Problem: The assembly instructions say that the wings should be glued-on and blocked-up 65mm from the table surface. And just where am I supposed to find this 65mm block?  Making a custom one sure sounds like a pain in the butt.

Solution: Go over to your CD collection (you know, that cabinet of round, shiny discs that no one uses anymore). Grab yourself four standard jewel case and one double-disc album case (in my case, The Best of The Doors. oh yeah):

CLICK TO ENLARGE/REDUCE IMAGE !

Voila! A 65mm block up for gluing your FA-18’s wings.

Don’t forget to put some weight on top of the wing so its pressed down on the block-up while the epoxy cures. In the above photo, I used a plastic bag full of aquarium gravel.

Another tip: I like to use white melamine shelf boards for flat gluing surfaces. Found at any home improvement store (or storage/get-yourself-organized store). Cheap, heavy, and very flat.

See my other FA-18 tips:

• Gluing jig for 110-degree angled vertical stabilizers
• Using an audible countdown timer so you don’t have to take your eyes off this screamer

Enjoy!
Donn Lee