Originally posted by powderburner
Can you give out any tips on how you shaped that balsa canopy?
It looks like you might have wrapped sandpaper around a BT to sand the mounting surface to fit, but what process did you use for the exposed side? (it turned out very nicely, BTW)
Okay...this could be long.
1. I take a piece of card stock and fold it in half the long way. Using scissors, cut a "half tear drop" shape and unfold. This forms the patterns base. The side profile is usually half of the base profile. If you want a better idea of the side profile, simply fold the pattern back.
Step One
2. With the panther, I laminated 3 pieces of 3/16 balsa just larger than the pattern. Trace the outline of the pattern and begin to remove the material to the line. I use a Dremel or barrel sander on my drill press to expedite this.
Step 2
3. Once the base is complete, then begin shaping the side profile using the "half profile" I mentioned earlier. Take of a little at a time keep eyeing it. Make sure that you don't loose the the center line of the canopy. Once done, wrap a piece of sandpaper around the bidy tube you want it to attach to and start sanding the bottom back and forth. Make sure it's straight by check the bottom of the canopy often.
Step 3
The biggest tip...practice! It's usually takes me about 5-10 minutes from start to finish and anyone can achieve the same results with very little experience. I don't use any special sanding blocks but it is good to really look at canopies of fighters. Here is a great link for "absorbing" some of the lines!!
F-16's