Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / September 2006

Most any pinned hinge would be good.  My favorite is the Robart hinge point.
Drilling a hole is much easier than slotting and the Robart jig makes
centering the hole a piece of cake.  And they're available in 3 sizes.  I
use them for everything from 1/2A to 1/4 scale and I've never had a hinge
failure.

Dave

Seems like I used Klett and maybe DuBro pinned hinges.  Don't get glue in
the pin.  I realize there was a long thread against CA hinges but(let me
qualify this) in my humble opinion, if you install them correctly, and use a
good product, and pray to the RC gods, make a sacrifice(ei. stick your hand
in a prop), they will work well.  You might have to check them now and again
for wear but you really should do that for the whole craft.  I have seen
more plastic hinges fail than CA  ones fail.
mk

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Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

Each type of hinge has it's uses AND positive and negatives about them.

The nylon hinges (Klett type ) need to be roughened up AND the hinge
joint LIBERALLY lubricated with Vaseline to prevent the epoxy from
getting in the hinge joint.  The hinge slot MAY need to be recessed in
order for the control surfaces to be close enough.

Robart hinges, same problem and solution for the joint AND the hole for
the hinge will need to be recessed in order to get the surfaces close
enough to minimize a gap.

CA hinges PROPERLY INSTALLED hold up just as well as most nylon hinges.

To PROPERLY install a CA hinge:

1.  The slots for the hinge must be SNUG, not tight.

2.  Drill a 1/16" hole in the center of the slot.  This allows the CA to
properly wick down into the wood and hinge.

3.  Insert 2 pins in the center of the CA hinge to prevent it from
having too much material on one side or the other.  The 2 pins insures
that the hinge is straight and not crooked in the slot.

4.  Draw a line with a crayon ON BOTH SIDES of the center of the hinge
(hinge line ).  This prevents the CA from hardening this area.

5.  Insert the hinges into the moveable surface and then insert the
moveable surface into the fixed surface.  Remove the pins from the
hinges and firmly push the 2 pieces together.

6.  Now flex the moveable surface to the maximum amount, and while
holding it in this position, put 3 or 4 drops of CA on the hinge.  Flex
the moveable surface the other way and repeat.  MAKE SURE YOU USE THIN
CA.  In this case, especially, more CA is not better.

I have flown 1.60 powered aircraft with hinges done this way with
absolutely no problems.

I use CA hinges in all of my smaller planes (below a .90 - except for hot
pattern ships). I haven't had a failure yet, that I can recall. There is a
technique to it and just which CA hinge you use matters to, I suppose.

Ed Cregger

Use a good quality CA hinge and properly install them and you will be
fine.  I like Radio South CA hinges (blue ones).  I have yet to have a
CA hinge fail.

I use Robart hinges when possible.  You must have a thick enough
trailing edge to glue the hinge into.  Most ARFs with balsa trailing
edges do not have enough material to use Robart hinges.  I would say
you need a minimum of 1/2 inch of thickness for using Robart hinges.
They are great on foam surfaces.

John VB

I have used CA hinges for years - this after a couple of "hinged type" broke
their pins.  Nothing catastrophic happened - but I've never experienced a
single problem with the "CA" type.