Tools

[Arron Davison]

Can anyone write me a list of the tools i need to build a plane from plans? Just so i dont forget nothing thanks for your time.

[Bruce Richards]

This thread has some good suggestions.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

That's certain a good list - but I would add a few items:

 

a pin vice and a good selection of drill bits from the very small 0.5mm - upto say 6mm.

 

A decent power minidrill is not a luxury - its a very practical and useful tool.

 

A collection of clamps; sash clamps (about 6" is right) and some spring and G clamps.

 

A couple of good sets of pliers for wire bending

 

A decent bench top vice

 

A soldering iron (min 50W) is useful for making up undercarriages.

 

Along with the stuff in the other thread that should get you well underway.

 

BEB

[kc]

I have not used any of the things BEB advises except pliers on my latest model!  Each to their own!    ( He who dies with the most tools wins! )

My list is 

 

Essentials

Scalpel preferably retractable……Swan Morton Retractaway with  spare 10A blades

Stanley knife with new blade  (retractable is preferable )

T headed pins ( proper modelling type ) dont use glass headed ones whch break and penetrate your thumb! plus a few map pins with large plastic heads

Sanding blocks either homemade or far better a Permagrit block.  Just the ‘wedge’ block is all you really need
Straightedge (steel …as long as possible )  or a length of straight aluminium T section
Ruler, steel 12inch with clear markings in millimetres and inches
Try Square 4 inch or 6 inch ( a cheap engineers square will be more accurate than a good carpenters square!…different British Standards! )
Plastic set square large and small. 
Fretsaw either hand or an inexpensive electric one is not much more.  A coping saw might suffice instead.

Midget hacksaw or preferable a razor saw.

Razor plane

SLEC clamps ( rubber band type ) & a few clothespegs ( traditional style )
a few needle files assorted shapes  especially a 1/8 square file.  Cheap type are OK on wood
triangular file ( high quality ) to cut piano wire.
Screwdrivers especially No1 & No 0 Posidrive (for servo screws)

A hand drill or an electric drill & drill bits in .5 mm steps to 6.5mm

Long nose pliers

A carpenters bench hook (make it yourself )
Cutting mat….can be piece of hardboard or lino tile or proper self healing type
Bench or something to work on.  A Workmate or a clone can be handy..
3 standard size hacksaw blades.  Bolt 2, or 3 together to cut slots in balsa, make handle from tape.

Aliphatic glue and thin cyano.

Building board.  Try a piece of plasterboard which takes pins nicely.  ( look for offcuts in builders skips!  must be dead flat )

Desirable extras.

Dovetail or gents saw or fine tenon saw or japanese type pullsaw
Bench with carpenter vice
Engineers vice fitted on stout block to mount in caprpenters vice to keep worktop clear when not used.

Wire bender

'pearl catcher' gadget to grip tiny screws etc. ( from Maplin , Proops etc )

Edited By kc on 09/08/2010 20:00:33

[Barrie Dav 2]

Anyone mention a pack of sticking plasters and a damp cloth to wipe up the blood droplets...........  

[Peter Miller]

Clamps of all sorts including clthes pegs and bulldog clips. if you see one lying round...grab it.

 

Small soldering iron 12 watt for soldering servo leads. You sometimes want to extend them.

 

A proper wire bender. You can't bend 8 gauge wire with anything else.

 

A "Z" bender to make the ends of wires to connect to servos.

 

A larger scalpel handle and blades, Size 4 handle.

 

And models always fly better if you bleed on them accidentally.

[Stephen Grigg]

And if your like me the tool box starts in the hall goes into the lounge thrugh the kitchen into the dining room up the stairs into the bathroom following on into the bedroom back down stairs onto the patio and the tool box is full of the parts you might need but never will

[kc]

Some other handy items are

rat tail file ..a tapered round file for enlarging holes. Tapered from 1/4 to 5/16  (6mm to 8mm )

flat engineers files  Can be used on wood,.as the great Vic Smeed said " it is not cabinetmakers cricket but it works "

a set of small1/4 drive sockets. Metric plus AF and if possible BA sizes, Very cheap at supermarkets at the moment but metric & AF only.  Quality seems adequate for light use

Micro torch for soldering. Uses lighter fuel

[kc]

One near essential item was forgotten......

 

Hinge Slotting gadget.  either the simple jig from SLEC or the Sullivan / Dubro jig with V shaped cutter tool and hook tool.

 

This is very rarely mentioned in build articles but helps greatly to get the hinges in line and does it very quickly.  So although you could build without it, this jig is really an essential.

 

As with all tools, buy them one at a time and learn how to use them properly.

[Stephen Grigg]

With this thread in mind Ive been doing a bit of tidying trying to get the tools in some sort of manageable easy to find order.So Ive the spanners in one box ,screwdrivers in another,but im still working on it.

[Arron Davison]

Cheers guys that is great iv already got the kitchen sink!!!

[Arron Davison]

Ok then what do you lot take to the field in ur flight boxes so you have all you need when your flying??

[Bruce Richards]

Fuel, hand pump 2 glow sticks 2 cross head and 2 flat blade screwdrivers. chicken Stick, 12v battery, electric starter pliers long nose, knife sticky tape, cable ties, spare glow plugs, glow plug spanner, selection of nuts bolts horns and other bits and pieces all in a backy tin, elastic bands various, hat, suntan cream, drink, food, Tx, field charger, lots of lipos, PTFE tape, 5 Min epoxy, spare prop or two, adjustable spanner, bag of crisps, first aid kit, set of alen keys, small flat blade for low end needle adjustment, fuel tube, Sun glasses, neck strap. Then then is all the old junk that just accumulates in the bottom of my flight box.

 

Oh and a model or two of cause.

Edited By Bruce Richards - Moderator on 11/08/2010 18:24:55

Edited By Bruce Richards - Moderator on 11/08/2010 18:26:26

[Erfolg]

Has any one mentioned double edged Gillete blade, preferably blunt?

 

Joking

[Myron Beaumont]

Pencil ?

[Bruce Richards]

Flag

[Myron Beaumont]

Bin bag?

[inspector9566]

everyone's forgotten the coffee

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

In the flight box eh?

 

Well....(looks down at flight box on the floor).... electric starter, fuel, power panel, glow stick, mat for kneeling on, peg (I'm 2.4 but the club still insists on pegs), 4 red flags, a model restraint, J cloth, wet-wipes, 12v 7Ah Pb-acid battery, erm...(pokes underneath) several dead glow plugs, a plug wrench, an old exhaust extention from God alone knows when, a pair of fingerless gloves - for the winter, flying glasses - for the summer (ha!), lots of odd nuts and bolts of various (unknown) sizes that have "gathered" at he bottom, the wrapper off a Corish Pasty.

 

(Opens drawer and examines contents)... a Stanley knife, two small sets of Allen keys on plastic holders, cable ties, set of jeweller's screwdrivers, two flat blade scewdriers, one cross blade screw driver, butane powered soldering iron (but no solder or lighter!), elastic bands - various, a gazzillion spare glow plugs (mainly of types I don't use anymore!), CA adhedsive, UHU-Por, small bottle that I used to use for priming engines when I was going through that "phase", pair of long nose pliers, more miscellanious nut and bolts - all loose.

 

NO wonder it weighs a ton! I really must try to sort it out one day - but it sort of feels like "homely" if you know what I mean! An old friend.

 

BEB

[Arron Davison]

Fair play!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Myron Beaumont]

BEB

You don't happen to have a left handed small hammer in your flightbox do you.Can't find one anywhere ?

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Sadly not Myron.

 

I do however have a long stand, a glass mallet, a tin of tartan paint and a small bucket of steam if they are of any use to you

 

BEB

[Myron Beaumont]

BEB

Not really interested But maybe you have some striped paint ? Preferably black & white but am not fussy . Not into tartan camouflage paint for Scottish aeroplanes !

[Phil Claridge]

i have a giggling pin for a laugh shaft, 24 3/8th holes and a packet of tappet clearances in my box just in case, alongside the golden rivet from boating days

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Hi Arron !

Not a tools,but it's an skill...........avoid malicious comments