ORIGINAL: ag4ever
So, when is the best time to drill for hinge-points?
I am ready to sand the model to get it baby bottom smooth, but should I go ahead and hinge the control surfaces now, or wait till it is covered. I plan to wait until it is covered to glue them on, but what about just drilling the holes?
Right now, I am inclined to wait until it is covered and painted to actually drill the holes.
Whenever I build, I always hinge the surfaces with the plane in the bones, just like I was going to leave it that way; I just don't glue them in. I mount all the internal stuff, make my control rods, mount the engine. Then I take all the control surfaces off, take the engine off, do all the finish sanding and prep for covering. I cover everything, then dope and paint, and then recut the slots/holes for the hinges just before I'm ready to glue the hinges. This way you've done all the stuff that you have to move the plane around for, and don't run as much risk of poking unwanted holes. Last thing I do is re-mount the engine. I usually wind up assembling and disassembling the plane about 4 times before it's finally finished.
I kind of lost track of this thread; I have the WACO covered and primed, and started shooting color the other day. I had a bit of problem with some pinholing on portions of the wing, but another coat of primer took care of it. Stickbuilder is probably correct; his method (and the time-honored one) of doping the framework before laying the fabric would allow dope to work into the fabric from both directions, likely minimizing pinholes. I've done mine the same way every time, and it seems like there's no rhyme or reason as to why I get pinholes one time and not another. Thinning the first coat or two might help, but it will require more coats to fill the weave that way The finish on my UMF will probably be my best result yet, if the newly painted elevator is any indication.