I read a post a couple of days ago about using vaseline to protect the joints of robart hinges from application of epoxy. Does this apply to flat-type hinges, rod-type, or both? I have recently bought the rod-type hinges to repair my Duraplane.

I need a good explanation of what to do with these things and why in the heck vaseline is used. Heating it up... what is that all about?

Thanks everyone!

The vaseline is applied ONLY to the pinned type hinges. Robart hinge points have a metal pin in the plastic hinge pieces. CA hinges have no pin. (the pin is obvious in any that has it.... it will have segments to the hinge like a common household door hinge)

You are coating the places the "leaves" of the hinge mve against each other to prevent glue fom sticking in those areas. If you glue the pin to the leaves... then the hinge won't allw one leaf to move in relation to the other. That results in a control surface that won't move freely.

It doesn't take much vaseline... I apply it with a kid's watercolor brush. Don't get the vaseline on the portion of the hinge that is to be glued in the wood.. because then the glue won't stick properly.

cool, what was that stuff about heating up the vaseline that I was reading about?

Did you see Dave Johnson's robart hinge how to in the RCU Magazine? Great video! go check it out if you have not done so already.

The heat just flows some of te vaseline deeper into the hinge... lubricating the pin. Careful... it can make the vaseline run to the area you will want to glue. (so I don't heat until the hinges are installed and the glue is cured.)

I use a chap stick to do my hinges instead of vaseline. Chap stick is easier to control and work with for me. Fold the hinge one way and rub the chap stick on the pin area, fold it back the other way and do the other side. No mess no fuss.

DEG