New HOW TO Posted: How to Install Robart Hinge Points



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I have found that the urathane glue continues to seep out of the hole and you have to baby sit the stuff for about and hour. Once it starts to harden, water will not remove it. I use the same method but use Formula 560 canopy glue. It cleans up with water and holds very aggresively to the plastic hinges. If you doubt the strength, make up a test hinge and try to pull it apart. I also am sure to insert the hinge in the movable surface (either the aileron or elevator) all the way to the end of the knuckle. This puts the hinge pin approximately 1/16th into the elevator or aileron and places the rotation point behind the leading edge of the control surface. This eliminates binding when full deflection is desired.
I've used this method on 100" warbirds with 4.2 gas engines in the nose and have never had a hinge pull out. It's a lot easier than the urathane glue.

Zap Hinge Glue is designed for glueing Robart hinges. You do not have to baby sit it and it the hinges can be handled in about 30 minutes. Once it is dry, you cannot pull the hinge out. If you drill the holes for your hinges properly there is no benefit to using glue that foams. It just makes a mess and you have to baby sit it. If you did not drill the holes properly, you should use an appropriate size brass tube to drill out the area and glue in a balsa dowel and then start over. Although foaming glue may fill the hole, there is no substitute for a correctly drilled, tight fitting hole.

The width of the robart hinges is wider near the hinge point. After drilling a hole, I follow with "countersinking" with a small dremel cone shaped grinding stone. This makes a cleaner looking installation, and it has worked well for me. I was wondering how you guys do it ?

Can 30 minutes epoxy replace the Gorilla glue?

I use 60-min epoxy with no problems. Gives me more time to think and clean all residue and much higher strength.

I agree, I have always felt 60 min epoxy is the way to go with hinges.

Patriot

I use yellow wood glue. Works for me.

I use the yellow wood glue too ! Plenty of time, easy water cleanup and plenty strong !

Ugo

Why not use Pacer "Hinge Glue" purpose designed for the job and water clean-up. It you use epoxy, remember it does NOT stick to the hinge material at all. It creates only a physical "socket" around the hinge. It works, but I prefer a simple clean-up material that sticks to the hinge.

How about SigBond Aliphatic Resin wood glue for the Robart hinge points? Thank you. Bill

I'm certainly no expert chemist, however, I have used both the yellow wood glue and the Pacer hinge glue and can tell absolutely NO difference in how they work, look, smell, feel, set up, and (probably), taste! http://utopia.rcuniverse.com/micons/m15.gif
http://utopia.rcuniverse.com/micons/m15.gif

is this a good alternative to CA hinges on 60size arfS?

If you don't like the CA hinges, these hinges are always a good alternative.
You'll probably want the "medium" size, for that plane.
I've never had a failure using them.

(On the other hand, I never had a failure with Klett style or CA hinges, either)

I use them exclusively. I've had CA hinges fail.

Good luck, Barry

I use my own formula, spit, white out, bubble gum, and tree bark.. LOL naww just joking... Great video, thanks a lot, doing hinges right now on a new plane and it really helped... great job RCU!! Oh and I have a bunch of homemade glue I can sell ya cheap.. LOL

How does the robart hinges work on foam core wings? I've got a 28% that has foam core wings. Just started to work on it. I have the heavy duty CA (blue) hinges. Robarts are better?

Thanks.

sorry I can not get the video. did they use any Vaseline on the joint to prevent any glue getting in there???????

Dave R

I use 5 min epoxy in a syring. A little bit of oil on the hinge it self (not on anywhere being glued). I put a tooth pick in the end of a syrenge, mix the epoxy, pour it in, squese it into the control surface insert the hinge, and let all the hinges touch the table to make sure the length is correct. Then flip the hinges down to make sure they rotate the same path then hold the control surface again to make sure they are all touching again. This also allows the glue to pool at the hinge.

5 Min workes fine and you don't have to wait for ever. I have always felt the strength issue between 60min and 5 min epoxy is bogus. The strength difference is marginal and the wood is by far weaker anyway. If 5 min won't hold it there is something wrong with the construction.

If the hinges are glued in this way, they can be a bear to get out. To remove Robart pin hinges I first cut the hinge cutting the control surface off with a hack saw blade. Then find a piece of brass tubing that barly fits over the hinge. I cut the end of the tubing like a saw with a dremmel tool. Drill a hole in a piece of wood for a handle. Drill pilot holes and insert screws in the handle to hold the brass. If you don't use a handle, you'll get blisters if you have a lot to do. Push this around the hinge and turn. You'ss see just how well these bugers are in there:



Fill with expandable foam and finish with lightweight filler.

Gary

I can't get the video either.
I am putting together the FuntanaS90, how far apart should I place the hinge points? I know this plane is prone to flutter on the control surfaces. The CA hinges that come with it call for 5 on each of the ailerons, and 4 on each elevator half. Do I stay the same?

Hi Wover,
That`ll work! ....Also, keep your eyes open online for Giant Scale CA hinges. They are exactly 2X`s larger than standard. I use them in everything up to 25% scale, and they work great. Just in case you don`t know (I`m not trying to insult your ability), install the hinges in both surfaces BEFORE you CA them. NEVER do one half at a time! You would be amazed at how many seasoned fliers don`t/didn`t know that...(I didn`t either! Shhhhhhh;-). Don`t forget to seal all the hinge-line gaps!! Especially on the ailerons.

Joe

By using a syringe for epoxy, or another form of expanding glue(gorilla type) the glue sets up around the hinge point the the bevels. Also making sure your facing is 1/4" helps vs 1/8". When using CA hinges with foam wings, the CA actually eats away the foam on the inside of the wing and the CA hinge is attached only to the facing. Look at a crashed plane with foam and these type of hinges. Unless you use odorless, but a lot of times odorless is not as thin and won't wick well so the hinge still isn't attached as well.

As far as making the hole a little bigger, if there is a bevel(leading edge of rudder) I use the dremmell to hog it out a bit, if the surface is flat(trailing edge of the vertical post) I insert the hinge and swivel it 360 degrees while applying a small amount of presure to the balsa, and the larger portion of the hinge makes the hole the correct size.

ed

How small a plane can you use Robart hinges on? Will the smallest ones work on 40 size profile?

hi i've just been reading throught your thread and thought I would put up robarts how to page for hinges

http://www.robart.com/how_to/hinge_points.aspx

I love the polyurethane glue on Robart's. For those complaining about babysitting, it is true that it will seep out for a while but a Q-tip and acetone will scrub it off nicely and I like that it foams up behind where the barb usually exceeds the length of the hinge block or trailing edge. Install the hinges, clean it up, go check on RCU and look in on it in twenty minutes, works for me.