Has anyone ever put one of these together?

This is my first proper "balsa build", and I'm finding it quite a 'challenge'.

Not exactly the first word that springs to mind - but the thread would get closed down straight away if I said what I really think LoL

The Catalina isn't strictly the first thing I've made out of balsa - I'm finishing a fuze for a my quaint old Electro Streak that I happened to snap in half when I lost it in the sun. But that's a story for another day.

Back to the Easy Built...

Ho-li cow - what have I gotten myself into here

It's an interesting 'kit' - to say the least.

There's some sheets of balsa in there with wing rib/fuselage bulkead patterns printed on them. Some loose balsa sticks, blocks, sheets etc. of varying sizes. Some printed ply, a couple of hardwood spars, and other bits and bobs like hinges, control horns etc.

The printing on the printed sheets varies from quite neat and tidy to rather large smudgy areas - not real easy to guess which side of the line I should cut to, so I went 50/50 and cut in the middle of the line when it got a bit too fat.

Anyhoo... I started with the centre wing section, as per the 'manual'. I soon found out that had I cut everything on the far side of the printing, I would have been closer to the mark. Meh - so I had to go in and remove more to get things to fit all the way in. Better than having great big gaps everywhere, I 'spose.

Main section went together pretty well down onto the two hardwood spars, but when it came to laying the top two spars, I suddenly found myself scratching my head regarding which bit of balsa to use

There's quite a few lengths of square and oblong balsa - all different sizes. Of course, none of those lengths have any identifying marks on them like the printed sections do - so now I find myself trying to work backwards from what I can figure out goes where, and what's left over.

Oh joy.

I'm concerned that I'll end up using the wrong size somewhere and not have any left for where it was supposed to be used. And that's only on the wings yet

It looks like 1/4x1/4" might be right for the front top spar of the main wing section, but the main rear top spar and both top spars on the left and right wing sections seem to take 1/4x3/16" a lot better - 1/4x1/4 leaves way too much wood standing above the contour of the wing ribs.

But...

If I use all the 1/4x3/16 I'm left with a lot of 1/4x1/4, which doesn't look like it wants to fit anywhere - including LE caps etc.

Aaaackkk...!

I suppose I can work on the theory of diminishing probability - build the wings as far as I can, then build the fuze as far as I can, and finally try to use what's left over by process of elimination.

More joy.

Another thing that has got me totally flummoxed is the left and right wing extensions according to plan. The centre section came up pretty good as far as alignment and square goes. But the extenstions are tapered. When I line the 1/4x1/4 bottom spars up with the plan, there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that the wing ribs are gonna sit across those spars - not according to the notches I cut as per the printing.

So I pinned the inside edges of the spars to where they are roughly meant to be, put the matching inside rib across them, and then put the outside rib where it is meant to be. This way, the ribs aren't trying to go sideways across the spars (which they refuse to do anyways - unless I cut the nothches obliquely).

That all kinda matches up ok now. BUT... the spar position at the wing tips is close to 4mm under where it is supposed to be on the plan.

I'm not sure if I'm doing this right

Considering the Electro Streak fuze was purely cut from plan and lined up to within 1mm, I'm sweating my freckle off here trying to build this Catalina.

Some things seem just so out of whack, I worried I'll end up making a boomerang...

BJ

Oh...and another thing...

I notice that the plan shows all the wing ribs that don't extend down into the aileron area actually extend into the trailing edge of the wood.

Do I actually have to cut notches into the TE balsa to accept the rib extensions, or do you normally trim these so that they sit flush against the TE?

Many thanks in advance to any guidance/comments you may provide.

Shallow end of the pool swimmer out in the Atlantic..

BJ

Photos!?!?!?

BJ,

You have what is euphemistically described as a "builder's kit" - a bundle sticks and sheets and some less than helpful plans. They're the deep end of the kit builders' swimming pool, and usually only attempted by those of us with lots of improvisational skills and a high threshold for frustration! It's no help to you at this point, but there are several kit makers out there that produce much more easily built models than Easybuilt (bit of a misnomer, that one) If you post some pics, maybe we can help you findyour way through the maze...

Steve

Thanks guys - I'll get some pics together of where I'm at and try to highlight the multiple choice areas where I'm not sure which bits of balsa to use for the top spars.

"Builders kit", huh?

More like a baptism by fire... LoL

BJ

Ok... here's the plan for the centre wing section.

The TE ends of the ribs are shown to protrude into the TE of the wing (left hand side).

Is this just lazy drawing, or do I actually have to cut notches into the TE balsa so that the ribs extend into the TE? If so, is this for added strength?

Or... do I trim the excess from the TE of the rib, and butt the TE balsa flush up against the ribs?

BJ

Easy Built Catalina? How could this plane possibly be called an easy built? I do not know what you kit is like, but my own experience building a Guillows Catalina was that it was anything but an easy build, but a plane worth building.

conrad

I've had a look at a few Guillows Catalina build pics, and it's a totally different aircraft compared to the Easy Built as far as the wing is concerned - vertical main spar as opposed to 2 x horizontal spars and many more ribs with a much closer spacing are immediately obvious.

The engine cowls, rear blisters and plastic parts in general look much better shaped and detailed - on the EB, they are just vac-formed and will need a bit of careful work.

I can see I'm going to have a lot of work to do with this one...

BJ

Welcome to old school building!
No laser cut, put together like a 3D puzzle and hit with CA here!
I would suggest putting the notches in the trailing edge. It adds a lot of strength to the structure. I use a needle file that makes a perfect 1/16" wide notch. Put the trailing edge in place over the plan and mark the center of each notch. Remove from the plan and make the notches. It's really easier than it sounds.

Glenn

Thanks Glenn - I'll do that

I was kinda leaning that way anyways, thinking about added strength etc...

BJ

+1 on what Glenn said. That's actually good design practice.

Steve

Get your thinking caps on Boyz - because I'm just about to give up on this thing. Or... get the bloody BIG hammer out.

Seriously.

How can anyone market this and get away with it?

Absolutely nothing fits.

What a total joke.

NOT HAPPY JAN!

I looked at the Guillows, and I think to myself 'man, I should have bought that one'

There's nothing "enthusiast" about this kit. Unless you're a masochist.

In fact, apart from a few smudged printed bits of balsa and a heap of crap I can't work out what goes where, and some very obscure instructions, this is in effect a box of bits.

I'll make darn sure I finish this abomonation - mark my words - but I can now understand why people get browned-off doing 'balsa builds'.

Nuff said

BJ

Get this one done, then log onto StevensAero.com and check out their range. My next one from them will be this one to replace my much loved Quaker 100 that I built.

Their kits fly well and go together very easily. DIdn't have to trim or even sand a single piece - just got out the epoxy and CA and went at it.

CHeers - boingk

Bugger!

They don't do a Catalina...

BJ

Sorry for all your troubles building this aircraft and I'm not defending Easy Built Models in any way as I've never built one of their kits. However, that being said, if you look at their website they state that the sheets are printed on a 1903 press which is a long, long way from todays laser cutting. Also, they state that the Catalina is for "expierenced builders". You may have bit off a little more than you can chew with this one. I know in the RC world beginners always want to start with a scale warbird as their first model and choose something such as a P-51 or B-25 as their first project because they look great and look like a "real" airplane .I remember the days when we had to follow the blue lines when cutting out the parts and for myself I wouldn't care to return to those days. But that's just me. On the other hand I do enjoy building from just a set of plans when you are required to select all the building materials, cut the parts from the plan sheet and develop your own methodology for a build sequence.
Take your time and you will get there with your model even as frustrating that it may seem at times.