This weekend saw the comencement of the build, having recieved my Hysol and a few other bits and pieces.

This is the first time using Hysol and found it very good, no sag on vertical surfaces and plenty of open time for assemblies requiring many parts like the motor box. I used 9466 which has very similar properties to 9462 and is a lot more readily avilable over here in the UK than the latter.

The assembly process was straight forward, however I was thankful to have a large array of clamps and squares to make the process easier. Once assembled the MB was self jigging, requiring very little adjustment to maintain alignment.

Overall an enjoyable start to the build. I shall make a start on the fuselage sides over the next few days.

Cleared the bench and set about fixing the aluminium section to the table.

I use florists film wrap whenever I am gluing or working on my bench so the plans are sandwiched between this with the straight edge over the top.

My scarf joints were hit and miss before I made this simple jig. It is made from a chopping board (HDPE, so glue will not stick to it) and some plywood.

I set the opening specific to the wood being joined, then push each end of the wood togeter in the jig. This has resulted in much more satisfactory scarf joints.

Great idea for the scarf joint jig.
Ron

This weekend I worked on the first side for the plane. Still a few more blocks of wood etc to locate but the majority of the structure is there.

It takes me a while to get anything done as I strive for accuracy over speed, checking every joint with an engineers square, but I am happy with the results.

Also can be seen my scarf joint jig in more detail.

I shall work towards getting the second side started now.

Very nice indeed!

Here are a couple of items I find very useful when doing all sorts of building / DIY.

First is a squeezy glue bottle, smaller than the large Titebond bottles so more managable. I found some tops locally which had the same thread as the bottle but also a Luer lock fitting on the top. This meant I could attach different nozzles for different liquids in the bottles.

Next are some syringes which I use when applying Hysol, I prefer to mix the constituent parts by hand to ensure a complete blending. I then spoon the adhesive into the syringe and use either a ridgid or flexible tip to apply just the right amount. These are called "BD Discardit" and do not contain any rubber so no need for the associated lubricant which could affect the adhesive.

Lastly is a sanding shooting board for squaring up edges or removing very small amounts of material, to get that friction fit often required. I have a variety of guides which I attach by way of the dowel holes. If an obsure angle is needed I have a guide which I can rotate to the appropriate angle required.