What is the best method to pinning hinges besides toothpics

512:

Toothpicks is the only "Best way" I know of.

What is your objection to their use?

Bill.

512, if your reffering to tradional pinned hinges, there is no need to run a tooth pick through the balsa and the hinge if you install they correctly. Now if your referring to CA hinges- I dont know.
2 Piece

Talking about the CA hinge can I use an actual pin or other method?

Or don't pin the CA hinge at all. I never have, and have never had a problem. If the CA wicks into a tight slot the pin is not necessary. But then I only do 40-60 sport flying and don't have a "need for speed".

I've never pinned a hinge and have never had a problem in 20 yrs. If installed properly they should never fail. Although I have heard of guys losing control surfaces due to, cant think of the word right now," HELP" rapid and violent oscillation. flutter maybe. And in my understanding this is usually caused by gaps between the control surfaces

I have seen 60 size planes (speed) crash from the hinges pulling out.The builder claims after textbook installation of the hinges he gave them a good pull to insure they were anchored. I guess vibration,position and wicking can affect the outcome, to pin for me is just insurance.On a ARF pinning with a pin cut to length from the under side with a drop of CA would be a cleaner installation. ANYONE DONE THIS??????????????????????????

First, let me say that I now pin every plane (because of how I fly, fast and furious-check out my user name, I call myself that on purpose). Trust me, it only takes one hinge failure to change your mind about pinning them.
Yes, but I go the extra mile. I drill a small hole thru the bottom, making sure not to go all the way thru(stopping at the top). I then cut toothpicks to length, insert them, add a few drops of ca(cannot believe the wicking action I get), let dry. If I plan to use clear monokote/ultracote to seal the hinge, I then use a paper punch to make some small circles of same color monokote and apply them over the pins first, otherwise I omit this step if I use the same color monokote to seal the hinge.

Nice, neat and effective...

p.s. - I got this idea from this forum (I believe it was Cafeenman who has a good how-to on his web site).

Ok what I mean is an ACTUAL pin(metal) cut to length Thanks for the response I like the hole punch Idea

512,

Yes, I have done this. It's not as good as toothpicks, but it is cheap, easy insurance.

I have never used a "pin" before. I always use tooth picks. The metal pin is just too smooth for glue to adhere to. I would be afraid that it would come loose some how. If your looking for a clean install on an arf, I guess the metal pin is better than nothing. What ever you do use will work better than if you used nothing at all. The only time I would say to NOT use the metal pin is in the sea plane realm.

Good luck!

I did metal pins on 1 plane (test), but I prefer toothpicks. I found out that the toothpicks help wick the ca throughout the entire hole and surrounding wood(even into the hinge itself).

No science here, I just think it makes a better pin....

If you are wanting to pin on an ARF, you can use the toothpicks, then use a hole punch to make some covers out of extra covering material to cover them.

All my airplanes hinges are pinned (steel seamstress type pins), one on each side of the hinge, after the airplane has been covered, painted, etc. I cut the pin just short of the thickness of the surfaces, push them from the bottom with the end of an Xacto knife, a drop of Ca. and that's it.! The only airplane that the aileron came loose was an ARF that didn't have them and after inserting them, no more problems.

easy solution, since your flying the larger palnes (not little herr sized palnes) use actual hinges that you can drill holes for slober epoxy in and keep in the plane for ages. just a sugestion, i hate using CA hinges... bad experiences.

Slightly off subject, but, once I learned the technique of monokote (or other covering material) hinges, I never went back. I have used the monokote hinges on everything from .25 size trainers to 1/4 scale. No sanding/carving leading edges, no hinge gap, no hinge gluing to screw up. Of course, this method is hard to do to ARF's without recovering the surfaces, but who wants an ARF????

i've used screws on my Dust and Outlaw, on the Capiche i used cocktail sticks and... NO GLUE!!!!!!!1 i just covered over. very lucky coz i had to remove the elevator halfs later for a new joiner, peeled off the film, pushed them out, did the work, pushed them back and recovered.