Great Planes Escapade Disaster
01-07-2010 | 07:37 AM
#51
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RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
ORIGINAL: F2G-1
Kuddos to you for keeping your chin up and not loosing the spirit. Hopefully GP will make it right.
I cant wait untill my son is old enough to fly, although I am trying to plant the seeds early!
His favorite words are 'a-peen' (airplane) and choo-choo, -god love em'!
Been there done that with hinge failure, on my PA Laser 120, although I installed the CA hinges myself, the balsa on the elevator failed before the CA did. 1st flight straight and level, 1/2 throttle, pulled back on the elevator and .......nothing, had to helplessly watch it go down. Balsa was just too soft. The shame was it flew so nice for the first few circuits......
Took the carnage to the LHS, and they made it right. So to this day, #1, I use the Klett hinges, and #2 If I buy an arf, I try my darndest to get it thru the LHS -they support me, i'll support them. Hindsite is always 20/20. Have fun with your kid!
Kuddos to you for keeping your chin up and not loosing the spirit. Hopefully GP will make it right.
I cant wait untill my son is old enough to fly, although I am trying to plant the seeds early!
His favorite words are 'a-peen' (airplane) and choo-choo, -god love em'!
Been there done that with hinge failure, on my PA Laser 120, although I installed the CA hinges myself, the balsa on the elevator failed before the CA did. 1st flight straight and level, 1/2 throttle, pulled back on the elevator and .......nothing, had to helplessly watch it go down. Balsa was just too soft. The shame was it flew so nice for the first few circuits......
Took the carnage to the LHS, and they made it right. So to this day, #1, I use the Klett hinges, and #2 If I buy an arf, I try my darndest to get it thru the LHS -they support me, i'll support them. Hindsite is always 20/20. Have fun with your kid!
Bruce
01-07-2010 | 12:42 PM
#54
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From: Tallmadge,
OH
RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
I would think tower or hobby lobby sells them.
I use the klets on the big planes, b/c they are really beefy, but the regular nylon pin hinges sold by tower, hobby lobby, etc do the same job, for the smaller planes.
After the Great Planes slot machine came out, I never looked at a CA hinge again. I usually use toothpicks to pin them.
One a side note: I did a little testing years ago to try to find the best glue to use for hinges.
After several mock-ups to compare epoxy, CA, hinge glue and tie bond, they all worked, but
I concluded that good old tie-bond was the best. I had plenty of time to align everything before is started to set up (unlike epoxy) and the bond was stronger than the wood. (when the mock up failed, it was the wood fibers that tore, not the glue bond.) The tie bond is easier to clean out of the pin joint, unlike exoxy. I still pin it for added precaution.
I use the klets on the big planes, b/c they are really beefy, but the regular nylon pin hinges sold by tower, hobby lobby, etc do the same job, for the smaller planes.
After the Great Planes slot machine came out, I never looked at a CA hinge again. I usually use toothpicks to pin them.
One a side note: I did a little testing years ago to try to find the best glue to use for hinges.
After several mock-ups to compare epoxy, CA, hinge glue and tie bond, they all worked, but
I concluded that good old tie-bond was the best. I had plenty of time to align everything before is started to set up (unlike epoxy) and the bond was stronger than the wood. (when the mock up failed, it was the wood fibers that tore, not the glue bond.) The tie bond is easier to clean out of the pin joint, unlike exoxy. I still pin it for added precaution.
01-07-2010 | 01:34 PM
#55
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RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
Neither Tower, Horizon, Hobby People, nor Hobby Lobby carry them. I have not been able to find them for about 10 years. I liked them because they had a removable pin so that the control surfaces could be removed for painting or repair.
I use 30 min epoxy for holding hinges (non CA) in with a tooth pick for pinning. Next time I install hinges I will try Tite Bond and see how that works. Thanks for the tip.
Bruce
I use 30 min epoxy for holding hinges (non CA) in with a tooth pick for pinning. Next time I install hinges I will try Tite Bond and see how that works. Thanks for the tip.
Bruce
01-07-2010 | 03:47 PM
#56
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From: Tallmadge,
OH
RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
Just talked to the owner of the LHS to find out who handles them, and apperantly old man Klett passed a few years ago, and the widow never did anything with the product line that he knows of.
Thats too bad, I liked them allot too.
What ever is left in inventories is all we have now - bummer.
Thats too bad, I liked them allot too.
What ever is left in inventories is all we have now - bummer.
]!
01-07-2010 | 04:11 PM
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From: Tallmadge,
OH
RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
http://www.flyinggiants.com/forums/s...ead.php?t=7950
they discussed some options in this thread, check it out
they discussed some options in this thread, check it out
01-07-2010 | 04:14 PM
#59
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From: Tallmadge,
OH
RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
http://www.flyinggiants.com/forums/s...ead.php?t=7950
I cant believe they *** me on that.
*** = f-l-y-i-n-g-g-i-a-n-t-s-d-o-t-c-o-m-
I cant believe they *** me on that.
*** = f-l-y-i-n-g-g-i-a-n-t-s-d-o-t-c-o-m-
01-07-2010 | 05:18 PM
#60
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From: St. Charles,
IL
RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
This reply falls squarely into the shoulda, woulda, coulda category…
After hinges are properly installed, I’ve always been a big fan of sealing both sides of the hinge gap with Ultracoat / Monocoat, especially on CA hinged planes. I figure there is a LOT more surface area to adhere to across the top and bottom of the control surface than the quarter sized contacts a CA hinge gives you. I figure that this approach has got to take a lot of stress off the hinges overall. I’ve never had any flutter or the separation of a control surface, so I may just be lucky, but it works for me!
I own two Great Planes airplanes an old Avistar and a Revolver. The Avistar was a good trainer, but the Revolver is an exceptionally well built plane (except for the landing gear). The best covering job and overall fit and finish I’ve ever seen in an ARF, of course, I replaced the CA hinges with some pinned nylon ones!
My $0.02
After hinges are properly installed, I’ve always been a big fan of sealing both sides of the hinge gap with Ultracoat / Monocoat, especially on CA hinged planes. I figure there is a LOT more surface area to adhere to across the top and bottom of the control surface than the quarter sized contacts a CA hinge gives you. I figure that this approach has got to take a lot of stress off the hinges overall. I’ve never had any flutter or the separation of a control surface, so I may just be lucky, but it works for me!
I own two Great Planes airplanes an old Avistar and a Revolver. The Avistar was a good trainer, but the Revolver is an exceptionally well built plane (except for the landing gear). The best covering job and overall fit and finish I’ve ever seen in an ARF, of course, I replaced the CA hinges with some pinned nylon ones!
My $0.02
