BALSA USA LARGE
BUILD CADDY
New Products That Are Worth a Closer Look
STAN ALEXANDER reviewed the Balsa USA Large Build Caddy. This is what he wrote:
When we build a model, keeping frequently used items in the same place saves time and the frustration of looking for tools and CA glue. This tool caddy will help you keep those tools that are used most in the same place for the next build or maintenance job and the next flying session.
Built from birch and poplar wood, the jig lock construction goes together quickly and is strong. First, lay out all of the parts and take a long look at this unit’s online assembly video by Balsa USA. This serves as your instructions. I built the drawer first and all of the parts fit perfectly. Even so, I always dry-fit all of the parts of anything I’m building, whether it is a toolbox or a model airplane.
After identifying the sides, check all of the laser-cut tabs on the sides and back of the unit, and if there are any not completely punched out, do so now. This is the main body of the Build Caddy. Use a triangle or magnets to make sure that you have a true 90° joint. Assemble the shelves to the sides, once again dry-fitting them to make sure everything fits. The bottom shelf has a smooth front. Most of the joints are really tight, which helps to assemble a strong Build Caddy.
After you finish constructing one side, flip it over and add the other side to the shelves with Balsa USA Gold Thick CA. It works fine for this assembly and no epoxy is needed. You might have to work the tabs into place. Be patient and ensure that they all fit tightly. Gold Kicker is handy to firm up the joint quickly and helps eliminate a longer build time.
The back of the unit took more time than the other steps, but there are many tabs to make sure that you obtain a good, tight glue joint. I used a small, flat-head screwdriver to work some of those tabs into place. When finished with this, add the thick CA to it and use a paper towel or tissue to wipe off the excess adhesive. Check your drawers to make sure that they fit and add the shelf keeper to the top inside of the two slots that hold the shelves in place.
Now add the side tool holders to each side. That’s about it! It’s simple and the wood looks quite nice. You could finish it with a stain or varnish, paint it, or just leave it as raw wood. The Caddy builds quickly after you understand the construction steps. For all of those special tools that you use on every build, this is a great organizer and timesaver. I can see this on a roll-around cart in the shop!
New Products from the Modeler’s Mall
Mentor-G Trainer ARF V4 @ $359.99 + S&H from Maxford USA
13630 Imperial Hwy # 11, Santa Fe Springs CA 90670; Tel.: (562) 529-3988; website: www.maxfordusa.com
The Maxford USA Mentor-G ARF is designed as a trainer and for RC pilots who want to use a fuel-efficient, gas-powered engine. The 83-inch wingspan aircraft is an excellent test bed for first flights with a new engine or as a trainer ARF with floats on water, and it’s an easy flyer for when you simply want relaxed, economical flying.
Weighing approximately 11.1 pounds with fuel, the Mentor-G requires a 20cc to 30cc gas engine or an equivalent-size electric motor, as well as a four-channel radio with five to six standard servos. Two servos can also be set up for elevator if a pilot wishes.
The Maxford USA Mentor-G ARF is made in the US.
Blade 150 S Smart BNF Basic with AS3X and SAFE @ $229.99 + S&H from Horizon Hobby
4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; website: www.horizonhobby.com/blade-2/
If you’re looking to hone your skills on a collective-pitch machine, the Blade 150 S Smart BNF Basic helicopter with AS3X and SAFE kicks the flight experience up a notch!
Engineered around SAFE technology, the progressive flight mode system makes flying this heli more comfortable. Self-stabilization, panic-recovery, and self-leveling flight modes give intermediate to advanced pilots the confidence to master flight, and the included Smart ESC enables a pilot to see important telemetry data without extra modes and wires.
The carbon-fiber main frame with reinforced main gear, along with the metal-gear servos and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic main blades, can survive the learning curve and build confidence, making this a blast to fly in your local park or backyard. The Blade 150 S Smart also includes the ground-breaking Spektrum AR6250MHX flybarless system that features advanced, adaptive flight-control algorithms; forward programming; a six-axis M.E.M.S. inertial sensor; low-latency, high-speed operation; and a vibration-rejecting aluminum lower case.
A six-channel Spektrum DSMX/2 transmitter (a Generation 2 or an iX12 transmitter is required for telemetry and forward programming features), 3S 11-volt 30C-plus 400 to 500 mAh LiPo battery, and a suitable LiPo charger are needed for completion.
RV-8 10E Super PNP @ $349.99-$379.99 + S&H from Flex Innovations
313 Seaboard Ave. Unit B, Venice FL 34285; Tel.: (866) 310-3539; website: www.flexinnovations.com
Similar to its big brother, the Flex Innovations RV-8 60E, the RV-8 10E has one of the widest flight envelopes of any aircraft. It can cruise with the flaps down or be cranked up a notch for 3D aerobatics, offering something to expert and new pilots alike.
Designed by Quique Somenzini, the airframe is coupled with an installed Aura 8 Advanced Flight Control System (AFCS), a highly refined three-axis gyro that makes the RV-8 10E fly like it’s bigger. The Potenza 20-3D 600 Kv motor is optimized for 6S 22.2-volt LiPo batteries, allowing for more power and longer flight times. Six DS-15 servos are installed, with the elevator and rudder servos mounted in the tail for precise control. A ZTW 50-amp ESC with a 5.5-volt BEC is also installed.
The RV-8 10E features a huge, quick-release canopy, scale navigation and landing lights, a two-piece wing with removable horizontal stabilizers, vortex generators for enhanced low speed, and an unpainted, removable pilot figure for customization or replacement.
It is available in two color schemes and as a day or night version. The night version includes internally mounted LEDs in the wing, fuselage, and stabilizers to illuminate the aircraft from the inside. The model’s airframe is also float ready. A minimum six-channel radio, battery, and serial receiver are required.
SOURCES:
Balsa USA
(800) 225-7287
www.balsausa.com
