Jon B

My Feedback: (2)

This is the first kit I've built and the first time I've attached ailerons, elevators, etc., with triangular stock. Should there be a gap between the leading edge of the ailerons and the trailing edge of the wing, or should they contact each other?

Thanks,
Jon B.

IowaSilvia

My Feedback: (97)

What I like to do is insert the CA hinge in the Ail. , Elev., or Rudder. Just put it in halfway of course. Then take a T-pin or any pin for that matter and stick it right in the middle of the CA hinges. Once you get them all "pinned" you can put them into the wing without them pushing into the aileron. Also you know that half the hinge is in the ail. and the other half in the wing.

I like to have a little less than 1/16 gap between the 2 surfaces. If they touch and you move them to full deflections they could bind and pull a CA hinge out. Or just leave the pin thickness in there for reference. Once you have them were you want them, pull out the pins and apply 2-3 drops of Thin Ca to each side of the hinge. Don't over-due the CA though.

Good luck

dbruening80

My Feedback: (1)

Do like IowaSilvia said, and keep the gap to a mininum. For maximum flutter control, seal the hings lines with some 1/4-3/8 inches wide strips of covering. Looks great too! Also I have found you can buy syringes and needles from walgreens for about a quarter a piece, just ask for the smallest one. I like to put thin CA in the syringe and use the needle to apply the glue to the hinge, gives much better control over the glue flow. just squirt the left over ca from the syringe back into the bottle.

AFSalmon

My Feedback: (3)

Great advice guys. I also insert the hinges into the surface side first, put just a small drop on the center of the hinge one side only to tack the hinge in place. Then when I'm ready to install the surface I insert into all the hinge slots and make sure the control surface seats properly at each hinge point nice and flush with little to no gap anywhere. Then I deflect the surface almost 90 degrees, which is possible with double beveled hinge lines, and then wick the thin ca into the hinges. I quickly wipe off excess ca on both sides so there is no buildup at the hinge point. This is a common mistake some make and can cause premature failure of the hinge.

dbruening80

My Feedback: (1)

also you can smear a little vaseline on the surfaces surounding the hinge before you glue w/ca, this will keep any excess ca from sticking to the covering.

Jon B

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for all your suggestions. Now all I have to wory about is cutting the hinge slots straight.

Jon B.

dbruening80

My Feedback: (1)

Here's what I do to get the hinge slots straight. Get a scrap piece of 1/8 balsa/ply or whatever, glue an exacto blade flat on top of the scrap material with about an inch overhang. Place the control surface and the cutting tool flat on the table, then gently work the blade on the cutting tool into the control surface untill you have the proper depth/length fro the hinge. Since the control surfaces are 1/4 inch thick, the 1/8 thick scrap puts the blade in the center fo the surfacs. THis will work for the ailerons, horizontal stab (if you haven't glued it in yet), elevators, and rudder. The wings and vert stab are a different story, I just use my exacto knofe and try to keep my cuts as straight as possible.