Stupid question from a beginner

Mattokun

New Member
Hello,
I'm new here, so Hello to all first.
This is my first post, so please bear with me.
I consider myself reasonably smart, and capable with my hands. I build RC airplanes from scratch (some even with supersimple rectangular cardboard fuselages and tail units/empennages), and I do Origami on occasion. But I never did card modeling.
It looks very cool though. And recently I got a Fiddler's Green Horten IX VI glider "kit" from a friend. It looks reasonably easy, but there is one question that I can not figure out:
When I glue the wings to the fuselage, how do I hold those little gluing triangle strips against the wing so that the glue can actually make contact? Anyway, first of all, what glue to use? But then, the glued parts need to make contact, right? So when one wing is on already, and the other one "closes" the shape, how can I hold against from the inside?
I have attached a picture, I hope it works (and I don't infringe any copyrights here, so I pixelated it), to make it a bit more clear. I hope my question is reasonable, and not too stupid? :-|
Thank you in advance.
 

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Zathros

First of all, :welcome1: to the forum! Second, there are no stupid questions only stupid answers. Third, this may be a stupid answer!


I use glue from Michael's Craft stores, it.s called Uhu, Yellow bottle. Works great. I would try and attach the connecting triangles by either sticking your finger or some other tool inside of the cock pit and pressing on the tabs (triangles).

There is another way also, you could cut off the tabs and make a strip that you glue to the fuselage (on the inside, of course, maybe 3/8th's of an inch wide, it depends on how big the model is), Let it dry. This will give you a surface to slip the wing onto .

You can use the "little triangles", you just push them out so that they will push against the inside of the wing, you may need a pin to push some of the triangles in as you work your way around. By using a strips, you avoid this problem. Looking at the picture, I think I would have gone that route. Paper modeling is one of those hobbies where there are many ways to do the same thing. A nice end result pleasing to your own eye is ultimately the right way. Post pics of the results, please, and at a higher resolution so they are more visible. Welcome and have fun.


P.S. After 10 posts you are then allowed to download models from the free section of the forum. Free models are an excellent way to practice, but then again, with the 1000's of free models available, you may not find the need to ever purchase one.

It is when you want something specific, that purchasing comes into it.
 

silveroxide

Senior Member

Mattokun

New Member
Thanks all

All and Zathros,

Thanks for the warm welcome, and all the useful hints. Sometimes it's simple things that are way beyond the reach... I really appreciate y'all's help!

I will have to move across the country for a new job soon, so I won't be able to get to this right away, but I'll post the results as soon as I have them.

Thank again all!

:inmew: :eek:ops:

Oh, and Zathros, I know UHU, it's from Germany just like I am, I grew up with this stuff, we used it in kindergarten... and thanks for letting me know about the free model downloads.
 
Z

Zathros

Mattokun, you're only moving across the country! Stay in touch, Bitte! Wir hoffen, bald von Dir hören!
 

howtogurus

New Member
Here are a couple of tips that I use. I hate to sit and hold a model part until it drys so I have a collection of clips and clamps to keep things in place. My favorites are small forceps and some really nice little spring clamps that I bought at Radio Shack, they are about an inch long and are designed for for putting on the ends of wires to make jump and test cables. There are two types, one has teeth and one has flat ends (no teeth). I use the flat ones, they work great. On glue, I just use standard Elmers for all my builds, never had a problem, but it is slow dry.
 

howtogurus

New Member
One more tip I forgot, I have a stack of $1 coins, they seem silly to use as money but they make great weights for model building. For light weight just use one, or stack on more if you need more weight. I have a stack of 6 ($6 in weights), handles most of my needs. For the big stuff I have a heavy cylinder weight off of the end of a desk lamp, for large areas I put a plastic ruler on the parts being glued and then put the desk lamp weight on that, the ruler spreads out the force. Of course this only works for flat glues, but there tend to be lots of those. The smaller weights can be used on non-flat surfaces if you are careful on balancing.
 
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Zathros

Forceps rule! If I ever see them at Tag Sales I always buy them. The real ones are super expensive. Good tips by the way!
 

inky

Member
First, Welcome to the forum.

I think Zathros explain it well. My only advice is...and I know from experience when I first started. Do not score the tabs on the wings, Scoring them makes them bend and you do not want that. Leave them un-scored and they will stay ridged and straight out so you don't have to worry about pushing them back up or holding them. Hope that makes since.

Good luck to you and can't wait to see some of your build pics.
 
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Zathros

True about tabs, and never bend a part past the angle that is necessary. Also, try and move away from Elmers glue, as it penetrates too much. There are times when that may be useful, but if your printer is Dye based and not Pigment based, the colors will run. I like UHU Brand glue and Zip Dry.
 

ETOTONGKA

New Member
Welcome to the group first , if its a wing or anything such as a rocket body and since I like to have a flush joint I'll trim off the tabs (then take some scrap cardstock or regular paper depending on the size of the model) and glue it to the inside of my parts. Then I'll assemble the model.
 
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