Indoor News and Views

A2Z Balsa stripper

The stripper itself comes with two micrometer head assemblies, a bar of aluminum, a length of self-healing mat, a blade holder, one sealed straight scalpel blade and a copy of instructions. The buyer is to provide the base. I used a bit of ¾” light MDF as I had some leftover from building my model bench.

The base was sliced about 7” wide by 24” long. I vacuumed the top surface and attached the self-healing mat using the tape provided. Attaching the micrometer heads was a matter of lining the head up to the bottom, then using the two screws to mark the pilot holes. I drilled them out using a cordless drill and attached them to the base with the provided screws. So far, everything is great.

I proceeded to extend the micrometer heads out fully. One extends easily, the other does not. I grabbed a bit of silicone grease and spread it onto the threads. After a full retraction and extension again, there was very little change in the feel. I proceeded to remove the assembly and remove the threaded rod entirely. Looking inside, I could see that the threads were not as clean as they should be. Luckily I had the correct tap, ¼” x 20. A quick full tap in and out and some of the plastic came right out. I cleaned up some of the edges with an X-Acto blade and then reassembled the unit adding a bit of silicone grease again. This time the micrometer moves easily. Using a tissue to clean the grease, I grabbed the threads lightly and extended the rod fully.

Attaching the blade is simple, provided you have the needed 5/64” hex driver. It would be better if A2Z provided one. I used a Candidius blade sourced from A2Z. Truing up the side on a sheet of balsa, you can sight down the edge of the aluminum straightedge. Back off both heads three full turns, move the straightedge, then draw the blade along the edge. The feel is smooth and almost effortless. The resulting edge is smoother and straighter than anything you can achieve with a normal Master Airscrew stripper.

Pros:

• Inexpensive and works very easily after a bit of cleanup.
• Blade holder works very well.
• Tapers are easy to make.

Cons:

• No hex driver provided.
• Mat has tape on it and this produces bumps in the surface. The mat without tape on it would be better. If you are not careful in placement of your wood, the blade holder can ride at an angle and provide perfectly trapezoidal cross-sections. 

Hint: Make more holes so you can position the micrometers exactly where needed. It is easier to cut 9” tapers when the micrometers are 9” apart. 

Mike Kirda 

From the Editor’s Desk:

From 1960 to October of 2012, the newsletter was distributed via print media several times a year. Over the years, too many people to name have supported INAV by providing editorial and publishing services. However, the strength of INAV has always been its content, which is provided by its readers. Beginning in November of 2012, Indoor News and Views will switch over to a web-based format. Much of what the indoor community has come to love about INAV will remain the same. Nonetheless, there will be a few changes that I hope will make the newsletter more informative and timely, and will simultaneously reduce the cost associated with its production.

The content of INAV will continue to be generated by its readers. The submission process is now somewhat more streamlined. To submit an article, simply follow the instructions on the submissions page. All submissions will be reviewed  by an editor with some knowledge of the content being submitted. Once the article is approved for publication, it will be posted to the blog section for everyone to read. Once we have 40 pages worth of new content I will compile a new INAV issue and post it in the download section. Thus, it will still be possible for anyone who wants one to print a PDF of the issues.

Other changes that will affect INAV have to do with the new functionality of web based publication. We will be able to offer contest announcements under our events section. The events postings will be updated in a timely manner, thereby resolving INAV’s historical problem of publishing the contest announcement and results in the same issue. Also, we now have the ability to allow comments on the content we publish. There has been some concern expressed about ensuring that all of the comments posted are constructive and polite. For the time being, I am trusting INAV’s readership to conduct itself accordingly. However, if I am given cause, I will remove the comments feature from the blog. Last but not least, INAV will no longer be charging subscription fees. The web based format is much cheaper to produce and maintain. Therefore, INAV can now be sustained with occasional donations from its readership. Thank you to those of you whose donations have made the continuance of the newsletter possible all these years.

I now invite you to start writing and drafting content. Without your submissions there is no INAV.  I will try to keep my meanderings about the business of INAV to a minimum from here on out so that we can start enjoying reading about our hobby again.

Regards,

Nick Ray