Scale Soaring UK

This looks superb Cliff. What CAD systems are you using? Its very impressive

Superb draughting skills - I am very impressed

Assembly of laser cut items and stringers always goes pretty fast. Adding plankingand other details items slow things a bit.
But that is part of the building a large scale glider.
Result to date looks great make sure things are kept straight and level when adding tail bits and planking. An Obvious remark, but experience tells me you cannot be too critical on that issue

That looks lovely and an amazingly tidy workspace as well

This is going to make a nice model. Well done Clive

Hi Cliff, This is my Bergfalke i have built

Any Flight details on the model[img]

Adam,
I suspect that in common with other ‘short’ laser cut woodie kits, the full Bergfalke kit comprises a plan & set of laser cut formers, ribs etc/other specifically shaped balsa/Liteply/Ply parts.
The builder needs to study the plan to work out what other standard balsa/ply/metal sheet & strip materials are needed to complete the build.
From my experience, any designer (certainly true in Jilles’ case) tends to identify standard wood sizes on the plan, which you can normally get from SLEC/Balsacabin etc. although you may need to splice standard lengths to get the overall length required for wing spar etc.

Peter

Here you go Adam.

But aren't models like that? Nothing that is not available from SlecUk!!!

Adam, don’t be put off by mix of metric & imperial dimensions. Just use nearest imperial in U.K.
Thus, 0.8mm is 1/32”, 1.5mm is 1/16”, 2.4mm is 3/32”, 3mm is 1/8 etc.

I doubt that you will find it easier unless you buy an ARTF model.

My style of drawing comes from my industrial background. A project comes with a BOM short for Bill Of Materials. drawing shows part numbers or code. the BOM gives details/ Standard drawing practices. This gives an overview of material required in one place. Drawings would become difficult to read and clogged up with text and repeating info.
Building a vintage glider of some size is a project in itself and part of that side of the hobby. The alternative is an ARF.

Not very challenging then! Just as well go ARTF

Adam, you have to face the challenge head on, as that what modelling is, a challenge, not just an easy ride or else you would go to the Toy Shop. If you are concerned about the material sizes, just rip them from standard sheet sizes with a small table saw, problem solved.

Over 100 !! Well is there any collateral damage or are they all still around

Adam C wrote: ↑04 Oct 2020, 10:45 Guys, getting a bit bored repeating this but Ive built over 100 scratch models so Im well aware of the challenges. I just prefer designs that reduce the need to source or cut masses of different dimension wood .

Good designs simplify not complicate a build. Why do you need 5 different stringer sizes for example ? Shame as its a lovely well though out design.

Thanks for the input , helpful or otherwise but I have found a nice laser cut czech bergfalke kit that suits my needs perfectly.

safe flying...

Yes, things have moved on since Keil Kraft!

Hi. I been flying the Bergfalke for 3 years now and its only a fabulous glider .

For what it is worth I would like to make some comments as a designer of Vintage scale models
Because of the larger scale there is more detail to be added to make them a real scale model
Material sizes of parts are as required for their purpose. Using a one size stringer section would make the model heavier than nessecary.
Building a vintage scale model is a hobby in itself, and can take some time. If you want a new model and it needs to fly next month then go for an ARF but you have to accept some facts that come with an ARF.
My expereince with ARF models is that they do not last long. the build quality is poor in particular the glue joints, poor applied covering and they are in most cases not true scale and do not fly as well as a well thought out and properly built model.

If you do not want to built or do not have the time than ARF's are theway to go as long as you realize what you get for your money and accept that.

Jilles,

I appreciate the comparison to ARTF but thats got nothing to do with my initial concerns.

I accept your designs are trying to be as true to scale as possible and with weight in mind but do spare a though for the cost and availability of all the different wood dimensions you use . I dont have a table saw, planer or similar. I have to buy in the timber pre cut.

For example, Im building a 1/4 scale grunau baby now that uses commercial sized timber ( 5 x 5mm pine for longerons and all the fuselage and 8mm sq spars for example ) that I can but from a DIY store. Its very cost affective compared to having bespoke timber cut and posted to me.

End of the day, im only trying to help make your designs more viable for the average builder.

Adam, you will have to get used to using non-standard sizes, a lot of the wood we use comes from Russia. Here in the UK the supplies of this wood are drying up.. My supplier has now had to source 3mm and 4mm ply from another source and the new source is an entirely different grade of wood. Also, I must say that one of the most satisfying aspects of this hobby is making what is required from what is not the"norm" SlecUK supplies both imperial and metric so in theory, you should really have no problem in getting what you need. Obviously using pine etc from your local DIY store may well be cheaper but the quality of some of the pine they use is not what I would use in a model. If I were to supply one of my kits using some of this DIY wood, I would not hear the end of it. Also in Jilles's defence. He draws his plans for no commercial gain!

Cliff,

I went to a local classic aircraft restorer and he directed me to a local timber merchant he uses. The colombian pine wood is fantastic quality and wayyyy cheaper than the spruce model suppliers. No website though, you have to visit . I also noted a few very gifted LMA builders use pine for spars and longerons. Ply is a problem so may have to explore the use of alternatives . Interestingly when I did order some ply from SLEC some time ago , the backing board used to post them was 3mm proper ply and worth half as much as the stuff i ordered!
'
I appreciate your take on building but I suspect thats not a view most builders would agree with given the choice .

Anyway back to ply sheeting the fuselage!!!