Double-Stick Cellophane Tape
Also called Double-Sided Tape.
Double-stick tape is used to join multiple blanks together so they can be shaped and machined at the same time to make matched parts. It is fundamental to the way I build so not having it on hand can be a real problem in my shop.
This type of tape is made by Scotch and others and can be purchased from office suppliers.
There are several types of double-stick tape. Some of them are surprisingly tenacious.
Important Points
Sand then vacuum parts with a brush attachment before applying the tape.
The tape will let go at the worst possible moment if it's stuck to dust between the blanks rather than the blanks themselves.
Do not use too much tape.
Some of these tapes are very strong. The force required to separate the parts may damage or destroy them. This is an easy problem to avoid.
When separating thin pieces, peel them apart slowly.
At times I used too strong of a tape or too much I managed to get the parts separated by being patient. I pulled the parts as much as I could safely and waited for the tape to release which can take longer than you think. But it will let loose. Parts break when you pull too hard. Parts get damaged when you try to wedge something between the blanks to separate them such as a spatula or knife.
Types of Double-Sided Tape
Removable Cellophane
This is definitely the type to use for most purposes when stacking thin, delicate parts such as light ribs or thin sheeting. It is also good for large parts (fuselage sides, for example) that will need several small pieces to keep the parts from bending and bowing differently while shaping. When parts in a stack can move individually you get individual parts - not matched parts.
It will hold the parts securely while being cut and sanded but will release without the parts breaking. If you use rough sawn parts the tape may not stick at all or may seem to stick and then come apart when you start working on the stack. Sand and vacuum blanks before taping them together.
Permanent Cellophane
Permanent by tape manufacturer's standards and builder's standards are not the same. Do not use permanent tape as an adhesive for anything your models. It's not that permanent. It's permanent in that it will hold together two pieces of cardstock and will tear the face from the stock if you try to separate it.
That said, permanent tape has a much more aggressive bond and should not be used on delicate parts. Use it for holding small but strong parts that don't have much surface area such as hardwood blocks. Also use for holding plywood parts. Again, this tape is very strong so a few 1/2" squares of it strategically placed will make separation much easier.
If the parts you want to hold together need a better bond than removable tape but not as strong as permanent then you can try not sanding the parts first and then use permanent tape.
Do not leave parts together any longer than necessary when using permanent tape or you'll regret it. In other words, don't tape parts together this weekend that you plan to work with next weekend.
Poster Tape
I purchased this tape when I couldn't find removable tape locally. Its strength falls in between removable and permanent tapes. It's more expensive than either of the other tapes and more tedious to use because it has a backing that must be removed.
Carpet Tape
I use carpet tape for various purposes around the shop. There are several brands of this tape and they're all different. Some are reinforced having rovings through it that appear to be fiberglass. Others are simply adhesive on both sides of a plastic strip. Some of the adhesives are gooey and others aren't. My problem is that the carpet tapes I've purchased that I like aren't marked inside the roll so I can never remember what to buy.
The main purpose I have for carpet tape is making sanding blocks. I now consider my home made blocks to be disposable because they're super inexpensive to make and my old method of using spray glue and then removing it to replace the paper was very time consuming and just not worth the effort.
Now I use carpet tape to attach the paper and throw the block away when it's worn out.
Latex and Nitrile Gloves
I used to think it was ok to immerse my hands in solvents or get paint all over my hands and then wash them in solvent. I've decided that I used to be really stupid. Latex gloves don't hold up to solvent at all. Even mild solvents such as mineral spirits break down latex very quickly. Stronger solvents eat latex immediately.
However, I like latex as it gives me the best gripe and tactile sensation of any material from which gloves are made. I use latex when applying paint or when cleaning (degreasing) parts because degreaser also removes skin oils and makes my skin crack.
You can buy boxes of 100 gloves (one size fits all) at most hardware stores for $9.00 to $15.00. One size fits all is usually size medium but the box doesn't say what the actual size is. If you don't mind gloves that you can get on but don't actually fit right and you don't use a lot of them then that's probably the way to go.
Because I go through a lot of gloves now I wanted to get them more economically so I did a web search and found that I can get a case of gloves (ten boxes of 100 gloves) for about half the price of buying them in the store. Plus they are the right size. You can get them powdered or not. Powdered are easier to get on but a lot of people don't like the way they feel.
Nitrile gloves stand up to solvents long enough for most tasks. They do swell a bit but as long as they keep the solvents off your skin that's all that counts. They aren't as rubbery or pliable as latex and I don't care for how they feel but they work.
Markers
Pencils are usually the first choice for marking wood because the marks can be sanded off easily. Balsa wood is so soft that it is difficult to mark with a pencil without gouging the wood. Harder grades of balsa take pencil well, but I usually use a fine point Sharpie permanent marker because it makes a clean, easily seen line.
Masking Tape
I go through a lot of masking tape. I buy cheap tape for general use and for actually masking paint I use electrician's tape. Masking tape is used for masking things other than paint. For example, I use it to mask parts that I do not want to sand when I am trying to bring an adjacent area close to the same size.
Another use for masking tape is to mask the cap strips next to the leading and trailing edge sheeting of the wing. Once the sheeting is close to its final shape I remove the tape and finish sand.
I also use masking tape to keep glue from going places I do not want it. For example when gluing a doubler in the nose of the fuselage I will mask the fuselage sides to prevent glue from getting all over. Once the doubler has been put in place and excess glue has squeezed out, I will remove the tape.
Mixing cups
One ounce clear plastic mixing cups come in bags of 50 or 100. You can usually buy them at your local pharmacy for a reasonable price. Some mail-order places sell them as well.
Pipettes
Small plastic bulbs with a tube that can be used for dispensing paints, solvents and oils by the drop. One hobby manufacturer sells them 10 for almost $5. The last time I bought some in an art store (about a year ago) they were about $0.15 a piece.
It used to be that I cleaned my pipettes with solvent and pipe cleaners. It was tedious and the solvent probably cost more than the pipette. I did some searching and found various places that sell them. I bought 500 for about $50.00 including shipping which comes to $0.10 a piece. Now I just throw them out.
Popsicle sticks
Good for mixing and spreading epoxy. Scraps of balsa work just as well and you might as well use them if you've got them. Save the popsicle sticks for when you run out of scrap balsa you can not use for anything else. You can get boxes of 1,000 popsicle sticks from a craft store such as Ben Franklin for a fraction of what the hobby industry charges.
Rubbbber Bands
These are the most unappreciated tools we use. The simple rubber band has a lot of properties that are very useful to us.
For example, when stretched around something it can create very even tension or selective unequal tension. What that means is that you can lift the rubber band from an area and pull it or loosen it to created localized pressure.
R/Cers think there are two sizes of rubber bands: #64 and others. If you fly RC and have had a few rubber-band-on wings, then you know that one size doesn't fit all.
Believe it or not, there are some things to know about rubber bands. They aren't all created equal, and like anything else, you want to be sure you're getting decent quality for your money.
Do not buy rubber bands from big office supply stores or Wal-Mart. They carry the cheapest rubber bands made - less than 60% natural latex rubber content. These are the kind that when you stretch them you can actually feel them permanently give - sort of like when you stretch pull on a garbage bag and it stretches before breaking.
The best rubber bands made are about 90% latex rubber and are excellent. I don't know if 100% latex rubber bands are manufactured by anyone.
In the past season I've needed a different specific size rubber band on about five different occasions. I looked for a size chart online and found a place that sells real sample packs. Each size is in it's own box listing the contents. They carry several different sample sets and they were six bucks a piece last time I checked. I was told all their rubber bands are 90% latex rubber (compared to 60% and below for rubber bands at Wal-Mart and national office supply chains).
I went ahead and ordered all four sets and am extremely pleased with what I got. I know have a rubber band for every occasion and best of all, I know what sizes I actually use and can order the right size when I need more instead of going to Wal-Mart and buying a bag of cheap rubber bands just to get one that's close enough.
Solder
Solder comes in several types but basically can be broken down into rosin or acid types. Rosin type solder is used for electrical solder joints because the rosin will not attack the metal wiring or other components.
If you use soldering acid, then you must clean up the part after it has cooled or the acid will cause the metal to corrode. Because it is difficult to clean the inside of piece of stranded wire, it should never be used for electrical joints.
I usually use electrical solder for everything including landing gear (joint is wrapped with wire) and have never had a solder joint fail. If you are soldering a high-stress joint that is critical to your model then you may want to consider silver solder.
Teflon Tape
Use it for sealing threads on all fittings attached to your air-compressor or to the air hose.
Toothpicks
I use them for applying small amounts of glue and removing excess glue that squeezes out of joints. They are also used to pin flat hinges in place so the hinges do not pull out of the structure. Try to find toothpicks that are actually round. Most "round" toothpicks are actually square.
Waxed Paper, Cling Wrap and Polyethylene Drop Cloth Material
Used to cover plans to prevent the structure you are building from being glued to them. Waxed paper is also used as a release material in various parts of construction. For example, if you are building a removable part in place on the structure then using waxed paper or cling film (Saran wrap) will all the parts to be separated after they are built.
Zip Ties
Zip ties are very useful items to have around the shop. An assortment of very small to very large are good for wrapping wires, attaching things to other things, etc.
