Foamboard Building Techniques: Fuselage Tubes

An easy method of making light, durable, inexpensive fuselage tubes for scratchbuilt foamie RC planes. This is the basic build technique. Variations and refinements like hatches, tapered tubes, nose forming, etc. will follow in a future video.
Basic materials are Readi-Board (Dollar Tree) foamboard or other foamcore board with thin, peel-able paper facing, hot glue, and packing tape. costs about US$1 per tube to make. See other videos for ideas for wing construction.
Sorry to guys outside the US - I personally prefer metric but everything in the US still comes in inches!
N181AZ is my weight-shift trike and is the original bird of Experimental Airlines. It's registered Experimental Light Sport Aircraft (ELSA), hence the idea behind the name.

[@imzzaudae]

Hello I'm Ron. I cannot begin to tell you how much fun I am having with this. Been in model aviation for 35 years the last 10 large scale nitro helicopters. A friend built a foam fighter and the first time I flew it I was hooked. Just finished my first build a Funjet clone! Wow is it a blast. Just made my first tube. Now I'm tapering it so as to make another Clone with a built up fuselage and a Battery hatch! Life is good.

[@reiddavis9272]

12 year old vids, best stuff I've found!

[@RusstickDoom]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You saved me a lot of trial and error methods. My first attempt with your techniques worked perfect! Now on to a bigger one......

[@RemodNC]

Excellent tutorial! I really like the simplicity of your techniques.

[@ryanho5578]

Thank you so much for sharing all of your plans and ideas with everyone! It gives us an opportunity to design a magnitude of planes and projects we wouldn't be able to create due to cost of material and parts. The Armin wing has been a crucial part of my weekend projects.

[@OCMAMY]

S-W-E-E-E-T!!!!!! You are the professor of FOAMBOARD!!!

[@stevecraignet]

Ed, you do realize that you have revolutionized scratchbuilding RC, right? There must be THOUSANDS of Armin wings, Axons, Noob tubes, Peace Drones, and Dendrites (that's next, right?) floating around the skies of the planet. We, the scratchbuilding community, salute you.

[@Elephantine999]

Experimental Airlines videos are all just brilliant--great designs and great explanations. 🏆

[@ellisdean]

Thanks so much for making this video. The instructions are clear & concise. Well done!

[@letmeplaymystrat]

Great video. Love the fuse design. They look strong and light weight!

[@N7vlog]

very helpful video... This man has a great sense of humor to understand the problems of a beginner. Got all my questions answered through the demonstration..... loved it. Just great !!

[@zero00tolerance]

You sir are a f*****g genius !!!!!!! nobody thought of it but you thanks so much. Have a good day.

[@kamacoz9738]

Genius! Thanks again.

[@seansoblixe9711]

very clear and concise instructions. thanks

[@STRK3R1234567]

EXtrreme packing tape! Brilliant!

[@thecuongtran58]

2019! excellent .... i still using your design to fpv

[@hawkskyflier]

Again.... very nice video. Haven't been able to build or fly lately, way toooo busy, hunting season, grand kids... blah, blah, blah.. But I need to make another cargo plane for the Winter with no cargo door. Did this last year and filled the inside with snow when landing. I'm definetly gonna use your square tube design for the new fuse.. Thanks again! and keep the vids coming. Great job!!!!

[@Danimal-3D]

Making my first "noob tube" right now! Thanks for the great idea.

[@user-dv4tv6fj9u]

did you finish it lmao

[@chrisleech1565]

Thanks, I have found the supply, and I have something I can do with the Elmers brand foam core too. Also got the 2" vinyl tape as well. Not easy to find a good deal on an assortment pack but after some searching I found both locally. Now for the build! ;-)

[@vinniegiovanni]

Hi from Tucson. These tubular fuselage sections seem great for air cooling for the electronics. Your designs are easy and are practical. Thanks for the videos. I look forward in using your designs.

[@darioperez6384]

Very nice job!!!!!

[@sethalump]

Thank you thank you thank you! I for one really appreciate the time it takes to make a excellent demo video like this. I learned so much. Now my weekend is toast since I'll be watching the rest of your videos =)

[@halleffect1]

you're awesome Ed. thanks.

[@stevecraignet]

Hi Bob! Everywhere I go, there you are! This is not a dumb question. Holding power is a function of the glue, not the gun. The important elements are 1.) The heat of the glue being applied (hot enough, but too hot is bad!) and 2. The skill of the gun operator. A medium amount of smoothly applied glue at the right temperature and smoothly joined is the ideal. That should be easy for a skilled guy like you. Isn't this EA guy brilliant? I'm becoming a better modeler watching his videos!

[@sking0369]

Re-use the tape, hmm, your cheap like me !! Thank you for posting this. I have been thiniking about doing this with the foam board, and it's neat to come onto youtube and see how it's done.

[@anhtuanvidi]

Thanks for all your video, very good technique, instructions and explanations are very help full.

[@jstoecker62]

thank you well done nice and simple

[@Rip1Outdoors]

Nice video. Thanks

[@lejink]

Hmm...This gave me some great ideas, thanks!

[@punchritch]

Thanks very much for the vid, I've been using the cut 3/16" out and fold over and glue each corner. You should know from experience that it takes too much time and it always looks sloppy, no matter how careful you are with the glue!!! Also I subscribed to your channel because I have got addicted to these scratch built plane using the dollar tree foam board. Keep up the good ideas!!! Thanks again!!

[@bcharaantoun4738]

I love it it all your videos are useful

[@youtwoba]

Yes great info!

[@CMBBC]

absolutely thumbs UP !!!

[@cncdeluxe1]

Thanx....very easy to understand. I'll have to try this out someday. I've made my wings with 2"styrophome cut and formed with a hot wire and glued and covered with doller store clear celephane with a 3/4 inch wide by 3/16 wooden spar. Ive made one 8' long and cut it down to 5 foot by 7" chord. Low budjet too and very strong. thanx for the videos.

[@h0tr0d31337]

That's too cool man! I love these videos...gonna have to hit up the dollar tree tomorrow and get some supplies.

[@GuitarGuys7299]

Great video. Thanks for posting. That foam tube would be a great alternative to Canadian square gutter pipe that slow electric combat flyers use.

[@johnnyr19026]

thank you . great info.

[@raguilard]

That's what I needed to know. I have both, so I'm good to go. Thanks

[@kamaljadidyaval9015]

Nice job

[@Skydive4ever]

Excellent video, thanks for sharing, keep 'em coming. You do an excellent job in explaining and showing what you want to demonstrate :-)

[@AsSoulsDream]

this is exactly what ive been looking for and will post some of my creations on here for sure,,,, AWESOME!!!!!

[@brownsamurai3070]

My ex-wife used to make empty promises, too. Correction, they weren't promises, she would just make comments with no intention of keeping her word. So what is your excuse? You had 9 years.

[@maurotagliaferri3169]

Bravo !!!

[@vdubbub1986]

Awesomeness

[@jackcramer6258]

thanks this helped me so much this got me to subscribe.

[@crashlogger4283]

This video has not only helped me make my fuselage, but I used spare foamboard to send a gift! :D Turns out this fuselage is very strong against the postal service too, and thanks to how it works, it can help you create pretty much whatever shape/size box you want.

[@BPFLY417]

So much easier, thanks

[@rowdyrodcumming]

Nice one! Love your videos, very informative. I just wish the foam board I have was as easy to peel as the stuff you get over there from Dollar Tree.

[@apexdemigod9822]

Nice video

[@richie1317]

Thank you

[@stephencholvat]

i prefer flite test ways of doing this, like a modified swappable fuselage, but this works great too. I find there is less stress on the glue joint and easier to build doing it flitetest's way, removing the foam.

[@frankwilldo2434]

A less gnarly wood preservative than Oil + diesel (also a good form release) is Bora-Care which you can make yourself.

[@thedrifter101]

i asked you something in one of your vids and i think this one is my answer, cool

[@logansportpilotrp8174]

Ed i love your videos/build techniques,very clever designs,thought id share how i join the bottom.i just cut my full length foam but then i tape the bottom to hold in place, then i cut joiner piece in half then glue it then slide inside of fuse,meanwhile putting pressure on top of fuse,while using back scracther or stick to rub foam till glue hardens then repeat on other side works real good,joiner section is real square on bottom/and tough.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

Just ordinary cheap gluesticks, slight preference for low temp glue in any glue gun (high or low temp). It just gives you more time before it sets up.

[@howiemoth3847]

A nice true (straight/square ) wooden/alum. material, fus. length + 2 inches would be useful to form fus. around then slide out once glue/memory set. Maybe hair dryer on hot to "fix" shape while still wrapped around plug.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

Yes please, thanks for watching!

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

It's under "carton sealing tape", and I'd get a rainbow pack unless you have certain colors in mind. 110 yards (one roll) is good for 2-3 planes with lots of wastage, so with 6-8 rolls you will be good for quite awhile.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@poppopscarvinshop Wow, thanks for that! I'm just happy knowing some other guys might benefit from my trials and errors and enjoy their own scratch building experience more. Bonus if we can see their creations on video!

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

The overall outside dimension will be about 3/4" larger than the paper interval inside the tube. So if you leave 3" of paper and trim off the 1/2" sections, you will get a tube that is 3 3/4" final outside diameter, and so forth.

[@spencerboaz2385]

A 4' level on the inside would work for gluing the seam for the bottom .

[@jimp7181]

Or a trimmed 2x4. I was thinking the same thing!

[@mohamedelamin7487]

thank you sir

[@Munky332]

3m extreme packing tape is pretty sweet. its almost like duct tape, but i find its resistance to abrasion higher, much stickier, nice and sleek. one thing i see (and from watching your alternative method of joining) to improve clamping force -- so the same as the alternate method but take a 1x1 piece of square steel tube and instead of clamping it from the inside out -- lay the joint on top of the 1x1, bracing the 1x1 across 2 points. add weight (waterjugs?) from top of joint.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

You can use Depron but be sure to securely pre-tape the outside of the fuselage (or wing) before bending it. At least tape the bends, ideally tape the whole thing. You may use a blunt object to press down the inside of the fold lines to "fatigue" the foam so it will bend a bit easier.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

For long runs of glue (like wing formers) I use a high-temp gun with all-temp or low temp glue, just so it stays liquid a bit longer. For little spot welds I use a little $5 low temp gun with small sticks. I've not seen the foam melt unless you put a crapload of glue on it. But I assume there are some hotter guns than mine out there, so proceed with caution. I just use Arrow brand and Harbor Freight brand guns.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

It is possible with Depron, but takes a bit more work. Use packing tape liberally on the outside as in the foamboard covering video, but being very liberal with the overlap, like at least 1cm recommended. For the inside corners, instead of removing paper, compress the Depron with a smooth, blunt instrument rubbed along the fold line (I've used the corner of a utility knife beside the blade, but with the blade retracted). Fold slowly and don't overfold much past 90 degrees. Glue as usual.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@calebsmedia The coupler piece is 10 1/2 inches in "circumference", so cut a piece that wide by whatever the length you want for the coupler (about 8-10 inches) and fold corners as with the fuselage tube. It's not as precise a method as I wish and there is usually some additional forming and adjustment needed to get it to fit nicely.

[@kwhp1507]

I have not built this type of fuse yet because I'm new to the hobby and just built a few of the flite test foamies. I like your way of doing the fuse really well. I do have a idea for you though. As a woodworker and also always looking for a lazier easier way to do things. With that said, have you tried using a 2x4 or similar board cut down to fit inside of the tube? I'm thinking the fuselage could be slid over top of it for the last seam to be glued and used to push against instead of using the three hand needed tape method you show. That way the whole seam could be done at once, save tape and time. What do you think?

[@ajbeck8740]

Great channel you have here ! I noticed that your worried about water damage to the foam board. Since this is a older video you may have used this technique I found out about over on the Flight Test channel. It uses Minwax to water proof your dollar tree foam board and it works awesome. Also allows you to easily paint the foam board without the paper pealing up. They won`t let me post the link but just go to the Flight Test/articles/minwax-on-your-plane and look it up. Thought it might help.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@schraut5 That is a stellar idea - payload area with ability to shift weight around for CG. I get colored tape from TapeBrothers under "carton sealing" tape.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@azdeserthawk Glad to help. I get mine from Tape Brothers online. It's under "carton tape" or "sealing tape".

[@RichardLawn]

when you make the bends is it in the middle of the 1/2" section where the paper has been removed?

[@TheKahunas2722000]

Its probably been awhile since this vid was posted but thought I would give my option .. for the seams since you have to take the strips off they will be the exact size so you can hot glue the cut strips to seal the seams ..presto no leaks ...just what ive been doing to try and use all the scrap :)

[@StagArmslower]

Great tutorials, I'm coming back to the hobby and will try electrics. Can you tell me if you are applying motor trust tilt (shift down right or left) or it is not necessary in faster flying airplane?

[@madbc2004]

@schraut5 I've done that, and it works great. As a matter of fact I'm using measurements you've posted for your 40" fpv wing, and my 2nd protopy flies Amazingly well. Currently I've only uploaded the crash video of first prototype with weak motor, but I'm flying tomorrow before work, so I'll definitely post flight and build videos. Also Ed, huge thanks for Arming wing technique, I figured easy way to make swept, tapered wings using dollar tree. I'll PM you a pic since I can't post it here.

[@thomast2808]

Ed, new to RC flying for the third time in my life LOL. I have built balsa kits and ARF glow planes. I have about 7 glow planes now and no electric. I have decided to use your ideas for Armin wing and fuselages and build my first electric plane. I have already build two 30" wing halves... still have the ailerons to work. Thinking of adding flaps. My question is about your fuselage designs. If you don't mind what size fuselage tubes fit inside the next size fuselage? For example, what size would fit in a 4" fuse, a 3" fuse and 2" fuse? I could make a bunch of different ones and figure it out, but it appears to me you have this down to a science and have probably already figured that out. The reason I ask is I am thinking of making a 3" fuse then stepping it down as I approach the rear stabilizer. You answer would save materials and save me time as well. IF there is a magic number to reduce one fuse to fit in another I can do the math if you can provide at least that measurement. Thanks, Thomas L. Terry P.S. Thank you for all of your efforts to share your knowledge. I have wanted to tackle a foam plane build for years and watching your videos gave me the information and confidence to try it.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

For sure, there is a metal motor mount video on my channel for some ideas.

[@kaywoodparsons5307]

If you run the heated tip of the glue gun,(without glue) along the 1/2 inch corners before you fold they will stay where you set them. as the foam cools it will hold it's shape.

[@polarablues64]

Some other fellas on youtube say you can use polyurethane based minwax to waterproof the paper on the foamboard. It also is supposed to make it take paint really well too. I haven't tried this yet since I've only built one plane so far. I have had a hard time getting the foam to not bunch up in front of straight blades while cutting. Im not sure why this happens. I thought I was using a dull blade but a new one didnt solve the problem. What ultimately worked for me was a blade on my leatherman that has a curve and a sharp point on it. Maybe u can tell me what I've been doing wrong with the straight blades.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

Yeah maybe. Probably hard to get the tape perfect the whole way around, but it'd be cool. Give it a try, let me know.

[@azdeserthawk]

Thank you for all of your instinctual information videos! I do have a question. Where do you get your colored packing tape? Thanks for all of your awesome videos.

[@stevecraignet]

Oh, Bob! I would never cast aspersions on your glue gunning skills! As far as the formulation of the glue sticks, I've seen a lot of them that work in either low- or high-temp guns (says here, anyway)... if there are different specific types, I've never seen 'em. And remember-- for decades balsa was king! Wish I had mad skills with a glue gun... :"

[@javieruriel]

Do you have a video how to setting the motor?

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@P74EM Hey Josh - Dollar Tree (a US and Canadian discount store) foamboard isn't available there but there is likely an alternative. See this channel for another English builder having success: wbw40 There is a manufacturer in Germany called 3A Composites that makes a selection of foamboards, one of which is Kapa-Line and has been used by some mainland European guys with success. Heat is used to remove foamboard, but no solvents needed, which is important. Keep us posted.

[@schraut5]

This really is great! I am going to make one of these and add it to the bottom of my delta wing to I have a fuselage for my FPV gear. Where do you get your packing tape from?

[@darshitdesai]

what is the thickness of the foam board used also will 3mm thick foamboard work for fuselages

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

Sure, see the next video on foamboard fuselage tubes: "Ideas and Variations".

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@hawkskyflier Snow? What's that? Just kidding. Something we don't see much of in AZ. But a skid-landing cargo plane would be super cool. Antarctic resupply missions! I can say the packing-tape-wrapped foamboard fuselage seems to be pretty watertight so I'm eager to see what you come up with!

[@RCextra300]

This is great! Can I post on my clubs forum?

[@eelcogg]

What if you would make the tube out of bare foam board, and as you glue it, spiral the colored tape around it to press the seems together? Would that work?

[@UnOmelette]

how to make the tubes thicker on one side than in the other one

[@wesleypowell3711]

I don't know if you have tried this or not, but I (by mistake) did 1/4" "no paper" areas in between the "paper section. It made for a tighter, and in my opinion, better bend for the fuselage.

[@NappingPup]

Great information and instruction. Typically, my dollar store foam wings have had all the paper removed, top and bottom, and then the packing tape was applied over bare foam. Where you applied or laminated packing tape to the outside surface or your fuselage tubes, is this packing applied over the existing paper, or was the paper removed. Similarly, what about the 1" wide internal bottom pieces. Is the reinforcing doubler glued with paper to paper surfaces in contact? Thanks again.

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

@rgthd007 I think it's a good question but I don't know the answer. All I know is the low temp one I use seems to have the right amount of grab for flying and enough give for crashing. Personally I like to leave a known weak spot for "spontaneous disassembly" due to impact. If you do a test though please let us know what you come up with.

[@phillipstephenson1597]

Maybe I just haven't found them yet but can you show what you use for your motor mounting techinique. Much appreciated.

[@smittyplugs]

are you able to do a tapered tube? larger at the point of the motor and wing and smaller toward the tail

[@Savage_Offroad]

How do you make a collar in the inside! How much smaller do you need to make the inner tube

[@chrisleech1565]

In regards to the Adams foam core. When you score and peel the paper, is there no paper left whatsoever? I can't get Adams up in Canada, our version comes from Elmer's, as in the glue. There is still more than a trace of paper and I think I will have to wet it down with water after I score the 1/2" intervals to get it to release.

[@YOGIlogs]

How to install the electronic part inside as its a tube

[@ExperimentalAirlines]

I have some discussion of the tail construction for the Photon, FuglyJet, and Noob Tube on this channel. If you are making a standard horizontal and vertical stabilizer airplane then I would start with the Photon tail video. I can't post links here but you should be able to find it pretty quickly.

[@b4ggu]

Hi, Please can you do a short video on how to make a foam cutting jig saw and wing cutting jig. I saw some time ago a servo slot being carved by a hot wire jig and just cannot find that video....It was done with wire being bent to the servo body size and just scooping out the foam leaving a perfect slot where the collars of servo had to be carved with a hot rod or knife...do you have any such ideas rather than conventional template and then cutting in small squares with blade....thank you..