George E.

My Feedback: (16)

aerobatixkid

I put the rudder back on with the robart pin hinges (1/8" hole) and gorilla glue. The whole process only took 10 minutes and the rudder seems very solid.

aerobatixkid

Those of you who havent had their hinges fail your next

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

Hee hee hee, ominous! Joe

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

I have had some fail (as I posted earlier) but I wonder if we can find a connection between the type of plane/flyer....

for the Sunday flyer who comes out and flies the "pattern" and has a great time.. CA hinges would probably be just fine...

for people and planes that fly 3 or 4 times a week with control surfaces going from full throw to full throw ...in extreme aerobatic or 3D flying...maybe they aren't enough...

maybe there is a "black art" to installing them that many of us have missed....

but if they are that tricky and I fly as hard as I do...
I don't trust them

GP pinned for me

CA hinges stay on my foamies....

George E.

My Feedback: (16)

I'm about to start a CHP Vision (50cc) and plan on using a mixture of CA hinges and Robart hinges. I'll probably add some Robarts to the rudder and one to each elevator half near the pushrod. Maybe I'll try some Radio South CA hinges too. CA hinges are too convenient to give up on, especially when the ARF has the hinges precut and installed loose ready to glue.

For sport/pattern flying where surfaces don't move far or often they seem to be perfectly fine.

southern_touch9

My Feedback: (3)

I have had them fail until I learned how to properly use them. I have found that it really helps to use foam safe CA for this application. WHY??? Regular Thin CA sets up super fast and you dont have any time to make a mistake. The hinge can go in too deep and be stuck, not far enough and be stuck or it can run all over the hinge itself causing it to be brittle where it shouldnt be. With foam safe CA it still sets up fast but usually gives you an extra 10 - 15 sec. cure time that allows you to really take those extra seconds and install the hinges correctly (mostly setting the gap to the correct width). With that said CA hinges are only meant to be used in smaller aircraft. I wouldnt dare put them on anything greater than 25% due to the force on the control surfaces.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

The crayon idea is a good one. However I use them all the time without the crayon and have not had a failure in the last 10 years. 10years ago I didn't know enough about the install. Most of my planes are 40-90 size so I can't speak about 1/4 scale applications. Also I only use Great Planes hinges. I have been flying a .40 size Funtana for almost two years. I fly the sh*t out of it and the hinges are fine. It has 55 degrees of ELEV throw and the rudder nearly touches the ELEV halves. All that being said there is one thing I haven't seen mentioned here. The surface should be in full deflection when the first drops of CA are applied. If not then the hinge will be trying to pull at the center under full deflection. Some planes(like my Funtana) require the covering be peeled back and the stab be beveled. This is a cause of many failures. The other big cause I have seen is crocked hinge slots. The slots must be straight with the hinge line.

I didn't take the survey. I don't think it's fair to blame the hinges for me doing something wrong. I made many mistakes in the start of my RC life. I lost a 1/4 scale Extra I built on the second flight because I used the wrong servos and linkage. If a survey is posted asking about if anyone has lost a Midwest kit. It would not be fair to say yes when I was the dumba**.

Sorry to ramble. But I have taken grief before for using CA hinges.

David

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I've had CA hinges fail--but only after many, many flights.

The hinges on the ailerons and the elevator on my first LT-40 finally started failing after 250-300 flights. I was flying it pretty hard. Doing aerobatics like rolling circles and snaps with it. I cut them out and replaced with Robarts. Crashed the plane the next weekend--go figure.[] Shoulda put CA hinges back in.[&:]

I only use CA hinges on trainers or 40 size planes. Anything larger than that--and I usually put in Robarts or the Great Planes clones of the Robarts.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

I am picking up a CHP 34% Extra this weekend. It comes with CA hinges, and I will be using them, or some type of CA hinge...

raideron

My Feedback: (1)

I was kinda waffling between GP pinned hinges or the included
CA hinges that came with the Showtime( Only because I have
to order and wait for it) ... But after reading cumn thru's post it
sort of sunk in for me... As stated above I had a few(6) break
off at the hinge line... None on my first two planes, But on two
others that I was flying hard and a lot of flights on.. I thought
some of the breakage was due to my rookie self by making the
hinge line to tight... But on another high use and push plane the
rudder hinges that broke off was spaced right, bracket for tail
wheel on fuse and only springs on the rudder and I used the
crayon method on the center of the hinge before CA'ing??? But
yet on another hi use plane UCD 46... No problems yet????????
Heck I don't know..... CA types sure fit my bill for the install...
But pinned does make more sense for just a bit more work....

southern_touch9

My Feedback: (3)

Between the hardware selections and the chinacote lies the reason in why I dont own a CH product. Not saying I know more about this than chip hyde but with that kinda name you would expect a superior selection of hardware and real monokote

Dave McDonald

My Feedback: (19)

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.a...2Cfailed%2Cucd

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.a...2Cfailed%2Cucd

I've had other CA hinges failures since then, with the latest on a profile Katana 70.

I guess that me and CA hinges just aren't meant for each other. [&o]

drumbum

My Feedback: (1)

sounds to me like you are trying to glue them then stick them in? I drill a 3/16 hole where im doing the wicking in the slot before putting hinge in. that way you know it will go all the way to the end of the hinge that is in the wood.. too much CA in the center and spraying them with excelerator will cause them to fail.. have you ever dropped ca on your pants or shirt then after it comes out the wash it has a hole starting.. i know the hinges are different material but same effect..

Dubro pinned hinges are my favorite, from kit building days,robarts on larger, but i do use CA hinges and so far so good. i guess i get tired of a plane and sell it before it becomes an issue.

George E.

My Feedback: (16)

Dave McDonald

It is interesting that 2003 poll showed almost exactly the same percentage (about 50%) of people had some problem with CA hinges.




Further, if a CA hinge fails after installing them per the directions I'd call that a failure. Just because a person installs hinges using method X and never had a failure doesn't mean method X was the reason they didn't have a failure. The fact that someone had no failures could be attributed to flying style, plane size/weight, brand of hinge or just plain luck.

No reason to stop using CA hinges, just food for thought.

southern_touch9

My Feedback: (3)

I put the CA on the hinge and wick some in the hole and I never use excelerator. The core of the CA hinge is usually a plastic surface. I'm willing to bet that the chemical combination of the excelerator and the CA could cause the hinge to become weak.

Flyin Hawaiian

Funtana 40, elevator hinges broke in the middle, was able to save the plane w/ half the elevator dangling behind (w/ a whole pile of green apples under me) I even used flexible CA. However I still believe in CA hinges. Now I use nothing but Radio South Pro hinges, never had one fail. But now i am going to bigger planes (27% and up) and for piece of mind, I will use Robart Hinges.

BBriBro

My Feedback: (2)

I tend to agree with you there. I had about 6 of them fail at various times on my Ultra Stick 1.20 I would just fix them as they broke until one day the entire rudder came off just like you mentioned, finally someone asked me if I used the hinges in the kit, he had problems with H9 hinges too, I just wish I would have known before I built it, as H9 stuff is usually very good. I wouldn't say that I am against CA hinges though, I almost exclusively use the Radio South pro hinges, even on 50 cc 3D gas burners, and never had a problem.

Flyfalcons

I had the CA hinges break on the rudder of a DP Extra. Fortunately I was able to bring the plane back down safely, as I had just sold it a couple flights ago. Only pinned hinges for me now in my aerobatic planes; my personal faves are the Robart Hinge Points.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

Off topic, I know, but I am getting the ARC version, and I will likely not use the supplied wing tube, wheels, or landing gear and I will be using real monokote to cover it.

xtraflyr

My Feedback: (11)

Hey all,

Never had one fail!! I had a DP Extra one of the first batch sold it a couple years later the guy is still flying it and has no problems at all.. My friend has a Funtana 90 with a Moki 1.35 and so far no prblems at all..
Dont make the hinge line to tight and maybe use an extra one or two.. And most of all seal your surfaces..

I dont think I'd use them in a 40% or better,but you never know..
Later,
Frank

nitro fanatic

If its a kit before I cover it I use the pinned hinges with the holes in them and drill holes in what ever im hinging and cut up some toothpics and ca the hing in and then put the toothpics through the holes and then ca them in and after you do this dont plan on geting them out

Dandy

hello,,,i believe, never use them in any plane you care about,,the trick about the wax pencil is a great idea,, ialways followed directions to a T,i have had them fail in too many plane ,ultimate 40 bi plane, lost all on the rudder,,,had to fish it out of a tree ,the one that made me no longer believe in them was my gp patty wagstaf 300,,3 outer hinges on the right ailevator let lose on take off,,i didn't have a chance,,a little roll and a few cartwheels later the plane was destroyed,,,it was obviouse what had happened,,but the outer mat on the plastic core of the hinge let go,,,i sent it in and they sent me a brand new one,,,had been flying my new plane(Dave patrick extra 330L) with robarts for 2 years and i havent even found one come loose yet,,, BOTH PLANES ARE FOR SELL patty is still in the bag,,every thing except the box,,plus extras,,,the dave patrick 330L 120 with a os 1.60 and a 9CAP futaba radio check listings on rcu

Lilone

My Feedback: (1)

I have recently completed my Funtana 90. I flew it for the second time, it flew great, and I was going about 3/4 throttle perfectly level and straight, and one of the elevators ripped out. I managed to get it in okay, with no damages other than the rudder getting broken from the elevator smacking around. The CA hinges ripped out, ripping some balsa out with it. I got that fixed, and reinforced all of my hinges letting CA wick in. I pulled on the elevator fairly well and it didn't budge. I took it up again the other night, and the same thing happend. This time both elevators ripped out, unfortunately making it go into a dive and making it very hard to repair. This time it both ripped the balsa that was adhered to the hinges out, one one hinge it ripped the fabric part out leaving the plastic of the hinge remaining, it also ripped some clean in half. I am wondering why this is happening, both on straight level flights just breaking it in. Its really frustrating after only having 20 minutes flight time on it total to have to either try and repair it, or salvage what I can and start over. And for a note, i didn't seal the surfaces, not sure exactly what is meant by that. Any help is appreciated

xtraflyr

My Feedback: (11)

I dont know whats goin on with yours.... Ive been using them for years without a hitch.. A friend is still flying my DP Extra(one of the first ones shipped)that I sold him.. Funtana 90 with a Moki 1.35 my other friend flies the s*$t out of it without any problems. My QQ 72" Yak the same thing... I dont get it.. And dont tell me that my friends and I dont fly as hard as you guys do!!
Do you guys seal up your hinge line??

later

mgruenba

I had one CA hinge on the rudder on my Ultra-Stick .40. Fortunately, I noticed this on the ground. This is the only time this kind of thing has happened.

Regards,
Mike