Hello Everyone,

I have a question that I feel needs to be asked. After reading a post here, I was thinking about the hinging process that I whent through on my stab and rudder. I used a hinging gadget (from Dubro if not mistaken). Well, thing is I think I may have made the hinges too wide. Not LONG if you understand what I mean. The strips fit inside just fine, but I'm afraid that if I do the ailerons the exact same way, they may fall off!

If I slot the ailerons the same way, should I still use thin CA? Or should I attempt epoxy? As long as I'm on this point, exactly how much thin ca should be put inside the slot or onto the hinge itself? OR (lol) should thin ca be put on the hinge AND inside of the slot?

As usual, all help is much appreciated.

MV

It sounds to me as if you used the hinge slotting tool for plastic pinned hinges. Do Not try to use CA type hinges in those slots, you have two choices 1) you can buy some pinned hinges and epoxy them in or 2) you can move the hinges over and use only a Xacto no. 11 blade (in a handle) to cut new slot off to the side of you existing. As I understand you have only cut the slots in one surface so it should be very easy.

Hi MV, I can make very precise slots very quickly using the Tettra hinge slotting guide and a GP slotting machine. There's also a thread on enigma building in the pattern flying section which you will find very helpful. Only use thin ca (thin ca left exposed for a long time without proper freezer storage become thicker !), 4-5 drops per side. Sonictronics make slitted ca hinges which doesn't require drilling of the hinge slots. The slits ensure that the thin ca wicks deep into the hinge slots.

This thread may help you out as well.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...954&forumid=22]

If you used the Dubro tool to cut the slots, they will be too wide for CA hinges. Use an exacto knife. If you have already glued them in, you can secure them with pins and you should be ok.

With the exception of my first kit, I now pin every hinge I install, reguardless of what type it is. This just makes sense to me.

I too used this hand sloting tool, and really dont like how large the slots become by the time you finish digging out the wood.......
I am thinking of getting the GP power sloting tool, but wonder it the blades on it are just as thick, any insight here would be appreciated.
Because my slots were so uneven I first pinned the hinges, sometimes double pinned depending how bad the slot was, then actually filled the slot to the top with CA, without running all over the outer surface of coarse, and am crossing my fingers and toes that it works without problems.

ecajberry, there are three types of blade thicknesses for the GP slot machine. Use the thinnest one for ca hinges. They come standard with the tool but do check it carefully. My unit came with the medium blade but TH replaced it. I can tell the diff because I ordered spare medium and thick blades too, and the teeth pitch of the blade pre-installed in the slotter was identical to the medium.

Here's a translation of the tettra guide from japanese by kobayan, our japanese member.



This is a guide jig to cut the groove of hinge. The thickness form of the rudder board is effective even in the wedge shape.

Usage
1. A rudder board is put into the top-bottom plates and restrained as shown as DWG.
2. Cut a groove with the cutter knife along the central guide board.
3. A central guide's height position is fitted to the thickness (0.45mm) of a knife on the market.
4. When top-plate of jig was put on the upside of rudder board and a groove was cut. Even a wing side is to put top-plate on the top to be the same, and cut a groove. Then, each other's groove position becomes accurate.
5. A central guide doesn't sometimes reach when a groove is cut into the end of the wing.
In that case, write a mark with the tip guide, and meet a mark, and cut a groove.

I won't cut hinge slots without the great planes hinge slotter. I have a new one in the box as a back up to the one I use just in case. These are the best tools yet. You can also drill a little hole in the center of each slot to help the glue wick in.

Thanks alot everyone for all the great help!

After reading the article, my next question was going to be what exactly "pinning" a hinge was? Well I found out that answer when I kept reading in the thread! It's what you do to secure a hinge in the surfaces.

MinnFlyer,
Thanks alot for your diagrams in your post and your article for ca hinges. It's very good and informative. Looks like I'm definately going to have to pin the hinges. I might even use toothpicks. Those look like my might hold better than using T-pins through the balsa.

mikenlapaz,
Thanks for finding the article. That had some good points in it that I know I'll be able to use, also.

Only one more question that I have. When pinning the hinges, do I insert the dry hinge and pin it to one side. Then, after getting my clearance, insert the hinge to the other side and pin that one BEFORE I insert the thin ca?

Hopefully everyone can understand this question. This is the best I can explain myself! lol

MV

MockV,

Since you cut the hinge slots in the Stab and Fin oversize, you should pin them (and yes, round toothpicks work great) But for future reference, the toothpicks are not needed if you cut the slots with a razor blade, or the GP Slot Machine.

(Note: the pin in the hinging article is for centering the hinges and is removed after the hinges are in place. These have nothing to do with the pins we are talking about in this thread)