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Speed,Combat,Scale,Racing => Combat => Topic started by: Casey on March 23, 2018, 11:35:10 PM

Title: Sewn Hinges
Post by: Casey on March 23, 2018, 11:35:10 PM

Hi Everyone

I am using dental floss thread to sew the elevator to my combat wing. Do I need to fuelproof the dental floss thread?

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: Paul Smith on March 24, 2018, 09:41:27 AM

I don't know about dental floss for hinges.  I always just used 1/2A flying line.  When I ran out, I found a spool of fish line that was about the same. 

Based on experience using it on my teeth, I wouldn't trust floss for hinges. 
However, I have found that flying line does an OK job of flossing my teeth.

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: phil c on March 25, 2018, 11:37:20 AM

Agree with Paul. Dental floss is not particularly strong and waxed to boot,  so it is hard to glue.  I've seen it break in flight, and in moderate crashes.
Use some kind of braided fishing line for sewn hinges.  30 lb Dacron, or 40-50lb. Spectra line is much stronger.

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: Dane Martin on March 26, 2018, 08:03:48 AM

I've sew'ed many a hinge also, and my favorite so far is dacron. I sacrificed a roll of cox flying line for hinges.
Any who, after sewing I've never done anything special to fuel proof the thread itself. My kids just flew some 1/2A's yesterday that I did a few years ago and the hinges are still perfectly free.

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: Phil Krankowski on March 27, 2018, 07:05:50 AM

_Unwaxed_ dental floss is as good as it gets, although harder to find.  Kevlar fishing line is the next best, with dacron flying line coming in next.  These three threads are fuel proof, oil proof, sunlight resistant enough for years, and abrasive resistant to hangar rash

Waxed dental floss causes bonding problems.

These three are a plastic fiber and does not require fuelproofing.  However the holes through the wood require protection from oil more than fuel.  If you drill the holes then dope them, or push a fuel proof glue like Testors cement through the holes, and redrill after the glue dries you will be in excellent shape.  With film covered wings consider treating the edges before covering.  If the parts ard sprayed with enamel paint like rustoleum the paint will be fine, although brushing in paint to fill the holes becomes an option.

I have used common poly-cotton thread for a field repair.  It lasted only a couple outings and needed redone.

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: Tim Thompson on April 03, 2018, 12:48:57 AM

Unwaxed dental floss.  No good
Dacron fishing line way more gooder

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: john e. holliday on April 03, 2018, 09:58:52 AM

I have small spools of Kevlar thread that I use for sewn hinges.

Title: Re: Sewn Hinges
Post by: Mark Mc on April 03, 2018, 11:42:47 AM

I used Spectra line on the last six models I did with sewn hinges.  Nary a problem.

Mark