually bullet resistant) glass that was salvaged from a local check cashing business when the building was renovated. After levelling the tops of two scavenged bedroom dressers set back to back the glass was set on top and needed very little shimming to be perfectly flat and true. I paid $80 for it and it was worth every penny. For jigs I use Currell's method, whatever I have on hand. However, a friend and fellow modeler has found some 3/8" stainless rod and we are going to set up a set of Windy's rods.

PS Just got home from Boston (via Denver), attended daughter's graduation ceremony from Emerson College Flew over Leonard's house. And a lot of potential flying fields. Didn't see a single ukie model being flown, go figure! Old Sourdough would have gone nuts, all the LHS were train shops except for a couple. I didn't bother. Horrid traffic, no parking, subway sucks, stuff is VERY expensive. I couldn't live like that. Count your blessings.

Thanks to previous tips on this forum, 1/4" plate glass. I got a piece 52" long for about $28. Covered it with .085 book binder's board (not cardboard!), which by spec is flat and comes in large sheets. Slather the back of the board with high quality two-sided tape, and you have a disposable, highly pinnable (is that a word?) top cover immune from humidity changes.

I have found the Brodak type balsa sticks pinned to the board are adequate for a wing jig, with a little custom setup of shims and arithmetic for a tapered wing.

Thanks for that tip, Jim. I had never thought of masking tape. I was assuming, one jig, one dedicated shelf board.

I currently build on a 1/4" glass plate about 1.5' x 4'.

Great question, and very informative answers for / from all.

Hollow cored, sheeted foam wings and fiberglass fuses have pretty much done away with the need for jigs. For the occasional OTS or classic ship I generally just use scraps from the last plane for a temporary jig as I'm only going to use it once.

I didn't know you were a foamie builder. Congratulations on your win at Texarkana last week! I have always liked that model.

Good work Monte!

Don

I have a friend in Wisconsin who uses a large piece of heavy glass levelled out on a table. I builds I beamers exclusivly and simply Ca's the pices of balsa he uses for jig blocks to the glass. when he's finished he scrabes them loose with a single edged razor.

Currently, I use a desk bought from government surplas sales. This is one of those heavy duty metal ones the government is so fond of. I checked the top and it's level. I placed a trimmed to fit pice of 5/8" sheetrock on top and find it more than adequate for most uses. I also like the fact that I have access to all those drawers. I have a nice office type chair to sit in while building and everything is at the right height.

One of my most recent aquisitions came from a construction site where I was working. They were sheathing the building with 1.5: cut and polished granite and the kindly gave me a nice large, heavy, piece that was flawed for their purposes. I haven't used it yet, but I can guarantee that it's flat.

I also have a large piece of 3/8" glass to use, but I haven't found the need to yet.

One of the most intriguing jigs is one I recently purchased from Andy over in Longmont Co. It's an adjustable Lincoln Log type jig. I believe that it's versatile enogh theat I most likely will not find the need for any othe jigs in the future.

I built a rod type jig years ago and still have it, but I've found little use for it building CL stunters. It works great for RC wings though. The problem is the large holes I cut in my stunters ribs. Just not enough material left for the rods.

Great topic, lots of food for thought.