Want to make your own original balsa wood glider?

Follow this manuel and in just a few steps you have your own airplane.

Step 1: The Fuselage

First of all you need the right materials. Because it's a glider, it will be important that it's very light. That's why I use Balsa wood.

Materials:

Balsawood (measurements: see below)
superglue (loctite)
cutting board
boxcutter
sandpaper
ruler
pensil

To start, I used balsa lats from 1m long and 5mm width, make sure you have enough lats +-7. Balsa is very soft and easy to break. You also need +-6 balsa planks from 1mm thick and 1m long.

The first step is cutting each lat to the perfect size. You need 3 long lats from 30cm for the fuselage, 4 lats from 10 cm. These 4 lats are standing in a corner of 15 degrees on the long lat.
Between the lats of 30cm there are 4 lats from 10cm, divided over this 30cm.
For the lats in the middle you need 2 sizes. Those on the bottom are 5cm (4 lats) and those on top are 3cm (4 lats).
To make the tale you also need 4 lats from 9 cm in a corner of 20 degrees.
In the middle of the tale there's a lat from 17cm, supporting the other 4.
Finally you cover the top with the balsa plank from 1mm thick.

Step 2: The Tail

Materials:

balsawood
box cutter
ruler
pensil
cutting board
superglue (loctite)
sandpaper

Draw the dimensions from the tail on paper (see picture). This makes it easier to make the lats
Cut the lats
Glue them together
For the tail you need another plank that stands upworths from 10cm and also one that supports this one.
Cover the tail with balsa wood planks (1mm)

Step 3: The Nose

Materials:

Isolation foam
balsa wood
box cutter
superglue (loctite)
cutting board
ruler
sandpaper
file

Measure the front points of the fuselage, make sure you have some open space.
Cut out a plank from the balsa wood.
Shave out the nose for the plane like you see in the picture. The nose is 8cm long and has to fit on the plank.

Step 4: The Wings

Materials:

Isolation foam
Aluminium tubes ( 3mm op 1m) 3 pieces
sandpaper
balsawood
box cutter
superglue
silicone
cutting board
depron (5mm)
self adhesive foil

Use your balsa plank from 5mm. U need 6 ribs in total. This ones have a begin width and end width from 1cm, the top makes a curve from maximum 2cm ( measured from the bottem). The bottem makes a curve from 1.5 cm measured from the top. Cut out a rectangle piece from 6mm high and 1.1cm deep.
Cut out a lat of balsa wood from 5mm a lat from 50cm. Glue the depron on this lat with the same width and lenght. The lenght of the straight pieces on both sides are 20cm and the fuselage is 10 cm width.

You have to have one straight piece of balsa wood and one curved piece made of foam.

3. File the foam wings with a lenght from 30cm. Notice the shape of the wing in the picture.

4. Cut an aluminium tube from 30 cm and glue it into the foam, use your sandpaper.

5.Put 2 alluminium tubes from 1m trough the fuselage, make sure that the one in the front is 9cm from the front of the straight balso wood lat. Make sure u have 50 cm on both sides. Glue the tubes to the fuselage with the silicone.

6. Glue at the right distance, the other tube on the fuselage.

7. Cut out the cover for the bottom of the fuselage from the balsa wood plank 1mm. Cover them with foil. Cut out a hole where you have to put the aluminium tube.

8. Slide each rib over each side of the tubes and the lat from depron and balsa. Glue with superglue.

9.Make 2 holes in each wing where you have to put the aluminium tubes. +-3cm deep in the front and 10 cm at the back.

10. Glue the foam to the last ribs with the superglue.

11. Cover the ribs with the balsawood plank 1mm.

12. Cover the plank with self adhesive foil.

Step 5: Fitting the Tail and Nose

Materials:

Nose
tailwings (2x)
superglue

Glue the frontplate on the fuselage with superglue.
Glue the tailwings to the back of the fuselage, make sure they are parallel with the bottom of the tail.