Can anyone give me some input as to the pros and cons of CA type hinges versus the Hobart hinge points? I'm concerned mainly with using them on .40 or .60 size aircraft? Any guidance would be appreciated!

The Pro's. CA hinges are very easy to use. They install quickly with no fuss and are very durable on a
.40 -.60 size bird. The round robarts are more durable. They also have better travel on a plane with extreme
amount of throw like a 3-D type aircraft. The con's. If the CA hinges are not installed perfectly parrallel
to one another they will crack and break. They can be replaced by using a different area of the control surface
but you will run out of fresh wood in a hurry. The Robarts only have two problems I've seen besides
the more time consuming install. I lost a Goldberg Ultimate because the fin snapped at low altitude in a flat turn.
The fin on the Ultimate is thin and the hole needed to fit the hinge was to big for the amount of wood I had.
Now this was not the fault of the hinge but should be watched on smaller scale planes. Second, they must
be installed with epoxy. The CA seems to weeken them drasticly. Once again , not the fault of the hinge, but
watch for it. Finally I would say, not all CA type hinges are created equally. Before putting them in your
bird glue one into a scrape piece and try to pull them apart. Hope this helps. later daveo

Thanks for the info Dave....I didn't realize what you pointed out as to the CA hinges breaking if not installed perfectly parallel....one thing I noticed on the Robarts is that they seemed extremely stiff....the CA hinges seem to allow for much easier movement and less strain/work for the servo....but maybe the extra stiffness is not really an issue? I also wondered about what you pointed out - that on smaller planes, especially with just sheet balsa for the tail surfaces, whether there was enough thickness in the balsa to allow for the size of hole required for the hinge point....

Thanks again for the info!

Keep in mind also that both hinges flex easyer as time goes on. A happy median for you might be the flat Du-Bro hinges. They are flat plastic with a steel pin. The thiner wood wont be a problem with them and they will last the life of the plane. Also think about buying a Great Planes electric slotting tool. It's about $20 . Once you use one you wont know how you got by without it. later daveo