Simon UK Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Ok guys i am relativley new to the hobby, i had been avoiding building from plans until this morning when the new RCM&E dropped through my door. I really feel i have no choice but to (try to) build the foam Ultimate. This is the first ever build i am going to attempt and i have no idea where to even start. The article tells me to use 8mm Epp - ok i can get that no problem. But here is the million dollar question. How do i get the plan from the paper to the foam? This is all very confusing to me which to be honest is why i have avoided plans until now. I notice also that the plan is double sided so i cant just cut out the parts and then pin and trace around them. I have downloaded a free extra 300 shocky plan in pdf format from (rcpowers.com) this is a cut out plan but the rcm&e plans just confuse me. Please help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy watson Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 This is a perrenial problem with a lot of potential solutions. I have never worked with foam, so some ideas will work better than others. The simplest is to trace/copy the plan pieces and stick them to the foam and cut out round the template. You can stick pins through the plan into the foam and play dot to dot to make the original shape. I find with balsa drawing over the plan with a pencil leaves enough of an imprint in the wood to then follow the shape. I have seen someone recommend a small cutting disc type instrument (looked like a small pizza cutter) to do the same thing (think it was a sewing type tool). No solution is perfect, but experiment and find the one that suits you best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Richards Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I am no expert but the few plan build I have done I have used a photo copier (all in one printer) to copy each component. Then cut out the copies and used them as templates. I have also used the pin prick method but I do not think this will work with EPP it is too rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonSpencerUK Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Hi Simuk My first ever build was one of Foamy Dave's: the Tiger Moth in Depron. My local office supplies shop copies the plan for £1.00 per side so i get two of each in case of KU's. I simply cut around the outlines then pin them to the sheets and cut round again with a new blade (a new No.11 blade going through Depron is one of THE great sounds). The article actually calls for 9mm EPP, don't know where he gets that from. Where do you get your 8mm from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Wood Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I was recently building a Precedent Stampe wing. The plan only gave the port wing and the instructions suggested that for the starboard wing the plan should be taped to a window and the outline traced on the back of the plan or alternatively spray it with WD40 to make it semi transparent. I took the plan along to a local printing company and for £1.50 had a mirror image printed. Much simpler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon UK Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Hi guys thanks for all the replies, i can see that photo copies of each side would probably be the way to go. I have a local copy shop so i am pretty sure they can do the size ok, will get it done and let you all know how things go. Ron i find Robot Birds to be the most convenient way for me to get it, 8mm seems to be the thickest they do though so the Ultimate will be made with that Pictures of you Tiger Moth would be nice to see to Ron Peter that plan you used for the Precedent sounds like it was kinda "Half A**ed" put together. Expecting the user to produce a reversed image of a wing is a little extreme imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Wood 4 Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Simon The Precedent Stampe kit dates back about 20 to 30 years and is certainly not a beginners model. Bu todays standards the instructions are rudimentay and you can spend as much time studying the plan to work out the build sequence as you do actually sticking wood together. Still thats half the fun and it is certainly satisying when the model is complete - much more than an ARTF. Good luck with the build and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy watson Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I am building a plan built stuka from RCM&E plans and they also expected you to build the second wing on the back of the plan for the first. I phoned RCM&E plans service and they very kindly sent me a reversed plan for the wing- free of charge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon UK Posted November 21, 2009 Author Share Posted November 21, 2009 Cool Andy glad to here it! We do after all subscribe to the best RC Aircraft mag available Looking again at the Ultimate plan and reading the accompanying article a lot of it sounds like a foreign language to me. sigh... oh well i will get my parts traced and cut out then worry about how to put it together. Cheers again for the info guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Ireland Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 That was good of them Andy, must admit I wouldn't have thought of asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I'm thinking of using the plan to make it out of what I'm used to --Balsa etc Not used to foam or carbon but at least I have an outline of its shape . Trouble is I now have 3 builds on the go ! Winter time Eh ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 PS And writing limericks and modelling- type Xmas carols They're on another thread. Build whilst you work on the forum Eh ? And I don't get paid like all the rich moderators Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 For many sports type models, which are just a collection of straight lines, with a small number of strategic curves I mark out the sheet or a peice of wallpaper. I did this with Foamie Daves Ballerana, using a roller ball biro, 1m rule, and French Curves, straight onto the sheet. Simples! For some more complicated senarios, Just mark out the simplified features, onto the wall paper. At one time for smaller models I would use the plan, having rubbed a canble all over it. Pinning the bits straight to the board. Do not do this now, models to big. Erfolg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon UK Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Well i'm thinking that i will just get a couple of photocopies of each side, then cut out all the pieces, pin them to the foam, mark around them at different points. Take the cut out of the foam, play join the dots with a straight edge and a pen, then cut all the parts out. Then i guess i should mark all the pieces (A1, F2 ect...). Then it's time to start the jigsaw puzzle. Does this sound like a reasonable plan do you think? Edited By Simon UK on 22/11/2009 15:28:51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon UK Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 photo copies done got both sides done twice £5.40 all in . Well worth it if i can make this plane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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