B.Matt

Buileng a sig somthin extra. Don't know if i am suppose to use thick or thin ca for hinges

DrFun

My Feedback: (4)

Always thin CA

See MinnFlyers article,

http://www.rcuniverse.com/reviews.ph...ew&reviewid=55

CCRC1

My Feedback: (13)

You want to use Thin CA. The glue should wick into the hinge material and bond itself to the balsa. Use a thin tip on your glue bottle so you can control the flow of the thin CA. Flex the control surface to expose the hinge and put 2-3 drops of CA and wait a minute or two. Flex the control surface and turn it over and put 1-2 drops on the other side. After the CA cures flex the surface to make sure it moves freely.
If you try to use medium or thick CA you will only end up with a mess.

B.Matt

thanks for the info

68zbuff

My Feedback: (1)

You might also want to put a little oil (3&1 or whatever) on a paper towel or rag and wipe the control surface edge and trailing edge of the wing or horizontal stab or vertical fin to coat with a lite film of oil to keep the thin ca from gluing the surfaces together. Hope this helps.
Rj

Hircflyer

Thin works the best for me.

ekrcflyer

Thin indeed. It fully penetrates into the hinges slot and bonds hinges firmly to the wing. Also, to add some precision to the process I would recommend using CA applicator tips, like these:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXL490&P=7

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

I use a "three by five" paper card....as soon as I glue the hinge
in, i slip the card in to absorb any extra CA that might stick
the seam together.

vkernus

My Feedback: (1)

This CA works best, applied in drops to let the glue wick in and provide enough control to prevent to much overloading of the slot.

I learned the hard way, that too much glue, and you might actually glue your control surfaces together. Not fun to get them back apart again.

FHHuber

Been missing the reason NOT to use thick , or medium CA...
Thicker CA won't properly wick through the hinge fbers and into the wood, it mostly deposits in the hinge line. Result is a stiff hinge, and little to no bond with the wood. CA hinges done with thick also tend to fail much sooner if the hinge manages to stay glued in.

A gease pencil line on the hinge, (both sides) and making sure that line is in the hinge gap will prevent the CA from mking the hinge stiff. (also helps you KNOW you got 1/2 the hinge in the aileron, half in the wing's TE...)

jettstarblue

A crayon is good for the same thing, and can be color matched to your covering, well pretty close.

Jetts

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

I use thin CA. I first fit the hinges to the aileron, ele, or rud. Then I apply the CA, a few drops on each hinge, both sides. Next I insert a t pin through each hinge, close against the edge of whatever flight surface you are doing. Once all pins are in place and each hinge is glued to its respective flight surface, I will then fit the flight surface to its respective place on the plane. The pins left in place will create the perfect gap between surfaces when the hinged surface is pushed in all the way to the pin. This makes the chance of gluing the surfaces together almost zero. Of course I test fit each hinged surface to make sure of a good fit before using CA. After using the CA you remove the pins and your done.

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

Did you just say that you apply CA to the hinges before inserting them into the hinge slots? I hope not.

If you do this, the hinge material becomes saturated with CA and hardens. It cannot possibly wick up any more CA after the hinges are inserted into the hinge slots. Also, the actual flex point of the hinge hardens and will crack easier over time.

Put pins through the center of all hinges and insert them into the movable surface. They are centered due to the pin's location. Insert the other side of the hinges into the slots in the wing, stab or rudder. Move the surface to full deflection, watching for minimum hinge gap (I do the bottom first) and add a few drops of thin CA onto each hinge. Flex the surface and do the tops. Take out the pins and you're done.

Never, EVER, pre-glue CA hinges prior to installation.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Some good info here and some really bad info (glue after the hinges are in NOT before).
B.Matt, did you bother to read the instructions that came with your SE? They are very detailed and mention this procedure.

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

Let me clarify. All hinge slots have been cut first. I fit the hinges into the control surface FIRST! (Aileron, elevator, Rudder). NEXT I insert pins through the middle of the hinge as close to the flight surface in question(ail for example) as possible. THEN I CA the hinge (only on the flight surface). LAST thing I do is insert the flight surface with the hinge CA'd to IT, into its respective slot, and then CA it in place. REMOVE pins.

The reason I do it this way is to insure that the hinges dont shift when you try and mate the, say aileron, to the wing.

I never said that I put glue on the hinge, and then try to insert it. NOT WHAT I SAID!

I FIT THE HINGE INTO AIL, ELE, RUD, FIRST, AND GLUE. THEN AFTER GLUE CURES, I MATE THE SURFACE TO ITS RESPECTIVE PLACE ON THE PLANE, AND THEN CA IT INTO PLACE.

Hope that will clarify. NOT BAD INFO!

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

As I said previously, It's not a good idea to put ANY CA on a CA hinge before inserting BOTH sides into their respective slots. The pins will keep the hinges centered.

By gluing one side of the hinge into it's slot, you're applying CA to the exposed side also, making it hard and unable to wick up CA when it is inserted into it's slot.

Just center with a pin, put the hinges in their slots on both sides and apply CA until it's set up.

Just like the instructions say to do....

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

I dont have the problem of glue wicking into the exposed half of the hinge. It works for me, and of course you are welcome to your own view. After having built a few kits, this is the method that I have chosen.

The pins will keep the hinge from shifting, but I prefer to use the pins only to insure a consistent gap along the hinge line. The CA does a fine job of securing the hinge so that it doesnt move.

This is how I do it. If you think your way is better, then do it your way. I have never had a hinge fail, so I can only assume that I must be doing something right.

We may be taking a different route, but we end up at the same destination.

I am not suggesting that anyone do anything the way I do it. I'm just sharing what I know works for me. I would also bet that we have all changed something on our models as we build them. Straying from the "instructions". I know I do. Theres always a different if not better or easier way of doing things.

mouraneto

Always use THIN

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Dick almost got it right. Use the pin method, DEFINITLEY insert the hinge in both slots before gluing. Remove the pin and bend the surface to max deflection and then wick in the thin CA.

Bad info or confusing info just don't want someone to lose a plane over it.

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

That's what I MEANT to say.

I just looked up 3 instruction manuals from 3 different manufacturers. They all use the method I described. Why mess with success?

hilleyja

My Feedback: (3)

Just a note!!! If your method has worked for you everytime then you have been lucky. What the others have attempted to point out is the CA hinge material is designed to WICK CA throughout its fibers and any adjacent wood in contact with it. You cannot 100% prevent it from wicking into the exposed area -- its the nature of the material. Once it has wicked into the fibers it seals the fibers and they can no longer wick additional CA.

Here's an experiement you can perform to judge for yourself:

1) Create a test surface and following your methods, i.e., glue 1/2 of the hinge to the 1st surface, let dry, attached the 2nd surface and glue it.

2) Create a 2nd test surface and follow this method. Place a pin through the hinge at the halfway point. Insert it into the 1st surface and then attach the 2nd surface. Remove the pin and push both surfaces together to elliminate the gap. Deflect the 2 surfaces to about 50 degrees and place 3-5 drops of thin CA on the hinge -- watch to make sure wicking occurs on both sides. Reverse and do again on other side.

3) Now, one at a time, grab the test surface and pull it apart until the hinge pulls out of one of the surface halfs.

4) Compare the 2 tests -- on the 1st test surface you will find that your hinge ALWAYS pulls out of the 2nd half and wood material, still adhering to the hinge, will be much less than wood adhering to the 2nd test surface exposed hinge.

randy41

I leave the pins in while i wick with CA and move the part and after a few seconds
i remove the pins.