I know I need thin CA for CA hinges, but the stuff I got from the hobby store just says 5-15 sec gap filling CA. Is this the right stuff?

Thanks in advance!

I doubt it. All thins that I've seen don't say gap filling anywhere

Jay

No, this is not thin CA.

Ken

G'day Mate,
Thin CA is like water, it needs to wick into the hinge joint, gap filling CA is too thick.

The right stuff:


The wrong stuff:

These come in real handy also for getting the glue exactly where you want it:


Only a few drops on each side of each hinge is enough to hold it firm. Do not do a continuous flow from the tube. And leave the control surface flexed for a minute or two after applying the glue so as not to tear the covering off at the hinge point. I have done that one a coupla times myself [:@].

I am sort of new to modeling, and am assembling an avistar 40, what is the best way to wick the hinges.

Hi!
You don't wick the hinges...Just insert them and see to that the gap between the flying surface and wing/stab/fin is next to zero...then put on a few drops of thin CA (like Flash and Zap)....only when the glue has dried ...after some minutes to be sure all has dried...then you wick the flying surfaces(elevator, Aileron, rudder) to their full deflection.

Regards!
Jan K
Sweden

Wicking refers to the hinges soaking up the CA like the wick on a candle.

You put the hinges in place and then place a few drops of thin CA onto the hinges so that the material soaks in the CA through the hinges onto the wood. That is "wicking".

Move the control surfaces to their full deflection for a few minutes until the CA has a chance to dry to minimize binding.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=55]How to article: Installing CA Hinges[/link]

The above link is to an article here in the "How To" section by MinnFlier.

'S all ye need to know.

I'm not trying to be a smart allec Pete. But how the CA is applied to hinges it probably THE BIGGEST cause of CA hinge failure in planes. When applying the CA you need to deflect the control surface MORE than it will be in normal use. Hold the deflection until the CA has cured. Then turn over the surface and repeat on the other side. The hinge needs to be at it's maximum deflection when the CA is applied in order for the hinge to have the flexibility it was designed for. If you apply the CA with the control surface in the neutral position the CA will harden in that position, then when the surface starts to flex the CA will crack causing premature failure of the CA hinge. This is what causes these hinges to fail in flight.

If anybody hasn't already looked at it (and even if they already have) taking some time to read Minnflyer's CA How-to is well worth time. [link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=55[/link]

Hope this helps.

Ken

Eh, I try.

And [b]DO NOT USE ACCELERATOR[/b].