What Ty said. I have used them that way for years without problems, and they do dissappear. I put about 3 coats of dope where the hinges will go, and then use very thin dope to apply the hinges to the elevator. Then line up the hinges with the stab, and dope them down. I also use a couple of pieces of 1/16" balsa and clothspins to hold the elevator and stab together at the tips while doping the hinges down. The Tom Morris hinges are the best I have ever used.