Transferring Plans Onto Balsa

[Kieran]

Hi all, recently got into modelling with a Guillow's Hawker Hurricane kit but early on it became apparent that the cut parts did not match the plan and that the balsa was not very good quality.

 

My question is this, how can I transfer the plans onto a sheet of balsa?

 

After reading around I tried ironing a copy (scanned and printed using an inkjet) of the plans onto balsa in the hope that the ink would seep through but this didn't seem to work

 

So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated,

 

Many Thanks,

 

Kieran.

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Kieran, I haven't used the copying method, but I think it has to be laser copied?

 

The method I use is to trace the plans onto tracing paper and then pin prick through into the wood and join the dots afterwards. Slow but works for me. You can pin prick through the plans but it will mark them.

 

I also have a dressmakers wheel, if you place the balsa under the plans and then drive the wheel over the lines it leaves little pin pricks.

 

You can photocopy the plan and stick the bulkheads/ ribs etc on the wood then cut to the print. Peeling the paper off afterards can be a chore if you don't pick a mild adhesive.

 

Cheers

Danny

[kc]

Photocopy or tracing paper and then stick onto balsa with doublesided tape or Prit Stik etc Cut right through the tracing or photocopy into the balsa.  On ply just score the surface and run a pencil around the scoring.

The latest type of printer/scanner/copier seem to copy to exact size, but check.  If you can unclip the scanner top you can get right into the middle of a plan.

Many other ways too.

Edited By Tim Mackey - Administrator on 23/10/2010 19:47:16

[andy watson]

I use the scan/print/pritt stick method.

 

Works a treat

[Myron Beaumont]

Good old carbon paper for me !

[Pat (rActive) Harbord]

Yep, you are right, it has to be a laser print or photocopy. Works very well. The pin prick method is also good and is quicker than it appears at first.

[Pat (rActive) Harbord]

Danny, is that a new wing cross section in your photo?

[Danny Fenton]

 I knew I would be stitched up using that pic.......

 

 

[kc]

Just a few pieces of double sided sellotape about half inch long sticks the pattern to wood and peels off easily.

Same if you need to make two identical fuselage sides etc . Stick together with small bits of double sided tape.  

Cut right through with a scalpel its quicker than using dressmaking tools!

[Kieran]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, will be trying the ironing method again but with photocopies and if that fails to work I can always stick the plans down, I'll let you know

 

Kieran.

 

 

[Craig Carr]

Hi Kieran

 

Ive never used the photocopying method, either carbon paper like Myron or the pin prick method.

 

However, ive always had in the back of my mind a conversation I once had with the zerox engineer at my old workplace.  He told me that although a photocopy may look an exact replica in actual fact the reproduction image is slightly out to the original.  which wouldn't be good for model making

 

To be fair, I've never researched the accuracy of the statement but it always made me shy away from photocopying plans   

[Kieran]

Thanks for the heads up Craig, I will definitely check the copies against the originals.

[Stuart C]

I apply HB pencil to reverse side of plan - turn it over onto the balsa and copydraw with 3H - easy.

[kc]

Obviously check your own copier, but I can say that a Kodak ESP3 & an Epson 680 both printed to exact size as far as I can measure.  ( the Epson printed from a scanned copy& from a Profilli airfoil, the Kodak used as a copier )  More accurate than most published plans!

[Danny Fenton]

I too have the Guillows Hurricane kit, and will one day attempt an RC version. The thing we have to remember here is the scale of the task. The parts are tiny and paper stuck to balsa may be tricky. I have seen modellers print onto tissue and then dope that onto the model to get a particulr pattern. Often the lozenge pattern on WWI German aircraft. But you could print the outlines on tissue, and then dope, or banana oil, them onto the balsa.

 

As an aside, wasn't your kit die crushed/cut?

 

Cheers

Danny

[Kieran]

Die cut I believe, I had problems with the tailplanes not matching the plans but the fuselage and wing sections went together ok-ish although I spent a bit of time beforehand repairing splintered fuselage formers.

 

Spent the day re-draughting the fuselage formers (for eventual copying) to accept keels made from 1/32" sheet balsa as that is all I have left at the moment although I will be using 1/16" for the wings. I'm going to deviate from the Guillow's plan by dispensing with the Hurri's distinctive keel (part L6) as I am basing my model on the Hurricane prototype K5083, I will have to redesign the rudder as well.

 

And when I get bored of copying plans and cutting parts I will crack on with a new West Wings Hurricane kit

 

Kieran. 

 

[Kieran]

Just an update, plans printed using laser copiers can be ironed onto balsa although a lot of heat is needed.

 

Cheers,

 

Kieran.  

[Roger Bird]

  A transfer method I use is quick and simple but you need to be able to photocopy the plans, (or part of the plan). I have an AIO (All In One) printer that can print/scan/photocopy to A4 size. These AIO's are quite cheap these days.

 

 For example;  To transfer a wing rib, I would photocopy the relevent part of the plan and cut round the photocopied rib with a pair of scissors. The paper template is then laid onto balsa sheeting and sellotaped down onto the wood, making sure plenty of tape is on the balsa.

 

 You can then cut round the rib with a knife/scalpel, when the cutting is complete the template pops off. It now has a nice plastic coating and can be used again and again. The sellotape pulls off the balsa very easily with no damage sustained.

 

  If you use the template again, reverse it and get a plastic coating on the other side. It works well for ply templates as well, especially if you want to use the sandwich method for multiple ribs.

 

  The tape holds the template quite well and its easy to store your plastic template when finished. I tend to cut a little big and sand to plan size later as my cutting skills are not quite top knotch yet. Just curl the tape under and round if you want to use the balsa edge.

[Big Bandit]

Kieran,

 

As someone has already said, using older photocopiers set the iron to Rayon used this method for years. Yes some copiers slightly distort the image but not enough to make much difference and probably much more accurate than tracing.

Newer type lazer copiers seem to work better if the copy is face down on the wood as usual then rub Acetone or Cellulose thinners through the back of the paper.

 

Chris.

[PatMc]

For small parts I scan at 288dpi then position the parts to fit on a 4 x A4 canvas at 72 dpi in Paint Shop Pro allowing for printer margins. Print at 25% scale onto A4 size label paper, cut roughly around each part & position stick onto balsa sheet to get the least waste with correct grain orientation.

 

There are several brands of A4 label papers such as Decadry etc.

[Barrie Dav 2]

I use carbon paper and trace the plan parts onto stiff card to make a template and just cut around the template placed upon the balsa. Yes, it takes longer but it is accurate and you have a template to assist repairs if/when things go pear-shaped.

[Danny Fenton]

A method I use if I am in a hurry, and the item is simple, is to place some wax paper (tracing paper) over the thing I want to trace and draw over the lines with a pencil (softer the better) then simply place the tracing paper upside down on the wood and rub the back of the tracing paper gently with something smooth like the back of a spoon. Has taken longer to tell than to do

 

Cheers

Danny

[Vecchio Austriaco]

Kieran,

 

there is also an older thread which may be interresting for you (especially as it contains also a link to my method

 

Find the thread here

[Lima Hotel Foxtrot]

Be careful with photocopying from an all in one printer; My HP Deskject F2180 squashes the image in the longer dimension when scanning with the photo quality button selected, but not at all with the text button selected.

[Vecchio Austriaco]

This is why I was writing the following

 

"You have to scan the plan - or a part of the plan - first and you have to be sure not to change scale. To do this draw a scale mark on the original plan - for instance a line showing exactly 10 cm. Make a second mark 90° to the first one. Make a test print after scanning on ordinary paper to see if both marks are still 10 cm. If yes follow the procedure as described. Don't forget to mirror immage the scan"

Cheers VA