What are Model Balsa Planes in the first place, you might ask? Well quite simply, they are miniature scale models of planes with their inner frame comprising of balsa wood, such as this:
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| Photo by Guillow’s |
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| Photo by BUDK |
I don’t guarantee that these tips will work for you, or that you won't find others elsewhere. But here they are regardless:
Tip #1: School Glue is Fine
Most MBP kits will recommend that you use a wood glue for gluing the wooden frame together, and a plastic cement for the plastic parts (ex. wheels, propeller, and exhausts). However, I’ve found that school glue is a good substitute for both types of glue. It isn’t as sticky when wet and takes longer to dry, but it still works fine.
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| Photo by Target |
Tip #2: Make Your Own Dope
MBP kits will also recommend that you use a special dope for sticking the tissue covering to the frame. Instead though, you can make your own by making a mixture of 50% school glue and 50% water. Use a brush to spread the mixture onto the wooden frame.
When you start building a MBP, the first thing that you should do is read the entire instruction manual multiple times, and look at the materials supplied in the kit. Before you start building, you should know what you need to do and where each part goes. This helps to avoid making hard-to-fix mistakes, especially since the instructions can very often be very unorganized and unclear.
Tip #4: Put Wax Paper Over the Plan
Many MBP kits will have plans with at least one 1:1 scale picture. The idea for this (which may not be obvious from the instructions), is to lay down the wood pieces on-top of the picture, and to glue them so that the frame is accurately made. To avoid the frame sticking to the plan, you should put wax paper over the pictures. It's transparent, so you can see the image below it, and glued paper peels off of it without it ripping, which prevents paper from getting stuck to the frame.
Tip #5: If You Can’t Use Pins, Use a Paperweight (Literally)
When you are gluing parts together over a plan, most kits will tell you to pin the pieces in place with pins. If for some reason you can’t use pins, then put things (such as a glue bottle) on top of the parts. This will do the same job as the pins and prevents the parts from moving around while drying.
Tip #6: Use Rubber Bands
When building the frame, there may be times when you need to hold two parts together until they dry. This isn’t possible to do if you are using school glue, which takes a few hours to dry. As a substitute, use a rubber band to hold the pieces together (note that this won't always be possible), while being careful that the glue doesn't touch the band. When the glue is dry, simply slip the rubber band off.
Tip #7: Fold the Tissue Paper Over
After the fame is built, you have to cover it with tissue. For the wings, rudder, and stabilizer, the kit will probably recommend that you cut an oversized piece and trim it after it is glued on and dry. However, this can leave your plane with non-smooth edges. Alternatively, you can still cut an oversized piece, but also fold it over and glue it while it is still wet. It may look odd after it dries, but the folded parts won't be visible after the plane is painted.
Tip #8: Cut Out Plastic Parts Carefully
In order to have smooth edges when cutting out plastic parts, you should follow these steps:
1.) Using your modeler's knife, gently score the plastic between the part and the extra plastic a few times. The scores should leave a small mark but shouldn't go completely through the plastic.
2.) Gently bend the part and the excess material (with the scored area as the fulcrum) back and forth a few times. The part should start to separate from the plastic; if it doesn't, score it a few more times.
3.) Keep scoring and bending the part until it is completely cut from the excess plastic (although some of the plastic you may have to cut off with a knife).
Tip #9: Don't Paint Too Much
When you are painting your plane (if you want to), be careful not to rip the tissue covering. Don't use a thick paint (as it will be hard to spread), nor a watery one/watercolor paint (as the water may create rips). Additionally, never go over the same area more than twice. Always do two coats and let it dry between coats.
Tip #10: Be Careful With Finishing Touches
Finishing touches heavily impact how a MBP looks. Consequently, you should be extra careful when doing them. As said before, paint carefully. Furthermore, you should also VERY careful with the stickers as they can rip incredibly easily. When marking the ailerons with a pen, make sure that they look the same on both sides of the plane.
Tip #11: Final Advice
If you follow the instructions which your kit provides, while going slowly and steadily, then you will be successful in building your plane. Avoid rushing, as this could result in irreversible mistakes. Finally, have fun building your plane. If you don't, then what's the point in spending so much time on it?
(The content above is original and created 100% by me. All uncited pictures were also taken by me)
Thanks for reading this blog post. If you have any questions about my tips, or suggestions about any of your own, then please comment below.
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