For reasons of my own I use HD DuBro Hinges and using this method I have several aircraft in the hanger that have withstood the tests of many flights and time. I no longer drill holes and pin them in with toothpicks nor do I have them lock up with CA..

Warning ! If you try to pull these hinges out of the surface you will destroy the hinge and probably the surface that it is installed in. So it is what I use and be warned that these don't come out easily or by accicent.

Simply cut your slots - then with a paper stapler just staple each tab of the hinge ! Crush the back side loops of the staple flat.
I then run a bead of Super RC Z 56 Glue into the slot, with a Nr. 11 blade spread the glue into the slot then run another thin bead in the slot (don't force it in) and install your staple prepared hinge into the slot.
Adjust to suit and a quick wipe with a damp paper towel cleans it up rather well. Let Dry then go fly !

That's a keeper ! Sounds like a great idea.
I'll have a go at it this week on my new 4*120 kit build.


Thanks,
Roby

Kool...I use these DuBro's on most of my planes.
Never heard of using a staple before...interesting

Very Very cool. I'll try this on my next plane too!

EG

Great Idea !



Bob

What kind of glue is JZ Super RC Z 56 Glue ? I have never heard of it.

It is retailed at most Hobby Shops and is from Zinger (J & Z Products Inc.) Works Very Well for plastics and dries clear ! Nice on Canopies and such.
It is tenacious and stayes flexible, does not become brittle and shrink away from some hinges like some glues do !

4 oz. for $ 3.49 and a little goes a long way........... clean up with water before it dries.

See the RC 56 Here :
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXR529&P=ML

GSNUT

Whats the purpose of the staple? to push the glue in?
LEN

lbuff..

Is that and the fact that when you cut the slot for the hinge, you inadvertantly push wood fibers to the top and bottom or as in the case of the fin and rudder to either side of the slot.

So when you use RC 56 which is a water base glue some of the moisture is absorbed into those wood fibers causing the fibers to swell and try to return to their orginal position. Thus pressing in on that staple and locking it effectively in place when the glue dries.
And as it also uses the glue holes that DuBro had engineered into the hinge.

It is added insurance against a hinge pulling out and I find is much more sanitary than drilling a hole and installing toothpicks to anchor them in.

Good Question !

Thanks

GSNUT

i have two problems with this method for hinges,
they are too thick for slot from GP slot machine.
its hard to sand a metal staple.
what kind of stapler are you using?

thanks
Alex

Alex,
Use the Slot Machine blade for plastic hd hinges http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXPT33&P=7 . It creates a wider slot than the one for ca hinges or the standard nylon hinge blade. I use a exacto rip blade to open up the slot just a bit if needed. I also built a table and stand for my machine with a guide fence.

Alex..

I use the DuBro # 216 Hinge Slotting blade set:

http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=216/101.0 ( Tower has them as do most well stocked Hobby Shops )

There is no reason to sand the staples as they are in the hinge which is then inserted into the slot that you cut in the wood so there is no exposed staple to sand ! OK ?

The stapler is just the normal sized home stapler as :
http://www.officemax.com/omax/catalo...FQv7agodMX9u_A

I got mine from a second hand discount store for around 5 or 6 bucks.... nothing fancy but just happens to be a Swingline. Not a mini nor an electric, just a plain old hand stapler.

Cheers

GSNUT

Thanks JEB and GSNut, now everything looks clear,
hinged my ailerons with CA hinges yesterday, now im breaking them in but for the tail 'ill try your method with wider blades.

Thanks
Alex

Use heavy duty staples that are harder material and have a chisel point to penetrate better (still standard office type staples, just better)

Great Hint Spaceworm !

They really do work well as the chisel point cuts the hinge material easier than the wire ones !

Thanks

Doug

Good information here. I like this better than using thin CA. Gives me more working time. Hinges don't get clogged with thin CA. Sounds like a really secure method. Current project: Great Planes Giant Super Sporster.

Welcome Tom and Thanks for the kind comments.

I have not added to this thread in a few years... but would like to add a tool that seems to fit in with what is outlined here.
That is the Aerobroach system of doing the right sized slots for the hinges. Since getting mine I have punched the correct sized slots in practice for my next project. The TF P-51D Giant Size of which I just need to hinge, cover, paint and etc.

Seems like these work well when I tried them in some scrape balsa...
See here if you are interested www.aerobroach.com and view the short how to there.

Let us know how it goes.

Watch Your Six !
Doug in Denver

I have used the following hint and preferred it to the bent cotter pin hinge.

Talk about resurrecting a dead thread. I'm replacing the CA hinges in my Seagull Edge 540 build with the Dubro HD's and was trying to decide which glue to use. I used them ages ago on a Giant Stinger/G62 combo and used epoxy on half and CA on the other half for a test. No hinge failures after 300 flights and that 62 shook it pretty good.

I've widened the slots with the GP hinge tool but I think I just have the blades for the nylon hinges and not the HD nylon. The hinge is still a pretty tight fit even after several trial fittings. I have it all aligned now and hate to pull it apart to try to put some glue in the slots. Was seriously considering just using thin CA, but kind of leery about that with a DLE 35 RA on the nose. I am going to use the .047 music wire for a continuous hinge though. That makes for a real clean and bind free install.

I have used a continuous wire hinge pin to align the hinges while gluing and pinning them in place. If you insert the wire from the outboard ends and put a "U" bend in the end, you can stick the "U" bend in the stab end and secure it with a bit of CA. The wire then can be removed if needed for hinge replacement/repair and the elevator/aileron/rudder/flaps can be removed for transport/repair also.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Flight.

Sincerely, Richard

Great tip on the "U" bend. I was wondering what would be a good way to anchor it so it wouldn't work it's way out. Thanks