best jig?

[Jeff K]

i'm a huge fan of having the right tool for a job. and, i just like to have good tools. i will need a jig for 1/32 biplanes. which one should i get?

i see everyone recommending that if you're getting a Vertigo jig to order from UMM. UMM also have a wooden jig. the Aeroclub jig looks great, but i don't think it's been available for a long time.

so what's the best jig?

[RLWP]

So, for those of us who would like to use a jig - what is the best?

I usually make my own for whatever I'm doing, I would be interested in knowing what the features of the commercial ones are

Richard

[lcarroll]

Jeff, Richard,
    In answer to the original question it depends on your subject. I have and use both the Aeroclub and the Vertigo Jigs. I'm a big fan! The Aeroclub is an excellent tool; it was designed for 1:72 Models mostly however it will cover most 1:48 subjects and many of the 1:32 single seat aircraft. The problem arises with wings that have a chord exceeding the space available between the vertical members of the jig, hence my purchase of the Vertigo Jig as a backup. For example the Wingnut Brisfit will fit the Aeroclub Jig, their HB.12 will not. The Vertigo Jig is a simpler design but works well. The added bonus of both is as stated by Krow 113, it secures and makes the model more "manageable" although I use the "Magic Third Hand" when that's a problem.
   Last, in my experience most Wingnut Kits are so well engineered that a Jig is not required to mount the upper wing correctly however I don't think I'd have had as easy a time with their Brisfit without a Jig. All of the Roden kits I've done have required a jig to get an accurate mounting and "sweep" of the wings, for that sort of Build I deem a Jig essential but that's only based on my experience.
    .......and yes, if you buy the Vertigo Product order it from UMM!!
Cheers,
Lance

[jamieg]

I have an Aeroclub jig. I've been happy with it, but I don't think they are available any more.

[RLWP]

Could people post images of the jogs, particularly the Aeroclub one that I have only heard about

And as for ordering from UMM, it seems a bit odd to be ordering a European made jig from the USA for delivery to the UK

Richard

[petrov27]

Just have the Vertigo here:

[lcarroll]

Richard,
    Here's the AeroClub Jig, the square lateral "beam" you see at the bottom was extended by the designer for me to accommodate larger then normal subjects wing spans. A little padding where the model contacts to Jig is a good thing. As you can see here the chord of the lower wing is about as big as can be mounted on this type of Jig whereas the Vertigo Product is "open".







    As for ordering from UMM, a number of our members had difficulty contacting and ordering from the parent company, and I believe difficulties with refunds as well on missing orders. I, and several others, found UMM very responsive and efficient to deal with at essentially the same price as direct.
Hope this helps you, both are pretty good products in my view.
Cheers,
Lance

[Jim]

Could people post images of the jogs, particularly the Aeroclub one that I have only heard about

And as for ordering from UMM, it seems a bit odd to be ordering a European made jig from the USA for delivery to the UK

Richard

Hi Richard - While it does seem strange to order a jig from further away and at greater expense than getting it direct from Vertigo Miniatures, I personally found it a frustrating experience to deal with them due to their delay in posting my order and lack of (or mis)communication in letting me know what was going on with my order.

Do yourself a favour and order whichever jig you decide on from a store that has a good reputation dealing with their customers.

Hi Jeff - Another factor you may wish to consider that other forum members have mentioned in similar posts is that the Vertigo jig is made from perspex/acrylic sheet that requires a special glue which can be expensive (it cost me AUD25 (or around USD17.50) to get it from a local supplier in Sydney), adding to the cost of the jig.

[lcarroll]

   FWIW I used plain old 2 part 5 Minute Epoxy on my Vertigo Jig and it worked just fine. (Lepage brand made by Henkel Canada). I'm sure there are dozens of similar products available. It was around $4 CAD and I have about 90% remaining that I've already found a use for in model making. (Works great on clear styrene, no fogging or crazing)
Cheers,
Lance

[petrov27]

Wow - I am stunned the plastic cement is that costly - I think I used Weld on #4 for my vertigo and the can of glue was like under $10 but I am in the US

[RLWP]

I'm pretty sure what is going to happen is I will absorb the details from the various jigs and make my own...

That Aeroclub jig is a delight

Richard

[Jim]

Wow - I am stunned the plastic cement is that costly - I think I used Weld on #4 for my vertigo and the can of glue was like under $10 but I am in the US

Yeah, I was pretty stunned too...while I did find Weld on #4 around the price you quoted, the postage charges were crazy and I could only find one supplier in Sydney selling a similar solvent (Acri bond 105).

[Jeff K]

i don't expect i'd be able to find the Aeroclub jig. while i'm confident i have (or can find) a glue that'll hold the Vertigo jig together, UMM's wooden jig looks interesting, and easier to customize.

the Aeroclub jig, being metal, would need padding of some sort. what about the Vertigo? is the plastic softer than kit plastic? in addition to WNW i'll be building a bunch of Hobbycraft (Italeri/Academy) Nieuports and Roden kits. hard plastic can scratch softer plastic.

that's another thing i like about the wooden one, it's unlikely to scratch anything.

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_162&products_id=3102

anyone have any experience with this beast?

plan C may be making my own by drawing up plans and sending 'em to a laser cutter.

[lcarroll]

Jeff,
    The issue I had regarding padding was scratching the painted finish, thus I believe padding is a good addition to any jig you may settle on. When you mention that you intend to build a bunch of Hobbycraft, Roden, and Italeri/Academy Nieuports that tells me you'll benefit a lot from using a jig. On my Aeroclub Jig I just put a bit of tape on the sharp edge or wrap it with a bit of paper towel and masking tape. I learned on the Brisfit (photos earlier) the need to pad the metal edges the hard way....  as you can see there's no padding there!
Cheers,
Lance

[RLWP]

I have found the JHModels jig, although it seems to be out of stock: http://www.modellingtools.co.uk/airplane-jigs-92-c.asp

Likewise the SRAM jig is also out of stock: https://www.modelimex.com/sram-s-biplane-assembly-jig

Richard