hinge help
 

Is there a tool to cut slots for hinges..... or is there a way to easily cut them.......

RE: hinge help
 

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXK263&P=0]CLICK ME !!!!!!!!!!!![/link]

RE: hinge help
 

someone said something about a tool that looked like a double headed exacto knife..... but couldnt find one....

RE: hinge help
 

I made mine out of an old hacksaw blade. One end is sharpened round and the other is a "V" shape. For CA hinges just press it into the balsa. Start with the round end and square it up with the "V" end.

For larger hinges I work the opening with the nibbler tool shown - a few bucks from Great Planes.

RE: hinge help
 

Here's a link to the X-acto version.

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXE229&P=7]Hinge Tool [click me][/link]

RE: hinge help
 

And here is a short video with some good techniques for installing CA hinges.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCNjg5HkPFw

RE: hinge help
 

I have a set just like this, except each cutter has a red handle attached. I think it is a Great Planes product. I won it in a raffle. Prior to that, I was just cutting slots with an exacto knife.

They have worked fine for me. Not as easy as the motorized tool, of course, but better than free-handing it with an Exacto.

Edit:

My mistake. It is also a Dubro set, just with handles included for an extra $6.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXE230&P=0

RE: hinge help
 

Here is another one:

http://www.harryhigley.com/Tools1.htm Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

This is the same one, but the picture doesn't help much,

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCLS2&P=7

RE: hinge help
 

I did buy this tool when I was building my first kit. I didn't find it any easier or more accurate than freehanding with an Exacto.

I do have the covering film trimmer from the Harry Higley website. It works OK, but I usually can get pretty straight lines with just a sharp razor blade.

That wing bolt drill guide has me puzzled. Is it really that hard to drill and tap wing bolts that you need a special jig for it?

RE: hinge help
 

If you don't get the hole perpendicular it will lift one side of the nylon wing bolt's head each time it's tightened down. This does two things: it will deform the balsa, or, if a plywood plate is in the wing, will eventually weaken the bolt to the point where the head seperates . . . followed shortly thereafter by the wing.

It's kind of hard to "eyeball" the angle freehand. I have a set of the Higley drill guides and they do help a lot in keeping the holes perpendicular to the surface.