Recommended Tools

Work Area & Tools

Surprisingly only a minimum amount of space will be required to construct either the Zing or the Cloudster. A single car garage, basement, or even an enclosed porch will work well for all phases of the construction. We have even seen builders construct this airplane in a studio apartment (just be sure you can get it out). Care should be taken however, to provide for safe and secure storage of all parts during construction to both provide room for building other components and avoid premature “hanger rash.” A long, flat, wood top workbench is recommended for accuracy, and to allow for scrap pieces of lumber to be screwed into the table to serve as guides for the various jigs you will make. Our plans provide instructions on how to build a suitable workbench.

Recommended Tool List:

  • Table saw (basic $99 table saws work fine)
  • Disc sander/belt sander combo table top machine
  • Miter saw or simple miter box with hand saw
  • Japanese flush cut hand saw (excellent for cutting small pieces accurately)
  • Rasps and files for wood and metal
  • Vixen file for aluminum parts (special order from Wicks Aircraft).
  • Sheet metal sheers (for cutting gusset plywood)
  • Tack hammer
  • Wrenches
  • Hand Drill
  • Drill press (inexpensive $60 table top model works great)
  • Tape measure and ruler
  • Large carpenters square (essential to keeping wings and fuselage square)
  • Small carpenters square (the sliding type)
  • Light duty staple gun. The Arrow JT21 works well.
  • Various collection of clamps of all sizes
  • Clothes pins (use for small clamps)
  • Good Jig saw with multiple settings
  • 12 ton or 20 ton press for bending the landing gear (not needed if you order from us). Or you can find a local machine shop to do this for you.
  • Pop rivet tool (can be borrowed)
  • Nicropress squeezing tool (can be borrowed)

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