Hi guys,

I'm a little embarrassed to ask this question because I've been in this hobby for more than 36 years and don't know the answer.

I'm building a Boomerang Elan and the instructions say to apply CA to both sides of the circle hinges. I did this on each hinge as I inserted each one into the wing. I then test fit the aileron and withdrew each hinge to just the tip so I could rapidly push the aileron onto the hinges before the CA dried. What puzzled me was how to possibly get CA on BOTH sides before the CA ran off in the wrong direction or dried before I could plunge the hinges in.

I would love some techinques!

I've been flying helis almost exclusively for 10 years so please forgive the ignorance! Thanks!

Michael[&:]

the way I did mine was to inset the CA hinge in the trailing edge first, about half way in, I used THIN CA on the top and bottom side of the hinges. I did this to all the trailing edges, aileron, rudder, flaps and elevators. then I installed the control surfaces and glued each one as I went. must use Thin CA so the glue can wick in.....


Hope this helps

Mark

I get what you are saying but how could you do one hinge at a time and still have space between the trailing edge and the control surface to get the next hinge in the slot?

ok, aileron, glue in all the required hinges in the trailing edge of the wing. then slide the aileron in place with all the hinges in their slot. Glue all the hinges with aileron in place, ....glue all the tops first then the bottoms. repeat this method on all the other surfaces. It's really an easy step to do.

For CA hinges (assuming the ELAN uses the same round CA hinges as the other boomers), the normal procedure is to the control surface dry with the hinges in place first...make sure it is lined up so that it moves correctly and does not rub against another part of the structure (and has minimal gap).... then with a CA applicator nozzle, you apply a generous quantity of ca to each hinge both top and bottom, flexing the control surface as it cures (to keep the control surface from permanently bonding in a fixed position. The CA will wick into the wing and control surface. forming the necessary bond. Done properly, the balsa will break before the hinge slips out....

A little trick I use when using CA hinges. Insert a small T-oin in the middle of the hinge, install the surfaces in the trailing edges. Remove the pins and CA the surfaces to the trailing edges. This makes sure you have equal amount of hinge in the surface and trailing edges.

I also drill a 1/16 in. hole in the middle of the slot where the hinge goes, this help the CA wick into the hinge completely.

As Bob says, the hole is crucial to a good key, up to 2.5 mm dia.

Check this out. It shows you how to do it in detail.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=55]http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=55[/link]

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