Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">I haven't met this person here yet. I say this because it seems that He must be a member since He mentioned these forums. In the videos He doesn't want you to put grease on the hinges prior to installing them. But the instructions I have say to put grease on the hinges before epoxying them into the plane. While He does explain why He doesn't want you to do this. My Dad and I like to stick as close to the instructions as possible. Whenever we haft to deviate from the instructions we feel a little leary.

If Jim is reading this: Thank you for posting your videos.

http://youtu.be/VnBCelaWyP8

http://youtu.be/R_IKon3CiDM

http://youtu.be/sny6BT14Zwo

Since I may haft to deviate from the instructions, i wanted to double check with my other RC friends before following his advice. Because once you glue them in your stuck. Also He mentions mould release, which is left over from when the Hinges were made. There is nothing in the Robart instructions about pre cleaning them before glueing them. Once agan, I'm not saying He's wrong. I just would like to know where He discovered this. Why doesn't Robart Mention this?</p>

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

The hinges where designed for water based wood glue.
You drill a hole just big enough for the hinge point to go in.
You put in a drop of wood glue then insert the hinge.
The wood absorbs the water in the glue and swells around the hinge point.
The glue dries and hardens the wood that is now pressure fitted around the hinge point.
Any water based glue that got into the hinging part it self breaks free because the wood glue doses not stick to plastic.
No need for grease.

Now some people don't trust water based wood glue and use epoxy instead.
Epoxy sticks to plastic really well.
So you need grease in the hinge to keep epoxy from getting in it.

If you follow directions then you will not need grease as you will be using water based wood glue instead of epoxy.

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I don't grease on mine, but i use Gorilla glue. I put a small amount in the hole and spread it around the inside of the hole with a tooth pick. Then I spray a little water on the hinge and insert it. It only takes a small amount. With a little practice I found this much easier than epoxy and less messy. Some of it may squeeze out the top, but can be picked off about halfway through the drying process. I don't clean or sand the hinge point prior to installation.



David

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I see that now they have epoxy listed on the instructions.

This is probably because people make airplanes out of other things besides wood.

Foam,plastic, and so one will need epoxy.

If so if your gluing them into wood and using wood glue you don't need grease.

If using epoxy then you might want to grease or wax the hinge keys.

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

These are good things to keep in mind.   I will study things more closely. 

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I've always used epoxy, then I clean the squeeze out with alcohol, they stick a little but always after the epoxy completely dries (a day or two) you can flex the hinge and break it loose, it then works like no glue is on it at all. I never use oil

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I'm sure there is more then one way to put these in, and have them work correctly. Since I've never installed them before, I am trying to learn how.

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

i put a very very small dab of vaselin on the hinge area as I like almost zero gap. I also use expoxy to secure them letting 3 or 4 drops drops fall in the hole off the end of a tooth pick. The key is to ensure the hole is not longer than the hinge point but matches it so the is then forced up around around the barbs.

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I keep a small tin of Burt's Bees Wax on the bench. It is sold as a lip balm, (I think). I just bend the hinge and dip the center in the Burt's Bees Wax, flip it over and do the other side. No glue, not even epozy, will stick to the hinge where the wax is.

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I learned a few things watching the video. Yes, cleaning them is a great idea, I will do that from now on. To oil or not to oil?? I never used oil when I was using Pacer Hinge glue, I do oil when using Gorilla Glue!! It makes clean up easier when it expands into the hinge center. No, I don't bother with oil when using epoxy, what was shown works very well, epoxy sets up brittle and will just snap out of the center.
Jim also hand drilled the holes, get a hinge drill guide!;) ARFs have very little wood for a TE and LE so no big problem but with a kit or scratch built plane it is normal to add some wood where the hinges will go into for more strength or meat to hold the hinge into.
I am not using epoxy for my pins these days, if from test fitting the hinges the holes get a bit loose then I use Gorilla glue.
I go into Walgreen's drug store and they give me free syringes without a needle used for things like flushing ears and stuff? I put glue or epoxy in those and squirt some glue into the holes, just cleaner.
I have never roughed up the hinges either but that is something I will be doing now too, cleaning and roughing. I will give the tape a try too. I felt he did everything very smart, I like smart, it's much cleaner then stupid. If you using epoxy give the no oil a try on a couple of hinges and see what you think. I think he did it smart and clean!!;)

RE: Robart Pin Hinge Question
 

I like to put a dab of vaseline on to the hinge joint and then run a butane lighter across it to melt the stuff into the joint.. I then give a quick wipe off with an alcohol rag and it works like a champ for me!.. I had heard about a drip of 3 in 1 oil and also the vaseline.. I decided that I would try the way I described.. I will never look back!