National Free Flight Society

SEN 2893

  1. NFFS + Science Olympics
  2. Building Board Maintenance and Care?
  3. Reaching out and More
  4. Reaching out further

NFFS + Science Olympics

See link to this activity we mentioned in a previous SEN
https://freeflight.org/join-learn-fly/science-olympiad/


Building Board Maintenance and Care?

From:Gregory Stewart

One of the best investments I ever made for model-building was buying a home-built building board at one of my then-local hobby shops back in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Top was laminated strips of basswood (lindenwood) with 4 2×4 stiffeners across the back-side. It’s just under 4′ long and just over 1′ wide. My only regret is not buying the 3′ one that hung around in that shop another year or so.

It was SO MUCH better than laying a Homesote tile on the floor as I had done before!

I used it regularly in the 80s-90s, then went into other areas of modeling and stored it in the basement of the place I lived at the time. The space was fairly stable temp-wise (maybe 45F-85F?) but could range far in humidity. When I moved from Mpls to MS in 2006, I saw the top surface had cupped slightly, a bit more than 1/32″, perhaps almost 1/16″ at the worse end.

I cut some 2″ wide angle iron and screwed that in at each stiffener in an attempt to flatten it. It came back most of the way, but was still slightly cupped, now less than 1/32″ at the worse end.

I spent some time last night resurfacing it… will post about that later. BUT it is now VERY flat with small areas out about a thickness of notebook paper. Gotta love it!

My question to those that know softwoods/hardwoods better than I… should I use a finish on it? The topside did not look finished when I bought it, though examination of the bottom suggests either a thin soak in poly or similar or maybe an oil finish like on cutting boards.

I’m thinking the latter. At least that would also offer some resistance to CA soak-in if it gets past the wax-paper/poly glue barrier.

Thoughts?

Greg in Mississippi


 

Reaching out and More

From: Bernard Guest

Hi All,
I 100% agree with Ross Jahnke. Here in Calgary we get only a few calm days a year but when we get em we now fly on Nose Hill park which has lots of passersby walking dogs etc. I find people are always curious about what we are up to and get at least a few inquiries every time we fly. Fortunately Nose Hill is big enough ( 4.5 x 3.7 km) to fly FAI models  so they get to see even the fancy stuff. Anyway, the point is that we FF geeks should make the effort to head out to the local soccer field and fly something smallish so folks who have never seen FF can get “exposed”. Speaking of which, I will be coming to Endless October and I will be driving down with space in my car for goodies including the new Wooden Shoe Rookies, F104, and Speedster electric capacitor power kits <https://hummingbirdmodelproducts.com/woodenshoe-aviation-kits> (great for flying in a park with the grandkids and doing “Exposure duty”). Also do checkout the “preowned section” https://hummingbirdmodelproducts.com/preowned-models-and-tools> on my website https://hummingbirdmodelproducts.com/ where used FAI parts, engines, F1C and F1A parts, timers, F1B models and other goodies reside. If any of you dear readers would like for me to bring something down please do get in touch. You can even make your purchase now and use the “flight line delivery” shipping option at checkout so that I can lay your order in your hands on the field. I will be on the Lost Hills field with the other Canadians in an RV we should be easy to find if you ask around and I will certainly be on the flight line for all of the FAI rubber contests.
Look forward to flying with y’all again soon.

Bernard


Reaching out further

From:  Alan Petersen

Hi Roger,
I just wanted to say that I absolutely agree with Ross’ suggestion that, “The best thing we all could do is put down our contest models for an afternoon, and fly something in a public park where others might see you.”

That’s how you attract attention from people who don’t know. It’s the same in the arts. It takes more than a single afternoon in the city park though, or social media posts. If you don’t want to attract attention, you fly at Lost Hills, or any of the other way-the heck-out-of-town haunts we frequent. If you do want to attract attention, you find your audience, in person.
Alan
_____________________________________________
Alan Petersen
NFFS Web