It seems like the "standard" practice is to cut slots for hinges and dry fit them before covering.

Does anyboth just cut them after covering? Are there any downsides to cutting the slots after covering? It seems to me like it would be easier that way.

The nice thing about "Dry Fitting" them is that any mistakes can be fixed without having to damage or remove any covering

Hey Minnflyer I was gonna say that

Yeah. It just seems like the PITA of cleaning out the covering to open the slot isn't worth dry fitting it.

Maybe I just need more practice at building planes.

You don't need to clean out anything after the coverin is applied in order to install the hinges. Simply use a hobby knife to cut through the covering at each slot that you have cut. Then insert your hinges and glue in place as normal.

Ken

My first crack at hinges requied more work than I anticipated to cut the covering. It seemed like I couldn't find the slot (no comments please) to open the covering.

I try to cover only one side first (the wing) then I can take the aileron (that is not covered) and use that as a guide to where the slots are. Then cover the aileron and use the wing as a guide.

Yep. It happens every time.

When covering, I try to mark the slotted areas on the covering to help me find it later.

You can do as Goirish has stated. Or here is another little trick. Find yourself paper long enough for the entire length of the aileron, use newspaper or tape several sheets of regular paper together. Now lay the part you are preparing to cover over the paper and mark the location of each hinge slot on the paper. Now when you are done covering use that as a guide for relocating you slots. Once you have the area you can push on the covering with your fingernail to find the exact slot and then cut it with your hobby knife.

Ken

Geeze you guys I was gonna say that

Or you can even mark the slot locations on the plans. (With a pencil for erasing) Why do some people make easy things so hard??? Huh, goirish??

You know Bruce, if there is a easy way and a hard way-I look at that hard way a long time.

I just use my fingernail after the hinge slot is covered. The finger nail will cause an indentation where the slot is below the covering. Then a sharp hobby knife and 2 seconds later the slot is cut.

I like slotting before covering because its easier to mark hinge locations on bare balsa than it is to mark on covering.

Brad