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Author Topic: elevator hinges  (Read 1562 times)

Offline Chancey Chorney

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elevator hinges
« on: August 13, 2007, 10:21:06 PM »
Hi there.  I would just like to ask what the best way to get nice hinges on a 1/2a model.  It is 1/8" sheet balsa.  I have two planes waiting to have this done before continuing.  I have used elmers and ca before with nylon, but they were far from looking good.  I also plan on one of th emodels to be my first all dope finish to try as all the ones I seen here looked very nice.  I used to work in a body shop so my others were 'paint and primer' jobs when materials were at my fingertips.  Thanks in advance.

Chancey
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Offline Ralph Wenzel (d)

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2007, 11:48:11 PM »
My preferences are the good ol' Cloth Over-and-Under hinges, or Figure-8 hinges with Carpet Thread. My cloth hinges are made from un-inked typewriter ribbon, nylon, about .006" thick. They practically disappear under a dope finish!

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Offline John Crocker

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2007, 08:20:41 AM »
Square fig 8 stitches per the Min modeller method.  I always used ribbon till I saw this and I hated getting the glue all over the place (makes for rough fingers, made my wife pissy  mw~).  The stitching method is clean and easy, and can be repaired in the field if you have a bad crash, which happens to me often  n~. 
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Offline George

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2007, 08:27:19 AM »
Quote from: Ralph Wenzel on August 13, 2007, 11:48:11 PM
...My cloth hinges are made from un-inked typewriter ribbon, nylon, about .006" thick. They practically disappear under a dope finish!

I have some of that from a typewriter factory in Lexington. I think it was discarded from a process where the ribbon was inked and transferred to smaller spools. It was given to me long ago (late 50's) and I am still using it.

Another type of cloth hinge is to glue it to the bottom of the stab and elevator. You must bevel the elevator so it/they can be pivoted from the bottom for a close fit. I used this method a lot on Scientific kits. It looks nice when viewed from the top!  ;D

George

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Offline Jim Thomerson

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2007, 08:45:07 AM »
I do figure 8 hinges, but use dental floss. Never had a failure. 
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Offline Bob Zambelli

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2007, 07:42:06 AM »
Definitely dental floss.

I even use it on 60 powered planes - NEVER had a failure.

Bob Z.
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Offline Ward Van Duzer

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2007, 01:53:12 PM »
Hi! I'm not really a 1/2 A builder but I read about this someplace...

Tyvex.

You know those plastic envelopes you get things shipped to you in. The ones you can't tear to open. V E R Y  thin, and extremely strong. Cut them into little "over/under" style hinges and cement in place. This material is so thin, I'll bet you'd never see them under a couple of coats of dope.

W.
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Offline Bill Heher

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2007, 06:59:06 PM »
Mono-kote over/under.
Cut a couple strips of mono-cote 1" wide, flip one over and overlap the adhesive side by 1/8 - 3/16".
Use a trim iron and stick them together. Cut the joined strips into 3/4" wide hinges, and put them on like regular over/under style.
They are so thin they practically disapear, and seal the hinge line as a bonus. If you scuff them with a scotch brite pad to remove the gloss they take primer fine, and you can paint over them.
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Offline Chancey Chorney

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2007, 07:07:07 PM »
Well thanks all for the input and advice.  I have actually fell off the building wagon for a while but actually did hinge 2 elevator surfaces this weekend using a thin fabric and dope.  Turned out very well in my opinion for a first time.  I am now in process of mounting to fuselage but will post pics as soon as I have a few minutes and they're mounted to get a few opinions of what I did right and wrong.  Thanks again.

Chancey
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Offline Chancey Chorney

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2007, 06:26:11 PM »
Hi there all.  Just took these photo's.  I would appreciate if someone let me know if I did it alright, or where I went wrong if I did.  Thanks.
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Offline minnesotamodeler

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2007, 08:24:08 PM »
Looks good to me.  I usually butt the hinges up against each other rather than leaving the small gap between, but your way works just as well. 

Hope you're not using a light (color) finish 'cause that ink will bleed.  Maybe seal it with some clear first.

Show us some finished pics when you get there?

--Ray
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Offline Chancey Chorney

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Re: elevator hinges
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2007, 09:47:00 PM »
Thanks Minnesotamodeler.  It makes me feel a bit at ease now.  Thanks for the bit about keeping them tighter.  Will definately do that on the next ship.  This was practice as my next will be a scratch Pinto (probably after x-mas) and I want it looking 100%.  As for the bleed through, it hit me just as teh dope hit the markers.  I should have known better as I am a bodyman and it happens on cars too!  Thanks again.

Chancey
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