Scratchbuilding techniques

[Cees Broere]

Was wondering what would be the best techniques to scratchbuild fuselages and wings. For simple boxshapes it is quite simple using flat plasticcard shapes as I have done with the HP 0/400's. Tom's Shackleton is another way to build up a fuselage using a central keel with half formers and added vacform shapes for skinning. But what is generally the best way? And what about wings. Any ideas?

[wunwinglow]

Get this...... 

 

 

or this if you can find it....

 

 

 

or/and this....

 

Edited August 26, 2016 by wunwinglow

[Rainer Hoffmann]

Hi Cees,

 

I don't know whether there is a "best way" to scratch build fuselages or wings. Having said that, vac forming over a master (made from wood, plaster or whatever) is probably a good solution, if you have the means to do that. I don't, so I revert to the classical central keel and frame method. For props it's quite simple, for jets with big engines (like the Viggen) it's a bit more complicated as you need a hollow fuselage for the engine or at least the afterburner can.

 

Skinning the whole fuselage with styrene can be cumbersome, but it's doable. You need a fair amount of filler and lots of wet 'n dry.

 

Wings can also be tricky. I usually build a basic structure of fwd and aft main spars and ribs, then skin with styrene sheet, more or less as I would the fuselage. However, I'm an aerospace engineer and I tend to emulate the real thing, which may well be completely silly.

 

Having said that, if you are comfortable with wood you could carve fuselage and wings from balsa blocks and then skin them with whatever material you like (aluminum sheet comes to mind...).

 

Whatever you decide on, stock up on wet 'n dry. You'll need at least three times as much as you think you will...

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

Rainer

[Rick Griewski]

Check out the aerodrome web site. Google Harry Woodman aerodrome. It is located in their archive.

 

HTH

 

Rick

[Rick Griewski]

Check out the aerodrome web site. Google Harry Woodman aerodrome. It is located in their archive.

HTH

Rick

See Abebooks.

[Jack]

Was wondering what would be the best techniques to scratchbuild fuselages and wings. For simple boxshapes it is quite simple using flat plasticcard shapes as I have done with the HP 0/400's. Tom's Shackleton is another way to build up a fuselage using a central keel with half formers and added vacform shapes for skinning. But what is generally the best way? And what about wings. Any ideas?

 

Cees, as "wunwinglow" said, try to get hold of this book (have it myself, splendid tutorial):

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/251-0996829-9592127?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=0-88740-417-0

[airscale]

that book is definately where to get the answers and inspiration - and at £20 with shipping it's a steal (the one with George Lee's Boeing on it..)

 

I have a little experience now in some complex shapes and I would say the simplest way for something like a fuselage or nacelle is the traditional way of using plans to derive cross sections, then a combo of block balsa and P38 car filler to arrive at a master,,

 

this can be used to vacform sections (or as much as will fit in your machine).. I have even used it directly as a core to skin with metal, or maybe try plastic or even GRP resin. As long as you build for the weight, I can't see a problem building an entire fuselage this way - P38 is very stable and solid and very easy to work

 

the wings of my F7F were just thick plastic card to get the outline, then a laminate of balsa to build the aerofoil - again skin in metal, plastic, GRP, P38 or whatever to make a master to form over or as a component itself..

 

..give it a go Cees - if you haven't already got one then look to make a vac-form box - that opens the door to all manner of possibilities - instructions are in that book

 

if you haven't got it by Telford then you and I will be having words

 

Peter

[Cees Broere]

Thanks,

Got those three books and are well thumbed over the years but although great for inspiration they hardly give any clues about how to build fuselages or wings.

I always wanted to have a 1/32 Hampden but the former ID Models is useless ( have tried that) so making a solid form for vacforming would be the best choice. At some point I had already scratchbuilt a tailplane with fins but the lack of good drawings other than Richard Caruana's from the Warpaint book stalled it. Although I have a 1/33 paper model somewhere.

Any advice?

[Bill_S]

Buy a Guillows kit; instead of covering with tissue, try using styrene.

[BloorwestSiR]

Buy a Guillows kit; instead of covering with tissue, try using styrene.

Or use a paper craft kit as your base. There was a forum member Russ (RIP) who did that for his XF5-U build before the Planet Model resin kit came out. I'm trying to find his build thread as I'm thinking of trying it out. It'll totally be outside my skills window but worth a shot.

 

Carl

[Pete Fleischmann]

Hi Cees,

 

I had the same question a few years ago, and went down this path-

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=28715&hl=

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[MikeMaben]

Got those three books and are well thumbed over the years but although great for inspiration they hardly give any clues about how to build fuselages or wings.

 

I agree, helpful to a beginner but nothing that one couldn't learn elsewhere.

Like Cees said tho, quite inspirational with loads of fantastic photos of fantastic models.

[Dandiego]

Cees,

 

I have scratch built 3 different models. The first was crap, the second was pretty good and the third I am quite proud of.

 

Bottomline, you have to build to get better. And you have to start somewhere.

 

Start with something easy and progress to your dream project. Check out my 1:32 Skyshark here on the forum. I was learning every step of the way. You will too.

 

Dan

[wunwinglow]

You will find you will adapt techniques to suit your subjects as well as your own skill set and access to tools and processes.  Even building something up from parts as against carving away from a lump can be more or less appropriate. Be prepared to try things, make stuff several times until you are happy with it, but learning all the way. No-one I know builds stuff in one go, whatever they are making!!

 

Its a learning process as much as it is a building process. And I personally love the learning as much as the building. 

 

Although that means I rarely actually finish anything. Sometimes a dash of bloddyminded stubbornness is no bad thing....

 

T

[mozart]

You will find you will adapt techniques to suit your subjects as well as your own skill set and access to tools and processes.  Even building something up from parts as against carving away from a lump can be more or less appropriate. Be prepared to try things, make stuff several times until you are happy with it, but learning all the way. No-one I know builds stuff in one go, whatever they are making!!

 

Its a learning process as much as it is a building process. And I personally love the learning as much as the building. 

 

Although that means I rarely actually finish anything. Sometimes a dash of bloddyminded stubbornness is no bad thing....

 

T

 

Going through that very process right now Tim with my Anson, and loving it!

Max