I am considering between the manual Great Planes Hinge Slot Tool and the Motorised Cordless Hinge Slot Machine.

Is it worth investing in the motorised hinge slot machine ? I have a few kits waiting to get started.

It works well, as advertised.

Is it worth it? Well that's entirely up to you.

It is for me.

Many of us agree that the GP "Slot Machine" is the best tool invented in the last ten years.

But get the corded one, there have been issues with the cordless version

I have the corded slot machine. It's the coolest thing I own. Of course hinges used to be the most hateful exercise for me, so perhaps I'm biased...

scott.

The GP corded slot machine is the best thing since sliced bread! I would also pick up a Du-Bro hinge slotting kit. It comes with knife blades for cutting slots and a parallelogram like tool for finding the centerline.

I usually use the "forked shape too" and the parallelogram tool to mark the slot with a shallow cut and then finish off the slot with the GP (electric) tool. This shallow cut helps prevent the electric tool from "traveling" when the cut is 1st started. It's also good to have the manual tools around to get into places the electric won't fit, like if you already have the horizontal stab glued in place and the vert. stab or fuse. is blocking the electric tool from getting into place.

One note... don't press excessively hard to try speeding up the slot cutting. all you end up doing is bending the blades. The tool will cut any wood, it just gets a little slow on hard stuff. You can slot oak with it.

Until I started making a starting "dent" (I use the edge of a triangular file), getting the cut started was a problem and I got some pretty ugly slots. I found the Slot Machine "Guide" to be a complete waste of time. With the "dent" to start, no better tool for the purpose.

I agree on the starter "dent". I have used for years an old metal finger nail file, on which I ground off the point on the end, and put in a radius instead, then sharpened it. Mark the center, and "rock" the tool along the line. (It won't follow wood grain like a knife point will....an old gunsmith trick). If the wood is really soft, I may not even need the power slotter, but if I do, the starter cut makes it easy to get accurate cuts.

Clair

Anyone else use a dremmel tol to make hinge slots ? Works for me.

I"m not a pro but.. noboby else has mentioned it.. why get the tool in the first place. I'm building my third model and putting robart hinges on it and I won't be going back to CA hinges.. Just my one cent.. : )

I second the Hinge Points. If you buy a drill press, you'll get them dead on every time and the drill press will be one of the most useful tools in your shop. I use hinge points whenever possible.

How to Install Robart Hinge Points

Get the corded one, I wish I had. The battery needs to be charged too often on the cordless.

Why not just use a monocote self hinge? Much simpler! You get a sealed gap and the hinge is not going to be as stiff as a well done CA hinge. Of course the method demands a plastic covering.

Thanks for all the great advice.

My mind is set on getting the Great Planes motorised hinge slot machine (Corded )

Over the weekend, I just got myself the manual 2 jaw (fork) hinge with a centerline aligning plate while waiting for my order to come in.

Now my next kit tooling questions:

What about the Dremel rotary tool ? The one with multi-speed which I need it for sanding off the edge of the fiberglass cowl and cutting holes.

Dremel tool, any tips and recommendations ? I am confused with which model of Dremel series to get ? I don't want to get one that would be a way overkill but just one that would do the job in building kit well.

I am building a .46 size kit from Great Planes. And one page in the Manual states something like hinge points are not recommended.(which Robart hinges come immediately to my mind). The reason is the wood is too thin to support a hinge point. I wish I could use a hinge point like Robart hinges but until I start building a .60 size or bigger planes where I have a thicker balsa to drill a hinge point.

I love Robart Hinges though, but for all the kit I am building now are .46, and .40 kits, I would just stay with CA hinges.

Guys,

I am building a CAP 232 40 kit and I have heard incidences whereby Cap232 dies an early death of fluttering when it comes to high speed dive. The question is not whether planes flutter during a high speed dive, the question is rather whether the Cap 232 is more prone to fluttering than other plane design, (is it so) ? I would like to make my cap232 more resistant to fluttering, and I would start by making the gap of the aerilons and elevators gap very small. Am I heading the right directions ?

Sorry for deviating away from the topics.

That's just Great Planes trying to stifle the competition. All you have to do is add some small blocks where the hinge points go. MOST kits do not have wing trailing edges thick enough for Hinge points. It takes all of 5 minutes to add a little material to give the hinge points something to grab into.

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform...ruction/05.htm

I bought a slot machine and while it works quite well for flat hinges I prefer hinge points so the machine sits on the shelf most of the time. Hinge points are so much easier to insyall in any matiaral that I always use as my first choice.

I like the idea of using the d.p. for drilling but a question: they would have to be drilled PRIOR to attaching/becoming part of the control surface. Is there a surefire method to use in ensuring that the holes are placed in the correct position on both le/te of the relevant part? Some pieces may have to have ends trimmed, etc which would cause (me anyways) alignment problems.

In that case, mark the hinge locations accurately on both surfaces and then use the Robart drill guide. What I like to do is drill each hinge location on both surfaces and insert a hinge. Then mark the next hinge, repeat. I've had no problems with this method, but it does take some care.

- Paul

Hinging is done after the part is finished. Alignment problems should never be an issue if you finish the part first, then ID the hinge locations.

I find it's a lot better and more accurate if I do my hinging before I build anything. Take a look at my link in a post toward the top of this thread about how I install hinge points. I'm sold on the method - dead on alignment every time.

Can't see how. If I'm building the tip panel for example on my corsair (which I am), I would have to drill the robart holes (where they are supposed to be) in the TE stock before the piece is glued on to the ends of the ribs. Otherwise, I can't ensure a straight 90o hole in the TE.

Having said that, as long as I have one good "end" on the TE piece (and know where the 'ron LE piece is), then I could follow CafeenMan's idea.

The piece CANNOT be finished if you are to use the d.p. to drill those robart holes.

You're right. It's not always possible to do the hinging in advance. It's just that when it is possible, I can't think of any hinging method that is better.

Your point is well taken. Now I'll just have to build a Corsair and do penance for shooting off my mouth. I have, as you may have guessed, managed to avoid the problem by using skin hinges, and the flying surfaces are ready to cover when you hinge them this way. Clearly wouldn't work on your project.