How to Build a Balsa Glider - 12" Sandpiper - Part 1

[@glowworm3345]

What a great tutorial! Most other balsa wood gliders on KZbin are fake and take no regard for aerodynamic design and proper wing attack. Thank you soooooooo much for your simple design.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thank you for your comment! Enjoy flight, my friend! 😊

[@zgxbl2007]

My son and I made two planes by watching this series videos. Both fly well and the longest fly is 27 seconds. I learnt a lesson that the balsa wood selection is really very important! The difference of two same size sheets from the same store can be 50%! This is the best glider tutorial video I have watched on youtube. My son and I had a lot of fun. Thank you so much Nighthawk Gliders!!

[@NighthawkGliders]

That’s great! We are always happy to read comments/email when families spend time together building and flying gliders! 👍😀. Yes, you are correct! Proper balsa selection is critical! Not only can those sheets vary in weight, but they can have varying density ribbons which makes your wings unbalanced. You also want to avoid any warped sheets. So, take your time and pick the good stuff out of the lot! Thanks for commenting and stop by nighthawkgliders.com and sign up to our newsletter! 😊

[@OlliKarhun]

What would be the recommended density of a 3/32 balsa sheet to build one? Great videos by the way, really enjoyed them and now heading for a local balsa shop 😁

[@NighthawkGliders]

For these gliders, balsa that is 8lb per cubic foot is good. Now, personally I am NOT a fan of this form of measurement. So, get yourself a digital kitchen scale and take it into the hobby shop. When looking for a sheet of 3/32x3x36” your target weight should be between 20-24 grams. Hope that helps! 😊

[@geoffreydowen5793]

aged 64 in 23' happy new year and thank you for the video . great project for my grandson and me. here in Suffolk, England. . well done to even I can make this after a stroke took half of my brain out fair winds guys xx

[@NighthawkGliders]

Happy New Year! I hope you and your grandson have a great time with the Sandpiper. It’s an easy build and does not disappoint! 👍😊

[@claudegiguere8731]

This weekend I was at Hobby Lobby and saw some balsa wood and the idea of building an airplane came up quite fast. And now that I have seen your superb tutorial, I will probably go for it! Many thanks for your time and excellent work here 👍😎😁

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah! Get some balsa and build some gliders! But I caution you on being selective with your balsa selection. A hobby store might be better (and lighter) than Hobby Lobby. Good luck on your builds and have fun! 😊

[@claudegiguere8731]

@@NighthawkGliders ok thanks for this appreciated advice!

[@VC27]

This video and the other parts that follow, took me back to the mid '70's when I learnt about Aeromodelling through Balsa Gliders. This set of videos is, in my humble opinion, the very best instructional series for anyone seriously interested in learning the art of Classic Aeromodelling which is very far removed from the 'buy and fly RC models' of today. I regularly conduct Basic Aeromodelling Workshops for school students which involves the understanding of primary aerodynamics and the practical construction of a balsa wood glider. I am going to ensure that each of my participants watch this video series and learn the basics. What i like most are the sanding techniques that have been demonstrated lucidly. Well done Team Nighthawk Gliders, you have created an invaluable instructional media that the world over can follow and learn from. There is nothing, I repeat NOTHING on the web that comes even close to this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you just made my life a lot easier. God bless!

[@NighthawkGliders]

WOW! Your comment on this video series is the best compliment we could possibly receive. We are extremely honored and grateful. Thank you so much! 😊 Our goal was to keep it simple, share what we have learned with students (of any age), and to spread the pure enjoyment of flight. We thank you for your service as a teacher and for sharing this with your students! We wish your students good luck and happy building!

[@VC27]

God bless, take care and thanks a million for the videos. Well done!

[@simonstratman299]

veecee27. Your right

[@jimbroable]

veecee27 Humble and brilliant comment. I like this.👍👍👍

[@ideology2004]

By follow your videos, I had already build 2 sandpiper, and THEY REALLY CAN FLY! Great fun, Great videos. watch your videos over and over again.

[@NighthawkGliders]

We are very happy to hear this! Thanks for letting us know these tutorials have been very helpful! Glad you are enjoying our videos! Now, go fly those at the park and show them off! 👍😀

[@ideology2004]

It's raining now... Maybe I should build the 3rd one...

[@CreateVideo]

*_Thank you for the video tutorial, it's very useful, greetings success always_*

[@NighthawkGliders]

Awesome! Glad it was useful! 👍😊

[@claudegiguere8731]

Excellent tutorial here, thanks! It will be my first plane, I have all tools and wood but remainig is the glue. May I ask what brand/type of glue you used? Thanks again !

[@jeremyswain9842]

Thanks so much for this excellent tutorial and other videos. They have helped me so much and inspired the design of my STEM glider at school. :)

[@NighthawkGliders]

That, my friend, is one of our goals! To inspire those interested in Science Technology, Engineering, and Math! And another one of our goals is to take over take over the world. But, hey. One thing at a time, right? 😀

[@jeremyswain9842]

yeah

[@petertsalavoutas3995]

Fantastic, thanks very much. Peter

[@shahryarhumayun538]

Finally done with the first part.

[@gabeyzi1265]

noice

[@JohnBorlaug]

Thanks for this vid! I have a bunch of neighbor kids who are already tripped to my RC collection, so we knead to do some birds from " step one! :D

[@NighthawkGliders]

That's great! When I fly at my local park, I often get kids (and adults too) showing their interest in them. When I tell them the gliders are home made they are surprised. I hope you have fun building them and even more fun flying them! Thanks! 😊

[@markfannin3975]

Outstanding video. Thank you for the build series. I've gone to the hobby store and bought all the supplies to build my first one. Cannot thank you enough for the information and inspiration. New subscriber here !!

[@NighthawkGliders]

That’s great! Welcome aboard! Enjoy flight and enjoy life, friend! 😀

[@kathyanderson8462]

I enjoyed your videos. You are very talented!!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks! 😊

[@nigelhutt9921]

Just ordered and downloaded the plans can I ask what sort of glue you're using please? Utter novice so appreciate the help

[@NighthawkGliders]

Gorilla brand super glue is my favorite. You can easily find that in most hardware and grocery stores. You’ll want a super glue that has a medium viscosity. “Regular” super glue is typically way too thin. You can find other brands of medium viscosity CA glue and balsa at hobby stores. Thanks for buying the plans! 😊

[@nigelhutt9921]

Many thanks appreciate you taking the time to reply.

[@joewoodchuck3824]

I think I want to get one of those balsa strip cutters. Also, I've discovered that thin balsa cuts nicely with scissors.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Certainly worth your investment! 👍

[@joewoodchuck3824]

@@NighthawkGliders After my comment I looked around and found a really nice diy one. It can be modified for a lead screw fine adjustment setting, and I also had the idea to add an inexpensive but adequately accurate plastic vernier caliper for setting the cut width. The jaws probably wouldn't be used but the vernier slide could be permanently mounted. They only cost a few $ on eBay.

[@vijayakumarT.]

hi nighthawak, i like your easy instructions to build the balsa glider...

[@NighthawkGliders]

+Awesome! Have fun building and flying! 😊

[@rileyhowe9610]

😃😃😃can't wait for part two

[@osvaldotrigueiro3884]

Não entendo nadinha de inglês , mas pelos movimentos de suas mãos aprendi direitinho a construir um modelo super legal , obrigado e muita saúde e paz para você !

[@NighthawkGliders]

Obrigado meu amigo. Eu não falo português, mas o Google traduziu! Fico feliz em saber que este tutorial funciona para você. Eu desejo você bem! 😊

[@shahryarhumayun538]

If I order the Sandpiper 12 kit will I get the wood shaped as the fuselage and the wings?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Absolutely! Our kits have all the parts you need and they are laser-cut to make your build go easy! Also includes a launcher, rubber bands, and nose weight! 😊

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders but will I receive it because the corona virus has stopped the shipping.

[@simonstratman299]

I made my one design and it flew 85 seconds thanks to you 👍

[@NighthawkGliders]

That is fantastic!!! Wow! 😊

[@plreeve]

Hi there, great glider. Could you tell me please what density balsa wood to use in the 1/16 & 3/32" ?

[@rajantiwari7541]

Your creation is unique

[@NighthawkGliders]

We appreciate you commenting. Thanks! 😊

[@drmikecubbin]

Are you using a thicker CA glue to attach the two halves of the fuselage? Oh yeah, GREAT VIDEOS!!

[@NighthawkGliders]

I use a medium thick CA for the whole build. It’s what works well for me. Thanks for question and subscribing to us! 😊

[@aarushv4767]

Hi Mr. Nighthawks, I wanted to ask, about where would be a good place to put a tail-fin within this model?

[@chrisvoliotis1482]

A nice looking glider

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks! Appreciate that! 😊 Kits available @ NighthawkGliders.com

[@datamajor2336]

Another of the Nighthawk videos mentions a 18 inch version of the Sandpiper. Does anyone know if the plans are just scaled up by 3/2, or are there modifications?

[@NighthawkGliders]

The Sandpiper 18 isn't exactly 3/2 scale of the Sandpiper 12. There were some mods made to it make it fly better. Sorry, but I have nothing published yet on the Sandpiper 18 regarding plans. Thanks for asking and showing your interest. 😊

[@trackie1957]

Very well done! Have you tried making use of the graduated grid on your cutting board? So many cuts were whole inches, it just looked like it would have been useful. I never had a board like that, so I had to measure like you did.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah, sometimes. I guess during this video, it was just a cutting mat to me any not a ruler. 😊

[@loveyoutothemoonandtosatur7463]

hi! if i want to make the glider fly as far as possible using a catapult launcher, how should i position it? is it okay if the wings are parallel to the ground?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Tough challenge. If your glider flies perfectly straight and you have a specific target direction, then that seems reasonable. If your glider stalls on a level launch, and nose dives, then you may need to try a banked launch while aiming to target with an arc glide. But if you are just going for distance any direction from launch point, I’d trim it to fly straight and try to launch it as high as possible and let it glide the distance. This might work better for outdoor distance.

[@charlesgamer1070]

I have a question do you have a list of materials? how many Balco´s table i need?

[@NighthawkGliders]

www.nighthawkgliders.com/blogs/what-you-need-to-build-balsa-wood-gliders

[@willwinn8559]

I'm making one out of a pizza box ( that's all i have tonight , I'll get balsa wood tomorrow ) 😎👍👍

[@NighthawkGliders]

We wish you good luck on your build! Thanks for the comment! 👍😀

[@ziiab]

Great! How much is the thickness of balsa sheet?

[@NighthawkGliders]

I use 3/32” (3mm will work as well).

[@shahryarhumayun538]

7:18 what did u set it on?

[@NighthawkGliders]

What was the setting for the balsa strip cutter? Well, I cut the wood exactly down the middle. So, the wood was 1/2” wide and the cutter was set to half that (1/4”)

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders OK thanks just asked because you said 1/4 then you changed it a bit

[@shahryarhumayun538]

Will it work with 0.114173228 inches thick balsa wood for the wing and the fuselage and 0.106299213 inches thick tail?

[@shahryarhumayun538]

Please Reply

[@NighthawkGliders]

You can use 3/32 to 1/8 thick for wing, 1/8 to 3/16 for fuse, and 1/32 to 1/16 for tail.

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders but wait weren't the fuse and the wing have the same amount of thickness?

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders but could you/you guys tell me if the measurements I wrote would work?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Your measurements for wing, is ok... but for tail it’s too thick, unless you sand it thinner.

[@itzdani0073]

The balsa sheet is 2.5mm or 2mm? Sorry, i'm italian and i I don't understand the measurements with inches.... how thick is the Fuselage? 4 or 5 mm?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Wing: 3/32 of an inch = 2.38mm. Fuselage: 2 x wing thickness (or slightly thinner.)

[@itzdani0073]

@@NighthawkGliders yes ok. But is 2mm or 2.5mm because in italy there is Just 2 or 2.5..

[@NighthawkGliders]

Go with 2.5mm balsa for the wing and you should be ok! So the fuselage would be two layers of 2.5mm making it 5mm thick. 👍

[@itzdani0073]

@@NighthawkGliders perfect. Tanks very much

[@shahryarhumayun538]

Will it work if I 3D print one?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Not certain... I’m not a 3D printing expert... My gut instinct says it would not work well because it would be way too heavy. 🤔

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders Ok

[@shahryarhumayun538]

0:22 What do you mean with number 11?

[@NighthawkGliders]

That was just the number I assigned it. Probably was my 11th build of a Sandpiper 12 (not counting earlier prototypes.)

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders Ok I get it.

[@rsmshreyasgade7412]

Hi Nighthawk, I am a Science Olympiad student and I built your glider as inspiration for my competition glider. When I launched it, it was very unstable, and it wasn't descending in a circular path. Also, I have another glider that is very unstable and it just kept doing loops in the air. Is there any tips u can give me to make my gliders more stable and how to make them descend in a circular path? I already tried to tilt the horizontal stabilizer, but i really don't know what happened with it. Thank You

[@NighthawkGliders]

You may have built it from some unbalanced balsa. Sometimes balsa can have bad grains of various density. Try turning your glider upside down and balance it on end of ruler- balance it right at the wing joint. Does it lean to one side? If so, try adding clay on wing tip to balance it. This is not ideal situation, but might help. Regarding looping, you may have too much “up elevator” or not enough nose weight.

[@michaelmontes337]

Wow its so amazing

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks! We appreciate your comment! 😊

[@angie2099]

Would it make any difference if I add a fin? for my student's competition, a fin is required.

[@NighthawkGliders]

How about a small fin on the bottom? E.g. you can try making it a Y-tail instead. 👍😀

[@janangelodadis2805]

What is your reason about this design? Why is the wingspan and the stabilizer built like that?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Basically, I wanted a design that was very efficient on material. A 3”x36” sheet of balsa can produce three wings and three fuselages. Also, to make it more special, I wanted an a glider design with a v-tail (which is a less common feature in catapult gliders.). 😊

[@janangelodadis2805]

@@NighthawkGliders thanks you 😊

[@Husain_bohra]

please anyone specify the all the things required separately..

[@heshamtawfik5471]

I made mine with 6mm balsa sheets but it did not fly.what thickness did you use

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah... I’d say 6mm is quite thick for plane this size! I’d say 2-3mm should work. The sheet thickness I use is 3/32 of an inch. That’s about 2.4mm. Good luck!

[@heshamtawfik5471]

@@NighthawkGliders thx buddy Gonna let you know

[@heshamtawfik5471]

I made another one using 4mm balsa sheet first it worked good although it lasted only 5 seconds of smooth flying but not it flies inverted upside down !!! then turn in mid air what could possibly be the reason. Im sure i carved the wings evenly and good

[@NighthawkGliders]

Hmm... I’m thinking 4mm might still be a bit too thick for a 12 inch glider. To stop it from flying upside down, I wonder if you can try tapering your wings thinner from root to tips. That should lessen wing weight at tips and lower CG vertically for better stability.

[@michaelolsen2158]

Superfine video 👍👍 💖💖💖💖💖

[@NighthawkGliders]

Well, sir, this was a superfine comment! Thanks! 👍😊

[@EBspeciesfishing]

I have to ask, where can I get the best balsa. I have bought Midwest Products and bought several sheets, but came warped in the packages. Normally I by from hobby lobby. What is the best Love the Vids!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Ugh... it came warped? Bummer! Well, I heard that Sig Contest Balsa is very good, but not tried them yet. Here is a link www.sigmfg.com/IndexText/SIGB454.html. Normally I’ll go to HobbyTown USA and pick thru the bin for the best available by selecting lighter density and avoiding those with pesky, dense ribbons. I once ordered 20 Midwest Balsa sheets from Amazon, and got about 9 good sheets of various weight. The rest were maybe 1/2 decent, a couple were dinged and some were not ideal for any great glider. None were warped. Anyway, enjoy flight and enjoy fishing, my friend, and thanks for watching! 😊

[@EBspeciesfishing]

Thank you!

[@Josecebri]

Hello from Spain, I would like to build one but I am new and I have doubts. Why is the CG 55% and not 25-30%? The fuselage is very thin, will not it break? Thanks in advance and congratulations

[@NighthawkGliders]

Hi, Joseratufy! Thanks for joining us! Yeah, on a powered-airplane, it's very common to have CG at 25-30%. In such models, the elevators would provide a substantial down force to counteract. However, for HLG or CLG, it's very common they have a rearward CG. It seems counterintuitive (and I may be wrong) but I think it has something to do with the horizontal stabs on the HLG/CLG models typically provide upward force when the gliders are in "glide mode." All I can say is... it works this way... no doubt about it!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yes, the fuselage can break if it is sanded too thin, especially if the glider has a bad flight where it rolls and the wing tip hits the ground first creating a torque moment on the tail boom. You don't have to sand it so thin if you are concerned it jeopardizes the integrity of the fuse. Also, keeping your v-tail super-light is key in helping prevent the fuse from breaking.

[@Josecebri]

Thank you very much, I already built several and fly very well. My nephews and I had a great time.

[@NighthawkGliders]

We love to hear it when our gliders bring family together for a flying fun time! 👍😀

[@mandarmalabandkar6064]

I can use MDF board for making gliders

[@NighthawkGliders]

I believe MDF board is really dense. It would not work well for gliders. 🙁

[@lizbethleija4659]

Is 4 mm instead of 3 mm balsa wood good?

[@NighthawkGliders]

It could be a bit thick and maybe a bit heavy depending on the wood. But you can sand it down thinner.

[@luissepulveda9005]

Deverias tratar de escribir en español como se llama esa cosita con la que tu cortas dime como la puedo conplar y dondela venden esperando tu respuesta gracias

[@NighthawkGliders]

www.google.com/search?q=master+airscrew+balsa+strip+cutter

[@francescorescigno4678]

Complimenti per il video, lo stabilizzatore il balsa e di due mm. grazie

[@NighthawkGliders]

Prego amico mio. 😊

[@jimbroable]

Please where I can get the diagram ? Thanks

[@NighthawkGliders]

You can find a diagram for the Sandpiper 12 here... goo.gl/XBy5RK. Good luck on your build!

[@jimbroable]

Thank you very much sir.

[@jimbroable]

I try to make yours sometimes it work fly well sometimes fly upside down 😁. What do you suggest sir ?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Hmm... That’s a tricky one. Hard to say without seeing it fly. I suppose I would try to apply some up elevator. Now, do that a little bit at a time. You may need to also shift nose weight forward and down if you can or add some nose weight. Keep testing and tweaking until results improve. I hope that helps!

[@jimbroable]

Nighthawk Gliders I will try sir. Thank you very much for your suggestions.

[@karaokerishabh]

For sandpiper 18 The dimension is 1:1 (wings to fuse ratio)? Wings 18" Fuselage 18" And also I want to know the dimension of cord length and stabilizer.

[@karaokerishabh]

Please tell me 🙄

[@itzdani0073]

I think so, but I would make the wings of an inch more

[@johnmarktamano8834]

do you have the instructions for making the Sandpiper 18?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Sorry, John, but we do not have one for the 18 right now. Did you build a 12? If so, how did that go?

[@johnmarktamano8834]

I really liked your ingenuity. Simple but efficient. I still testing the foam board. thank you

[@poornimasundarraj7611]

Can someone say what is the flight time of this glider

[@NighthawkGliders]

It depends... But I probably have flight times mostly between 20-40 seconds. But that’s when I’m flying on days with no thermals to help it out. If you hit a thermal, flight time can go well above 1 min, easy!

[@GertjaNL]

How much mm thick is the wood

[@NighthawkGliders]

It’s 3/32 of an inch. Which is about 2.4 mm.

[@huseyinylmaz7311]

Perfect 🖒

[@anthonybelcher8569]

Awesome

[@luissepulveda9005]

Deverias poner las letras arribas para poder ver las medidas tu revisa tu video y fijate lo malo que se vee con las letras abajo no deja ver las medidas

[@NighthawkGliders]

Lo siento por eso. Los planos detallados se venden aquí. NighthawkGliders.com/store

[@seanahed]

this will help me win tsa

[@karaokerishabh]

Please tell me the dimensions.

[@NighthawkGliders]

I believe I mention all the dimensions for the Sandpiper 12 in this video. Also, plans are available: NighthawkGliders.com/store

[@karaokerishabh]

No actually I want to know the fuse to wing ratio

[@NighthawkGliders]

On the Sandpiper 12 both the fuse and wing is 12” long. So, in this case 1:1.

[@karaokerishabh]

@@NighthawkGliders can you please tell me what is the cord length of the wings and the dimension of the stabilizer.

[@davidcollett2122]

Sandpiper 12” 2

[@snort455]

Thank you!

[@shahryarhumayun538]

Is wood glue too heavy?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Good question. I prefer to use Gorilla brand Super glue but not because of weight- but because CA type glues set quickly. I think wood glue would work just fine and I don’t think would be an issue. The challenge with wood glue is that it works best when the parts are “clamped” together and it takes a longer time to dry. Trying to clamp angled airplane wings and tails on a fuselage can be slightly tricky when you use wood glue, but it is possible and can work if that’s all you have on hand.

[@shahryarhumayun538]

@@NighthawkGliders OK thanks but before making it I will make that thing you made so I can set the wing at a height you put it on. By the way I have never seen anyone who shows the tutorial in so much details and replies to your comment. Thanks again😊

[@memiself1595]

inches squinces quarters squarters! thanks for the video anyway!

[@NighthawkGliders]

I know... imperial units, right? Lol. 😆

[@memiself1595]

yes! BUT i start right now to make one for my son :) cheers!

[@Martin_Jou]

hi

[@NighthawkGliders]

Hello, Martin!

[@komix7556]

Who else is thinking of making this rc powered

[@NighthawkGliders]

lol. 😀 go for it!

[@komix7556]

Nighthawk Gliders any tips?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Tips to make this into RC? Yeah... use a bigger glider! lol! This one only weighs about 5 grams! 😀 I'm actually thinking of making an RC glider with a 24 inch HLG I currently have. Maybe worth a video!

[@komix7556]

Nighthawk Gliders ok, go for it. I'll sub so I can be notified when the video comes up

[@shantelfullerton9865]

Step by step with plans from the Stodoys site you can do something like that

[@Jeetz69]

Looks like a chopstick 😂😂😂

[@NighthawkGliders]

Hmm. Yeah, you’re right! 🤔 Maybe i should get some chopsticks and try them for a fuselage. 😀

[@aaanelson9232]

I did it works

[@NighthawkGliders]

Fantastic! 👍😀

[@buangstriapemburu0074]

Mtp

[@davidbevan2611]

#

[@charlessong3870]

Triggered. I am.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Triggered? 🤔 How so?