JohnnyV44

I've got a plane that had some fairly minor tail damage...a Midstar 40 to be exact. I had to cut the control surfaces off in the rear and they had the CA hinges out pretty far towards the end of all the surfaces. I really just need to replace the rear stabilizer. What can I do about where the old CA hinges are now?shouldn't the new hinges also go out fairly close to the ends of the control surfaces? Do you cut where the old hinges were? Seems pretty tough. I did a search and really didn't find this scenario.

Thanks in Advance!
JohnnyV

AERORICH73

Johnny: I have dug out these hinges before, but it left a much larger slot. Using the metal pin type hinges that are thicker, worked ok using expoxy, and then pinning each side of the hinge made sure they would not pull out. The Great Planes Slotting tool uses .008" blades to cut new slots. IF there is enough wood thickness, a new slot could be cut over the remains of the old hinges. Not knowing just how much length you have left to the tip of the control surface makes it difficult to know if you can cut another slot towards the control surface tip. The inboard hinge locations are much easier to deal with. If you have 1/4" wood, Robart hinges could be another way to go. This company does make smaller hinges, but I am not sure just how large a model they can be use on. Hope this info is of some help.

Rich S.
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waydown2low

Johnnyv, you can rehinge in the same spot with another ca hinge. Just use a #11 blade and cut on both side of the plastic center core. You dont have to get all of the cloth ca absorbing material out just the plastic part. Once you cut on both side of the plastic, you should be able to fish the plastic core right out, but I have had a stubborn one from time to time. get your new hinge and nub off the corners slightly to help it penatrate in the slot. If it is still to tight to get the hinge in, work the knife back and forth a few times to work out some trash and you can also put the blade in the slot and slighly twist the knife to pry open the slot a little, but don't get to aggresive or you will break the blade or split the wood. I usaully stick a pin in the middle of all the hinges to keep them from going too deep in one side or the other. When you get the hinges all back in and get the surface set where you want it, bend the control surface down making sure you didn't spread a gap in between the control surface and stab or wing and put five drops of ca on the hinge and do all of them the same. Once you get one side done, flip the plane over and put four or five drops on the other side of the hinge ( be careful not to get too much or it will run out and go down the covering of the plane) if it does get on the covering and looks bad, you can use ca debonder to remove it, it takes a little time, but you can get it off and no one will ever know. Let the hinges set for a little while so the ca can harden, then you can hook up the controls and go fly. The ca will stick to the old hinge material with no problems and should last as long as the original set.

Good luck,
Mike