To build or not to build....

[Chris]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Neogenesis
	I'll put in my .02 here I dislike ARF's for the following reasons....I can plunk a bunch of cash into a project...and one unforeseen glue joint missing it's glue can flush it all down the can because of someone else's carelessness. "H9 Suk" I've also found that within a season or two...that ARF will not look near as nice as a kit build...again if done properly. They just don't hold up as long or as good as one that I would build. Mind you I'm also the one that when buying a ARF wouldn't touch a pre-hinged model. It's just too critical to the plane if someone didn't use enough glue on the hinges. I prefer to do it myself. Neo

Couldn't agree more. ARFs look nice.................................... for about 50 flights.

Then the damn covering starts peeling up. No amount of ironing will keep it stuck down, so you have to get out the fingernail polish and screw with it. I've built a LOT of kits and none of my monokote has ever come off. Even after HUNDREDS of flights. It still requires a little touch up and shrinking after being out in the hot sun, but the edges aren't peeling up. And I can patch it with the right color. Try and find the right color and temp of plastic covering to fix your ARF.

I've had several ARFs where the incidence on a stab or wing was off as much as 3* or 4* Trust me--those don't fly worth a crap. I can build straight on the board. Why would I pay $500--$600 or $1200 for an ARF with messed up incidence?

Glue joints? Don't even get me started.

Hardware on an ARF? ridiculous. 'nuff said!

I fly ARFs. But I think they are overpriced. A 28% ARF should cost about $250--$300. A 35% ARF shouldn't cost more than about $500. Thats all they are worth. At that price, the retailers could STILL make money on them. They aren't paying all that much for the labor and shipping to import them.

I LIKE building kits and I do a nice job at it. My problem is I spend WAAAAY more time on them than I should. If I'm going to spend the money to buy a kit and spend the time to build it--you can bet it's going to be built RIGHT. I think it's fun to try and built light and strong. I'll sit on something for a week, just thinking of a way to build a rudder tray or a tank mount. A lot of guys would just cut a big hunk of plywood and slather some epoxy in there. Not me. I want it strong enough to do the job, and not a gram over.

Putting cardboard (rocket tubes) wire guide tubes in the tail of a kit is a nice touch. I HATE that ARFs have you attaching the wings and stabs with a metal bolt through the tube? What kind of horse hockey is that? Wings are bolted on with a blind nut in the root rib and a lite-ply backer inside the fuse. 1/4-20 bolt. End of story. Whoever came up with this method of running a metal bolt through an ALUMINUM wing or stab tube should be SHOT!! It's gonna strip out. SMACK! Get a trash bag!

But, an ARF is quick to get flying. They do have that going for them. Which is really good for todays generation of new, up and coming pilots. Instant gratification!! Quick Builds!! YAY!! People will pay TWICE as much for an ARF, but they whine about the prices that pro builders charge for kit built airplanes that will last 4 times as long--provided you don't wreck it. Airframe longevity on the ARFs just isn't there. 500 flights is the most I ever got out of one, then I had to strip it and rebuild it. There's a kit built Mike Hurley Extra STILL flying at our field and that thing is like 4 or 5yrs old. I'll bet it's got 2000 flights on it. It's on the third owner now and he pays it NO mercy. He's a young kid with fingers you wouldn't believe. He ABUSES that airframe. And it's still coming back for more.

(steps down off soapbox)

Flame suit on

[zx32tt]

I highly reccomend you look at the Jtec-Radiowave PAK's in the 35% range. I'm building a 330 Panzl pak, & the kit is 1st rate. Good support too if you need it.
Z

[iflyrc3Dstyle]

You will appreciate a plane a heck of a lot more if you build it yourself. You will know everything about the airplane. If anyone asks you any of those questions about the plane you know the answer instantly.

[as722]

The first question you have to ask yourself is if you enjoy building and evrything that comes with it. If the answer is yes then build it as you'll enjoy the airplane more knowing you built it. As far as cost there is no doubt you can get an arf cheaper but you almost always get what you pay for.
You also asked abouit having it professionaly built, be careful as this word gets used very freely. I love building but if I ever had the need to have one built I would want to see first hand what kind of work they did, remember everything looks good on a picture. My vote goes to build it yourself, it's a part of the hobby that's dying so someone has to do it.


Albert

[as722]

The first question you have to ask yourself is if you enjoy building and everything that comes with it. If the answer is yes then build it as you'll enjoy the airplane more knowing you built it. As far as cost there is no doubt you can get an arf cheaper but you almost always get what you pay for.
You also asked about having it professionaly built, be careful as this word gets used very freely. I love building but if I ever had the need to have one built I would want to see first hand what kind of work they did, remember everything looks good on a picture. My vote goes to build it yourself, it's a part of the hobby that's dying so someone has to do it.


Albert

[OnTheEdge]

This thread was started in Nov 2006. Wonder what he eventually did?