On a thread about flap design considerations, Ted Fancher has mentioned importance of taping hinge line. Ted happens to be the guy who has driven the point home for me last year when I was having hunting problems with VanLoo Chipmunk and called for advice. I was thinking of design limitations of classic ships, warps, tail-heavy, etc. His first question was: "Did you tape the hinge line?" I didn't since I figured that you only worry about it when a model doesn't turn well. Boy, was I wrong! That one act of taping the hinge line has done more to improve performance of my model than all other trim changes put together!

With that in mind, here is my method of taping the hinge lines

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• Put the model on its back
• Pull on the down line(up line for the elevator) as far as it will go
• Attach hemostat to the down line up against the wingtip in order to prevent the flaps from moving
• Put talcum powder in the wedge so that it fills it up. If the gap is too large and the talcum just falls through, just put some masking tape on the other side
• Wipe excess talcum from the flat surface of the wing and the flap where the tape will go
• Go over the attachment surfaces with alcohol saturated paper towel.
• Attach the tape to the wing either as one single tape or as per Ted's recommendation:tape the spans between the hinges. The tape will try to "curl" up a bit and will not stick to the flap.
• With gentle, palm down, stroking kind of movement roll the tape over the flaps. The tape will fall on the flap in its relaxed state. It is important to make sure that the tape is relaxed and not stretched in any way.
• Flip the model over and rap your fingers gently on the wing along the hinge line. This will cause talcum to fall on exposed tape and prevent it from ever sticking
• Flip the model on its back again, remove the hemostat, return flaps to neutral and rap your fingers along the hinge line to remove talcum from the gap
• Repeat the same steps for the elevators, just pull on the UP line instead.
  

Steve:
I do not normally use tape to seal the hingelines - because it can be hard to handle.  However I REALLY like the method you described and will give it a try.

My first experience with gap seals was a profound as what you described for your Chip.  What is a little perplexing to me is that I had several airplanes that flew well before I learned about seals.  I keep wondering WHY did they fly as well as they did and HOW MUCH BETTER might they have flown with seals?  I am trying to recondition a 33 YO bird that was built before seals and flew very well.  If I can get it back in the air I want to fly it as built without seals, then seal it up.

You mentioned what the seals did for the Chip - have you gone back and added seals to anything else that you thought flew well - and did you get an improvement on a already good flying bird?  I have a hunch that some birds are (for what ever reason) more responsive to seals than others...


Ray:
Ditto the monocote method.  I also like using CA hinges cut into narrow strips. and I allow the hinge gap to be as wide as 1/32" - that way it is EASY to sneak the moneycote down into the gap (use a trim iron), and when you can do it from both sides with the 'cote touching in the middle, as you describe, you get a moneycote hinge too.

Let's just say I am still not worried about anything outcornering it - then or now...     Like I mentioned it is (was) a very good flying bird, but I am curious what effect seals will have on it.

  Fellows are ya'll using a particular type or brand of tape ? If so where do you get it and what is it called ??
                           Thanks, Gil

Noname packing tape for me.

I do not use tape very often but when I have the best (thinnest/most flexitble) tape I have seen is REALLY CHEEP tape in the bulk packs on 1.5" wide (or so) rolls.  Gotta put it down and cut it into strips but it works fine.  The "better" packing tapes all seem thicker.

Steve - is that like the "no-name" tape you mentioned?

I also try to tape from both sides if possible with the tape meeting in the middle.  Again the thinnest tape helps, but I thing it helps keep the tape sealed from fuel and tight.

Peabody - I usually use a scrap of thin balsa or a popsicle stick to rub it down - but I like your idea.  Can you send me your credit card so I can try using that to rub down my tape???     

I have never taped a wing before.  If the wing were monocoated...would a strip of monocoat work as well?

Thanks TD

Here is my take on this. Don't do it!

Try it for a few flights! What have you got to loose? It you don't notice any improvement, no problem! Take out heat gun, warm up the tape and it will come off in a hurry. Wipe off remaining goo with alcohol and that's it.
My bet though is that you WILL notice improved corner. For me, the biggest benefit is CONSISTENCY of a corner. Of course, if a gap is large, you also get improved effectiveness of controlls in ALL maneuvers but that doesn't look like it will be the case with your models.

Hey if it works for you do it. But I know its not for me!!!

Beauty of our event is individualism!

Monokote trim works well to seal the control surfaces on monokoted airplanes.

I'm ready to tape a model's hingeline this weekend, but missing the essential tool: Peabody's credit card. Rich, would you please send it by overnight mail? Thanks!  Steve

I'm with Robert, I usually get my hinglines with a gap that you could not pass a business card between. works for me.

Peter, have you ever tried taping hinge lines on a model you fly regularly?

Tape can also be used as a trim tool. I had a model that was turning so hard, the flaps could not carry the wing and the model would stall in turns. The model didn't have adjustable horns so instead, I peeled the tape off elevators and left them on flaps. The model stalled a LOT less after that.