Balsa plans to foam conversion in Sketchup

by TEAJR66 | September 21, 2015 | (16) Posted in How To

     Using Sketchup and Cute PDF, we will create plans for foam planes, from plans for balsa planes. These plans will allow us to use standard FT style construction techniques, such as "A" and "B" folds along with common FT wing folding techniques to build foam versions of balsa built up models.. This article will highlight and demonstrate a couple simple techniques. Techniques like using the Push Pull Tool on seperate pieces and using the Intersect Faces Tool to let Sketchup create the geometry.

     To demonstrate these techiniques, we will use the RC Modeler Magazine Trainer 5. Here are links to the original article and plans. Original RC Modeler Magazine Article Original RC Modeler Magazine Plans. These were all found on this web site http://www.outerzone.co.uk/index.asp. For some, this plane is simple enough to model in foam without going through the trouble of creating new PDF's. But, since this plane is pretty basic, it allowed me to illustrate the process a little quicker. In future articles, we will cover things like more complex fuseage shapes, wing taper and sweep, turtle decking and swappable power pods. But for now, we will stick to the basics of making the plans. Here is a series of videos that take us through. These were divided up into short segments so that you wouldn't get bored to death watching my poor production.

 

 

In the end you come up with plans that look like this RCM Trainer 5 Foam Plans. Those plans produce a plane that looks like this.

That plane fly's like this.

 



 

COMMENTS

earthsciteach on September 25, 2015
Great article, Tommy!
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TEAJR66 on September 25, 2015
Thank you Pat.
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PropSpinner on October 9, 2015
I'm impressed! I've tinkered with sketch up and produced nothing. It looks like this is your first article also. Good job.
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TEAJR66 on October 9, 2015
Thank you. This was my first article. Second article, with more complex shapes and structures, soon to follow.
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NoUsername on September 26, 2015
Great Job! I like the design, looks like a fun plane to fly.
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TEAJR66 on September 26, 2015
Thank you. It is a mellow RET. Next step for that plane is an aileron wing. But, this plane is just the result of trying to document the process, so I won't spend much time on it.
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The-One-Who-Never-Crashes on September 25, 2015
Wow! I am passionate about balsa and foam, so this has been very helpful! I can think of so many designs that could use this. Thanks for posting.
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TEAJR66 on September 25, 2015
You are welcome. I hope to post another article soon that incorporates more difficult techniques. Wings with sweep and taper, curved fuselages, and adding power pods.
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The-One-Who-Never-Crashes on September 25, 2015
Yeah! Really looking forward to it!
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jrvalentin62 on March 8, 2016
This is GREAT!!! Thank you. Hope to catch your follow up article. This will help immensely.
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TEAJR66 on March 8, 2016
Thank you. You are welcome. Make sure to let us know what you produce. Follow up articles to come, eventually.
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Balsa plans to foam conversion in Sketchup