I put this here rather than "Consumer Advocacy" because it's more of a tip than an issue and I think people read this group more often. Of course you can move it if you see fit Andy.

IMO, it's big bucks ($130) and I thought long and hard before buying it, but I believe it's a good system. The problem is that it isn't a building board. It's a sheet of heavy metal that bends. I figured that for the price it would at least be laminated to some particle board or have an aluminum frame so that it would be perfectly flat.

As far as I'm concerned flatness is one of the defining characteristics of a building board. If I'd known I'd have to scrounge around the house, remove a sliding closet door from a "storage" bedroom and then put the two layers of cardboard the "board" came in between the "board" and the slightly wavy door to get it perfectly flat, I might not have bought it.

Now that it's all set up I'm glad I have it, but I wanted to warn prospective buyers that you'll need to already have a perfectly flat surface in order to use it.

RB

Building boards ?? One word....

HOMASOTE !!!

Alan W

Originally posted by Red Baron 47:
If I'd known I'd have to scrounge around the house, remove a sliding closet door from a "storage" bedroom
RB

Now that's what I call a real determined Model Builder!

Hi! I bought my magnetic building board many years ago (at a model show) from it's inventor Eldon J. Lind. I tried to use it and had the same complaint you did! It languished under my bench for YEARS until I got angry at a fuselage warp induced by my then current building board.I bought a granite kitchen counter top from a display that was being taken down at a store($350.00).I placed the metal sheet on top of the granite. BINGO!!!!!! Everything I build now is dead on straight! Iknow the investment is a lot in terms of dollars but the results are well worth it. With the use of the various presses and holders available for the magnetic board it's akin to building models in a fixture. You assemble everything using the magnets and when you are satisfied you just glue it up with your favorite adhesive. Ifind I am building lighter as well.

[This message has been edited by mml4 (edited 07-19-2001).]

I made up my own using a hollow core door and contact cemented galvanized sheet metal to the top (Home Depot). I supported the door with 2 saw horses. The whole top surface is a building board. I found good and low cost magnets at a craft store(Crafts Unlimited). Makes a fantastic building surface and it is flat. Haven't used pins on my last dozen models.

Kurt

I didn't buy a magnetic board for the reasons stated above. I had thought about getting one because I had used an original Magna-Jig that my college room-mate had back in the 60's. That board was like a piece of boiler plate - you'd have to hit it with a sledge hammer to flex it. The ones I've seen are nowhere near the integrity of that board/jig.

WRT sliding doors, etc. The bottom of a dresser drawer makes a good flat work surface. If you check the bottoms of the dresser drawers in motels across the country, you'd find a lot of Xacto knife cuts and puddles of glue and dope from models built/repaired/prep'd the night before a contest.

- Roger

Originally posted by GregG:
Now that's what I call a real determined Model Builder!

Ah, the joys of being single.

At least I didn't cut it to fit it's new use better. That was only because I didn't know what I'd find inside.

RB

Originally posted by gnofliwr:
I didn't buy a magnetic board for the reasons stated above. I had thought about getting one because I had used an original Magna-Jig that my college room-mate had back in the 60's. That board was like a piece of boiler plate - you'd have to hit it with a sledge hammer to flex it. The ones I've seen are nowhere near the integrity of that board/jig.

...
- Roger

One of my most serious blunders was abandoning my Magna-Jig board when I came out to the land of fruits and nuts 40 years ago.
Still have most of the magnets, which come in handy, but sure miss that flat stiff heavy board!.
.
PJB's Seriously Aeronautical Stuff http://www.networkone.net/~pjburke/index.html
Sparky Paul http://www.angelfire.com/indie/aerostuff

I have been using mine for years and love it. I do all my building on a solid, old drafting table. It did take a while to get accustom to it though.

Bob Fox