I have several truck kits on the shelf and started my M923 A1 'Big Foot'. Anybody have any tips or suggestions for assembling the frame? Glue all cross pieces to one of frame side pieces and then glue the side piece to this sub-assembly? Start at one end and glue the cross piece to both side pieces in the same step? Any ideas for jigs to help hold pieces in alignment?

I've got a Magnetic jig I Built following an Article in FSM a few years ago. Glue a Magnetic sheet to a piece of Plywood and use some small pieces of steel angle as a guide.

I have built at least a hundred of these frames. Follow the instructions sheet and start at the rear of frame. Glue all the pieces to the right side frame. Make sure that the transfer and transmission have been assembled before hand. If the pieces go into the slots the frame will self align. Any more questions feel free to pm me.

almost all the hobby kits line up, if you are scratch building, then I would recommend a jig

Howdy Sandbox,

Your question is a good one, especially for those of us who build 'soft skins' of any kind. Our good member 'animal' is dead right in his assembly technique. The sequence he suggests is the proper method. And matt's also correct...now, if I may be so bold as to combine the two? In fact, the core of this method is something originally passed on to me from the great 'Gunnie' himself.
Micro Mark makes a metal assembly 'tray' that is approx. 10" x 10" square. It also comes with eight (8) square magnets faced front and back by square metal 'washers'. If you take a piece of semi-transparent plastic 'graphed' sheet and cut it to size to fit inside the tray interior, you have a pretty good assembly 'jig' Assemble the frame rails as suggested by the very talented 'animal' and utilize the metal assembly tray as originally suggested (and used) by 'Gunnie', and add the semi-transparent base of graphed (gridded) sheet stock, and you have something you can lay the half assembled frame rail with cross members within, add the opposing frame rail, tweak and align as needed, slip the magnets into place to hold the glued assembly in 'square' using the underlying gridwork to confirm it's proper positioning, let dry overnight, and.........Voila!! You have a properly assembled, firmly glued, and confirmed square, sub frame! :-)
hth.

Tread.

Ditto on what Tread says. the jig by micro mark is great. I have alot of different tools from this company and I love them all. The Dupli cutter is my favorite followed by the assembly tray.