<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">My elevator is so hard to move after doing the hinges that the servo is binding. I think there&rsquo;s a lot of CA between the elevator and the stab. I started to remove some with a hobby knife, but I am afraid to damage it or cut the hinges in the process. What&rsquo;s the best way to find and remove extra CA in between?

Thanks,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"></div>

Hi!
Good binoculars,patience and an X-Acto nr 11 knife! Nothing else! Done it many times!

Mark - are you describing CA hinges that are seriously binding? How many drops of thin CA did you apply to each side (usually 2 drops to each side of the control surface and 2 drops to each side of the fixed surface)? If the CA didn't wick into the hinge gap and simply pooled on the hinge in the gap then the hinges are not attached very well to either surface. The fact that the servo is binding just may be good luck 'cause ya don't want the hinges pulling out while you're flying.

What Jan described (cutting those bad boys out) using a #11 X-acto knife (and be careful with the force applied unless you like to see your own blood). After cutting the hinges in half and separating the elevator from the stab drill a 1/16" hole at each end of the CA hinge. Then cut along each side of the hinge from hole to hole. I've used needle nose pliers to then pull out the hinge halves. I've also cut the hinge bits up because they were really stubborn.

After all of the hinges have been cut from each surface repair both LE &amp; TE using glue and some sheeting into each hole.

Are you gonna use new CA hinges? Mark &amp; cut the new slots along the center line of each surface. Don't reuse the repaired holes if you don't have to. Drill a 1/16" hold at the center of each slit - enhances the wicking of CA back into the rear of the holes. Drill a 1/16" hole into the center of each CA hinge - so ya can insert a "T" pin in the middle of each hinge and when you moosh the elevator and stab together the CA hinges stay centered - half in each side. Holding the plane nose down add 2-3 drops of thin CA into the TE slot of the stab (top). Then 2-3 drops to the TE on the other side of the stab (bottom). Hold the plane nose up and repeat 2-3 drops on both top and bottom of the elevator's LE.

As soon as you're done with all of the new CA hinges vigorously flex the elevator back-n-forth to loosen up the hinge along the hinge line.

HTH - good luck.

It sounds like you just simply overdid it with the CA when glueing in the hinges. If there is no gap then it is quite easy to glue the covering on the stab and elevator together. It will be slow work but acetone is a solvent for CA. Just get a rag slightly wet and clean the unwanted CA off. Like I said, it will take some time but much less risk to you and the airplane.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">First, I flexed the elevator many many times and I was also able to locate the glued spot using dental floss and carefully cut them with a hobby knife. The servos are still doing a little buzz at the end (Futaba 3003) so I think the buzz will eventually go away if I reduce the travel.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Thanks for the tips.

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Hi!
Well ! What I meant wasn't actually to cut the Ca hinges, though that works too , but carefully pray way the CA glue. Most of the time this is real easy as Ca glue isn't soo difficult to remove from plastic coverings like Oracover (If that was the covering he used).