Biplane Rigging Jig Ver.2

by Jack Matthews

Some time ago I wrote an article on making a biplane assembly fixture using toothpicks, rubber bands and Styrofoam strips. In June of 2024 the use of Styrofoam food service packaging was banned in Washington state. The foam clamshells that were once available from any strip mall are now hard to come by. As a person who had to deal with Styrofoam peanuts in much of my working life, my attitude is … good riddance.
   
An alternate material, with the same easy availability, is kitchen cardboard. As shown here, it is from a freezer bag box. The fixture uses 2 sets of 4 cardboard strips. The length of the strips is about the chord of the wing (chord equals distance between the leading and trailing edge) plus half an inch on each end. The strips are about an inch wide and folded lengthwise. The width seems appropriate to give the tension desired on the rubber bands. If your rubber bands are longer or shorter than mine the width may need to be adjusted.
 
As in the original assembly fixture, other materials required are bamboo toothpicks and rubber bands. The rubber bands are the size used to hold the end of a hair braid together.

To Make the Strips

Make 4 cardboard strips 1 inch wide. They should be the length of the wing chord of the model plus 1 inch. Mark the lengthwise centerlines and score them with a ball point pen.

Fold one of the strips and with a needle in a pin vise pierce it about 1/8 inch from the cut side and ¼ inch from each end. This is the “pattern strip”. A cardboard box is a handy work surface that will allow the needle to pierce the strips deep enough to make holes the full diameter of the needle.

Set another folded strip under the pattern and pierce it with the needle. Put another needle in that hole to keep it aligned and pierce the hole on the other end of the strip. Pierce the other strips. Unfold the strips and push a toothpick through the holes to enlarge them.

To Make the Fixture

Wrap two of the strips in each other as shown and put the end of a toothpick through the holes on each end. Twist a rubber band double and wrap it around the end of the strip and repeat at the other end. Repeat with 2 more strips on the other end of the toothpicks. Add the diagonal toothpicks. The diagonal toothpicks should be adjusted so that the other toothpicks are parallel to the model struts. Repeat the whole process to make the other fixture required.

To Use the Fixture

Put a rubber band around the lower wing. Put the fixture under the wing, next to the wing tip, and pull the rubber band under the strip and over the wing tip. Repeat on the other end of the lower wing. Attach the upper wing to the fixture in a similar manner.  Move the strips to a location that will allow access to the strut locations.

The fixture permits dry fitting of the struts and assembly of the rigging. To strengthen the strut joints, I drill the ends of the struts and insert short lengths of monofilament fishing leader secured with CA glue. The leader goes into holes drilled through the wings and fuselage at the strut locations. The rigging, finer monofilament thread, goes through the same holes. 

One of the reasons for choosing Styrofoam as the material for the first assembly fixture is that it was soft and not likely to damage the model’s finish. Cardboard is not so soft so it may be necessary to protect the finish with masking tape.

To Remove the Fixture

Pull the rubber bands off the ends of the cardboard strips. Pull the toothpicks out of the strips. Finally, pull the ends of the remaining rubber bands around the ends of the strips.

Biplane model assembly can be a fiddly business.  This fixture should make it easier.

Jack Matthews

Member: IPMS-Seattle, Northwest Scale Modelers

For more on this review visit Modelpaintsolutions.com.

Text and Images Copyright © 2026 by Jack Mathews
Page Created 4 June, 2026
Last updated 4 June, 2026

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