September 2004 139
CONTROL LINE SCALE
Bill Boss, 77-06 269th St., New Hyde Park NY 11040
CARDBOARD FOR model construction?
Most of you have probably built models
from standard balsa and hardwood kits,
designed your own, or tried the ARFs that
generally use a considerable amount of
foam in their construction. Perhaps you
would like to try something different for
that next Fun or Sport Scale model.
Chuck Felton of Lakehills, Texas,
suggests that cardboard is a viable
alternative as a construction material and
that it can be used in many areas of
building our airplanes.
He became interested in using
cardboard for models in 1977. He started
by designing a Curtiss Robin and an
S.E.5a since they had boxy configurations
and seemed easy to design for cardboard.
Chuck’s love of World War II aircraft
finally led him to figure out how to obtain
smooth curved airfoil shapes for the wings
and rounded sections of an airplane’s
fuselage.
Another great motivator for using
cardboard is that the cost per model can be
much lower compared to wood and other
typical construction materials.
Most of the dozen or more cardboard
models Chuck has built have had
wingspans of 50 to 60 inches and are
generally powered with engines ranging
from .40 to .60 cu. in. displacement.
Controls are the standard two or three
flying-line setups.
The room provided here will not allow
me to go into the step-by-step construction
process in great depth, but I will try to
present the basics of using cardboard.
Chuck asserts that building with
cardboard has several advantages, one of
Chuck Felton constructed this Yak-9 using corrugated cardboard as the main material.
Text contains basic construction details. All photos by Chuck Felton.
Begin fuselage construction by using box configuration, and
then add formers and stringers to form curved portions.
Building a wing requires a minimum number of parts: plywood
main spar, cardboard ribs, one-piece wing top and bottom.
which is that covering material is
generally not required. The surface of
solid cardboard is ready for finishing.
Since most of the models’ parts will be
cardboard, the cost is low.
Cardboard’s inherent strength means
that relatively few pieces are required
and building time is minimal. The bigger
models don’t cost much more than the
smaller models because they only require
larger pieces of cardboard.
The only cost (assuming that you can
obtain most of the cardboard for free) is
for plywood or hardwoods that are
required in high-stress areas such as the
engine mount, the landing-gear
attachment points, the main wing spar,
and the bellcrank control system, as you
would normally use in all-wood
construction methods.
Basics: Corrugated cardboard varies in
weight, but Chuck says the cardboard to
use should have a minimum thickness of
1⁄8 inch and be the type that has brown
paper on one side and a white-finish
paper on the other side. Although he
didn’t say so, I would imagine that glossy
corrugated-cardboard boxes of the right
thickness with advertisements or product
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:41 pm Page 139
pictures on them would also do.
You can gather cardboard from many
sources: products that you buy, box
manufacturers, or local stores that
routinely dispose of cardboard boxes in
which they receive shipments.
The glue of choice for cardboard
construction is the water-based types such
as white glue or Titebond. Although spray
adhesives and contact cements work well,
their attachment process is almost
instantaneous and they do not give you
time to shift a part once it is in place.
Construction can be simple. If you have a
set of full-size plans, all you need to do is
trace and transfer part outlines to the
cardboard. Let’s use a wing as an example.
Obtain a piece of cardboard that is large
enough to make the top and bottom of one
half of the wing in one piece. Trace or lay
out the wing outline on the brown side of
the cardboard, and cut it out. Mark the spar
and rib locations, and glue them in place
on what would be the bottom of the wing.
Crease/score the area of the cardboard
that will become top wing covering several
times so that it will form smoothly over the
ribs. Do this scoring with a good
straightedge and a screen mending tool
that you can get from most hardware
stores. This tool has two wheels that are
roughly 11⁄4-11⁄2 inches across. One end has
a semiround wheel for forcing new
screening in its channel, and the other end
has a U-shaped wheel for inserting the
screen retaining spline. Be sure to use the
semiround end for scoring the cardboard.
Score across the corrugation—not in
line with it. If you score with the
corrugation, you will most likely cut into
the cardboard and will not get the desired
smooth surface over the wing ribs.
You can seal the TE or other seams
with strips of gummed paper tape that you
can purchase in various widths at your
local stationery store. You make the
wingtips from balsa blocks that you shape,
sand, and then glue in place.
Depending on the airplane, the fuselage
can be a box configuration for an S.E.5a or
a Spad. If the model requires rounding,
you can add formers and stringers to the
top, bottom, or sides. To apply the
140 MODEL AVIATION
For information on how to become
a part of this exciting sport contact:
Academy of Model Aeronautics
5161 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, Indiana 47302-9252
765-287-1256
or 800-435-9262 (800-I-FLY AMA)
www.modelaircraft.org
America’s
Modeling
Adventure
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:42 pm Page 140
September 2004 141
CST
The Composites Store Inc.
PO Box 622, Tehachapi, CA 93581
Order on-line or by phone
1-800-338-1278
Tech Support: 661-823-0108
• Rods & Tubes
• Carbon,
Aramid &
Fiberglass
Materials
• Epoxy
Systems
• Vacuum
Bagging and
Molding
Supplies
• FREE How-To
Articles on
the web
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
www.cstsales.com
STOCK THE
SHOP FOR
BUILDING
SEASON!
AMA Academy of Model
Aeronautics
ARF Almost Ready to Fly
BEC Battery Eliminator
Circuit
CAD computer-aided design
cc cubic centimeter
CD contest director or
compact disc
CG center of gravity
CL Control Line
cm centimeter
cu. in. cubic inch
DT dethermalizer
EPP (foam)expanded polypropylene
ESC Electronic Speed
Control
FAI Fédération
Aéronautique
Internationale
FCC Federal Communications
Commission
FF Free Flight
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
LE leading edge
LED light-emitting diode
Li-Poly Lithium Polymer
mA milliamperes
MA Model Aviation
mAh milliampere-hours
MHz megahertz
mm millimeter
Nats AMA Nationals
Ni-Cd Nickel Cadmium
NiMH Nickel Metal Hydride
RC Radio Control
rpm revolutions per minute
RTF Ready to Fly
SASE self-addressed, stamped
envelope
SIG Special Interest Group
TE trailing edge
ModelAviation’s
Frequently Used Abbreviations/Acronyms
cardboard over these surfaces, use the
same technique you used on the wing.
Score the cardboard in the proper
direction so that it can be easily applied to
the rounded contour areas.
The tail assembly requires that the
parts be made from two layers of
cardboard laminated cross flute, providing
considerable strength to the components.
Laminate the brown side to the brown
side, leaving the white or glossy side as
the finished surface. To finish the tail
pieces, add a balsa strip to each LE which
you can sand round. Cover each TE with a
strip of gummed paper tape for sealing
and painting.
Finishing a cardboard model is much
like finishing any wood-constructed model
except that its surface does not need the
preparation of filler coats. Before you
apply a finish to the model, be sure to seal
all seams, joints, and exposed edges with
the gummed paper tape. Cut the tape into
thin strips that are the proper lengths, dip
them in water, and apply them where
necessary. Make sure they go on
smoothly.
If you are going to finish your model
with paint, Chuck suggests that you cover
it with a couple coats of clear dope. When
each coat is dry, sand it with 400-grit
paper. After that, you are ready to apply
two or three coats of color. If you are
going to finish the model with a covering
such as MonoKote, do not apply the clear
dope; the film coverings adhere better to
untreated cardboard.
If you want more detailed cardboard
construction techniques or want to see
more photos of Chuck’s work, visit his
great-looking Web site: http://home.
earthlink.net/~charlesfelton.
After you see the fine-looking models
Chuck has on his Web site, you may be
tempted to try your hand at cardboard
construction. You’ll learn some new
techniques, save some of your hard-earned
money, and have fun doing it.
I need column material. I want to
remind you CL Scale modelers that I
can show readers what you are doing
with your latest projects, your models,
include your building techniques, list
contests, report on contests, and
promote CL Scale in general. If you
send me a notice about an upcoming
contest, please remember that there is
roughly a three-month lead time.
Please send your ideas, notice of
upcoming CL Scale events, contest
reports, and especially photos of your CL
Scale activity to me at the address at the
top of this column. MA
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:42 pm Page 141
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/09
Page Numbers: 139,140,141
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/09
Page Numbers: 139,140,141
September 2004 139
CONTROL LINE SCALE
Bill Boss, 77-06 269th St., New Hyde Park NY 11040
CARDBOARD FOR model construction?
Most of you have probably built models
from standard balsa and hardwood kits,
designed your own, or tried the ARFs that
generally use a considerable amount of
foam in their construction. Perhaps you
would like to try something different for
that next Fun or Sport Scale model.
Chuck Felton of Lakehills, Texas,
suggests that cardboard is a viable
alternative as a construction material and
that it can be used in many areas of
building our airplanes.
He became interested in using
cardboard for models in 1977. He started
by designing a Curtiss Robin and an
S.E.5a since they had boxy configurations
and seemed easy to design for cardboard.
Chuck’s love of World War II aircraft
finally led him to figure out how to obtain
smooth curved airfoil shapes for the wings
and rounded sections of an airplane’s
fuselage.
Another great motivator for using
cardboard is that the cost per model can be
much lower compared to wood and other
typical construction materials.
Most of the dozen or more cardboard
models Chuck has built have had
wingspans of 50 to 60 inches and are
generally powered with engines ranging
from .40 to .60 cu. in. displacement.
Controls are the standard two or three
flying-line setups.
The room provided here will not allow
me to go into the step-by-step construction
process in great depth, but I will try to
present the basics of using cardboard.
Chuck asserts that building with
cardboard has several advantages, one of
Chuck Felton constructed this Yak-9 using corrugated cardboard as the main material.
Text contains basic construction details. All photos by Chuck Felton.
Begin fuselage construction by using box configuration, and
then add formers and stringers to form curved portions.
Building a wing requires a minimum number of parts: plywood
main spar, cardboard ribs, one-piece wing top and bottom.
which is that covering material is
generally not required. The surface of
solid cardboard is ready for finishing.
Since most of the models’ parts will be
cardboard, the cost is low.
Cardboard’s inherent strength means
that relatively few pieces are required
and building time is minimal. The bigger
models don’t cost much more than the
smaller models because they only require
larger pieces of cardboard.
The only cost (assuming that you can
obtain most of the cardboard for free) is
for plywood or hardwoods that are
required in high-stress areas such as the
engine mount, the landing-gear
attachment points, the main wing spar,
and the bellcrank control system, as you
would normally use in all-wood
construction methods.
Basics: Corrugated cardboard varies in
weight, but Chuck says the cardboard to
use should have a minimum thickness of
1⁄8 inch and be the type that has brown
paper on one side and a white-finish
paper on the other side. Although he
didn’t say so, I would imagine that glossy
corrugated-cardboard boxes of the right
thickness with advertisements or product
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:41 pm Page 139
pictures on them would also do.
You can gather cardboard from many
sources: products that you buy, box
manufacturers, or local stores that
routinely dispose of cardboard boxes in
which they receive shipments.
The glue of choice for cardboard
construction is the water-based types such
as white glue or Titebond. Although spray
adhesives and contact cements work well,
their attachment process is almost
instantaneous and they do not give you
time to shift a part once it is in place.
Construction can be simple. If you have a
set of full-size plans, all you need to do is
trace and transfer part outlines to the
cardboard. Let’s use a wing as an example.
Obtain a piece of cardboard that is large
enough to make the top and bottom of one
half of the wing in one piece. Trace or lay
out the wing outline on the brown side of
the cardboard, and cut it out. Mark the spar
and rib locations, and glue them in place
on what would be the bottom of the wing.
Crease/score the area of the cardboard
that will become top wing covering several
times so that it will form smoothly over the
ribs. Do this scoring with a good
straightedge and a screen mending tool
that you can get from most hardware
stores. This tool has two wheels that are
roughly 11⁄4-11⁄2 inches across. One end has
a semiround wheel for forcing new
screening in its channel, and the other end
has a U-shaped wheel for inserting the
screen retaining spline. Be sure to use the
semiround end for scoring the cardboard.
Score across the corrugation—not in
line with it. If you score with the
corrugation, you will most likely cut into
the cardboard and will not get the desired
smooth surface over the wing ribs.
You can seal the TE or other seams
with strips of gummed paper tape that you
can purchase in various widths at your
local stationery store. You make the
wingtips from balsa blocks that you shape,
sand, and then glue in place.
Depending on the airplane, the fuselage
can be a box configuration for an S.E.5a or
a Spad. If the model requires rounding,
you can add formers and stringers to the
top, bottom, or sides. To apply the
140 MODEL AVIATION
For information on how to become
a part of this exciting sport contact:
Academy of Model Aeronautics
5161 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, Indiana 47302-9252
765-287-1256
or 800-435-9262 (800-I-FLY AMA)
www.modelaircraft.org
America’s
Modeling
Adventure
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:42 pm Page 140
September 2004 141
CST
The Composites Store Inc.
PO Box 622, Tehachapi, CA 93581
Order on-line or by phone
1-800-338-1278
Tech Support: 661-823-0108
• Rods & Tubes
• Carbon,
Aramid &
Fiberglass
Materials
• Epoxy
Systems
• Vacuum
Bagging and
Molding
Supplies
• FREE How-To
Articles on
the web
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
www.cstsales.com
STOCK THE
SHOP FOR
BUILDING
SEASON!
AMA Academy of Model
Aeronautics
ARF Almost Ready to Fly
BEC Battery Eliminator
Circuit
CAD computer-aided design
cc cubic centimeter
CD contest director or
compact disc
CG center of gravity
CL Control Line
cm centimeter
cu. in. cubic inch
DT dethermalizer
EPP (foam)expanded polypropylene
ESC Electronic Speed
Control
FAI Fédération
Aéronautique
Internationale
FCC Federal Communications
Commission
FF Free Flight
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
LE leading edge
LED light-emitting diode
Li-Poly Lithium Polymer
mA milliamperes
MA Model Aviation
mAh milliampere-hours
MHz megahertz
mm millimeter
Nats AMA Nationals
Ni-Cd Nickel Cadmium
NiMH Nickel Metal Hydride
RC Radio Control
rpm revolutions per minute
RTF Ready to Fly
SASE self-addressed, stamped
envelope
SIG Special Interest Group
TE trailing edge
ModelAviation’s
Frequently Used Abbreviations/Acronyms
cardboard over these surfaces, use the
same technique you used on the wing.
Score the cardboard in the proper
direction so that it can be easily applied to
the rounded contour areas.
The tail assembly requires that the
parts be made from two layers of
cardboard laminated cross flute, providing
considerable strength to the components.
Laminate the brown side to the brown
side, leaving the white or glossy side as
the finished surface. To finish the tail
pieces, add a balsa strip to each LE which
you can sand round. Cover each TE with a
strip of gummed paper tape for sealing
and painting.
Finishing a cardboard model is much
like finishing any wood-constructed model
except that its surface does not need the
preparation of filler coats. Before you
apply a finish to the model, be sure to seal
all seams, joints, and exposed edges with
the gummed paper tape. Cut the tape into
thin strips that are the proper lengths, dip
them in water, and apply them where
necessary. Make sure they go on
smoothly.
If you are going to finish your model
with paint, Chuck suggests that you cover
it with a couple coats of clear dope. When
each coat is dry, sand it with 400-grit
paper. After that, you are ready to apply
two or three coats of color. If you are
going to finish the model with a covering
such as MonoKote, do not apply the clear
dope; the film coverings adhere better to
untreated cardboard.
If you want more detailed cardboard
construction techniques or want to see
more photos of Chuck’s work, visit his
great-looking Web site: http://home.
earthlink.net/~charlesfelton.
After you see the fine-looking models
Chuck has on his Web site, you may be
tempted to try your hand at cardboard
construction. You’ll learn some new
techniques, save some of your hard-earned
money, and have fun doing it.
I need column material. I want to
remind you CL Scale modelers that I
can show readers what you are doing
with your latest projects, your models,
include your building techniques, list
contests, report on contests, and
promote CL Scale in general. If you
send me a notice about an upcoming
contest, please remember that there is
roughly a three-month lead time.
Please send your ideas, notice of
upcoming CL Scale events, contest
reports, and especially photos of your CL
Scale activity to me at the address at the
top of this column. MA
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:42 pm Page 141
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/09
Page Numbers: 139,140,141
September 2004 139
CONTROL LINE SCALE
Bill Boss, 77-06 269th St., New Hyde Park NY 11040
CARDBOARD FOR model construction?
Most of you have probably built models
from standard balsa and hardwood kits,
designed your own, or tried the ARFs that
generally use a considerable amount of
foam in their construction. Perhaps you
would like to try something different for
that next Fun or Sport Scale model.
Chuck Felton of Lakehills, Texas,
suggests that cardboard is a viable
alternative as a construction material and
that it can be used in many areas of
building our airplanes.
He became interested in using
cardboard for models in 1977. He started
by designing a Curtiss Robin and an
S.E.5a since they had boxy configurations
and seemed easy to design for cardboard.
Chuck’s love of World War II aircraft
finally led him to figure out how to obtain
smooth curved airfoil shapes for the wings
and rounded sections of an airplane’s
fuselage.
Another great motivator for using
cardboard is that the cost per model can be
much lower compared to wood and other
typical construction materials.
Most of the dozen or more cardboard
models Chuck has built have had
wingspans of 50 to 60 inches and are
generally powered with engines ranging
from .40 to .60 cu. in. displacement.
Controls are the standard two or three
flying-line setups.
The room provided here will not allow
me to go into the step-by-step construction
process in great depth, but I will try to
present the basics of using cardboard.
Chuck asserts that building with
cardboard has several advantages, one of
Chuck Felton constructed this Yak-9 using corrugated cardboard as the main material.
Text contains basic construction details. All photos by Chuck Felton.
Begin fuselage construction by using box configuration, and
then add formers and stringers to form curved portions.
Building a wing requires a minimum number of parts: plywood
main spar, cardboard ribs, one-piece wing top and bottom.
which is that covering material is
generally not required. The surface of
solid cardboard is ready for finishing.
Since most of the models’ parts will be
cardboard, the cost is low.
Cardboard’s inherent strength means
that relatively few pieces are required
and building time is minimal. The bigger
models don’t cost much more than the
smaller models because they only require
larger pieces of cardboard.
The only cost (assuming that you can
obtain most of the cardboard for free) is
for plywood or hardwoods that are
required in high-stress areas such as the
engine mount, the landing-gear
attachment points, the main wing spar,
and the bellcrank control system, as you
would normally use in all-wood
construction methods.
Basics: Corrugated cardboard varies in
weight, but Chuck says the cardboard to
use should have a minimum thickness of
1⁄8 inch and be the type that has brown
paper on one side and a white-finish
paper on the other side. Although he
didn’t say so, I would imagine that glossy
corrugated-cardboard boxes of the right
thickness with advertisements or product
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:41 pm Page 139
pictures on them would also do.
You can gather cardboard from many
sources: products that you buy, box
manufacturers, or local stores that
routinely dispose of cardboard boxes in
which they receive shipments.
The glue of choice for cardboard
construction is the water-based types such
as white glue or Titebond. Although spray
adhesives and contact cements work well,
their attachment process is almost
instantaneous and they do not give you
time to shift a part once it is in place.
Construction can be simple. If you have a
set of full-size plans, all you need to do is
trace and transfer part outlines to the
cardboard. Let’s use a wing as an example.
Obtain a piece of cardboard that is large
enough to make the top and bottom of one
half of the wing in one piece. Trace or lay
out the wing outline on the brown side of
the cardboard, and cut it out. Mark the spar
and rib locations, and glue them in place
on what would be the bottom of the wing.
Crease/score the area of the cardboard
that will become top wing covering several
times so that it will form smoothly over the
ribs. Do this scoring with a good
straightedge and a screen mending tool
that you can get from most hardware
stores. This tool has two wheels that are
roughly 11⁄4-11⁄2 inches across. One end has
a semiround wheel for forcing new
screening in its channel, and the other end
has a U-shaped wheel for inserting the
screen retaining spline. Be sure to use the
semiround end for scoring the cardboard.
Score across the corrugation—not in
line with it. If you score with the
corrugation, you will most likely cut into
the cardboard and will not get the desired
smooth surface over the wing ribs.
You can seal the TE or other seams
with strips of gummed paper tape that you
can purchase in various widths at your
local stationery store. You make the
wingtips from balsa blocks that you shape,
sand, and then glue in place.
Depending on the airplane, the fuselage
can be a box configuration for an S.E.5a or
a Spad. If the model requires rounding,
you can add formers and stringers to the
top, bottom, or sides. To apply the
140 MODEL AVIATION
For information on how to become
a part of this exciting sport contact:
Academy of Model Aeronautics
5161 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, Indiana 47302-9252
765-287-1256
or 800-435-9262 (800-I-FLY AMA)
www.modelaircraft.org
America’s
Modeling
Adventure
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:42 pm Page 140
September 2004 141
CST
The Composites Store Inc.
PO Box 622, Tehachapi, CA 93581
Order on-line or by phone
1-800-338-1278
Tech Support: 661-823-0108
• Rods & Tubes
• Carbon,
Aramid &
Fiberglass
Materials
• Epoxy
Systems
• Vacuum
Bagging and
Molding
Supplies
• FREE How-To
Articles on
the web
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
www.cstsales.com
STOCK THE
SHOP FOR
BUILDING
SEASON!
AMA Academy of Model
Aeronautics
ARF Almost Ready to Fly
BEC Battery Eliminator
Circuit
CAD computer-aided design
cc cubic centimeter
CD contest director or
compact disc
CG center of gravity
CL Control Line
cm centimeter
cu. in. cubic inch
DT dethermalizer
EPP (foam)expanded polypropylene
ESC Electronic Speed
Control
FAI Fédération
Aéronautique
Internationale
FCC Federal Communications
Commission
FF Free Flight
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
LE leading edge
LED light-emitting diode
Li-Poly Lithium Polymer
mA milliamperes
MA Model Aviation
mAh milliampere-hours
MHz megahertz
mm millimeter
Nats AMA Nationals
Ni-Cd Nickel Cadmium
NiMH Nickel Metal Hydride
RC Radio Control
rpm revolutions per minute
RTF Ready to Fly
SASE self-addressed, stamped
envelope
SIG Special Interest Group
TE trailing edge
ModelAviation’s
Frequently Used Abbreviations/Acronyms
cardboard over these surfaces, use the
same technique you used on the wing.
Score the cardboard in the proper
direction so that it can be easily applied to
the rounded contour areas.
The tail assembly requires that the
parts be made from two layers of
cardboard laminated cross flute, providing
considerable strength to the components.
Laminate the brown side to the brown
side, leaving the white or glossy side as
the finished surface. To finish the tail
pieces, add a balsa strip to each LE which
you can sand round. Cover each TE with a
strip of gummed paper tape for sealing
and painting.
Finishing a cardboard model is much
like finishing any wood-constructed model
except that its surface does not need the
preparation of filler coats. Before you
apply a finish to the model, be sure to seal
all seams, joints, and exposed edges with
the gummed paper tape. Cut the tape into
thin strips that are the proper lengths, dip
them in water, and apply them where
necessary. Make sure they go on
smoothly.
If you are going to finish your model
with paint, Chuck suggests that you cover
it with a couple coats of clear dope. When
each coat is dry, sand it with 400-grit
paper. After that, you are ready to apply
two or three coats of color. If you are
going to finish the model with a covering
such as MonoKote, do not apply the clear
dope; the film coverings adhere better to
untreated cardboard.
If you want more detailed cardboard
construction techniques or want to see
more photos of Chuck’s work, visit his
great-looking Web site: http://home.
earthlink.net/~charlesfelton.
After you see the fine-looking models
Chuck has on his Web site, you may be
tempted to try your hand at cardboard
construction. You’ll learn some new
techniques, save some of your hard-earned
money, and have fun doing it.
I need column material. I want to
remind you CL Scale modelers that I
can show readers what you are doing
with your latest projects, your models,
include your building techniques, list
contests, report on contests, and
promote CL Scale in general. If you
send me a notice about an upcoming
contest, please remember that there is
roughly a three-month lead time.
Please send your ideas, notice of
upcoming CL Scale events, contest
reports, and especially photos of your CL
Scale activity to me at the address at the
top of this column. MA
09sig5.QXD 6/23/04 12:42 pm Page 141