Hinge Gap Taping

[Randy Ryan]

OK Folks, bare with me. Can some one either carefully describe gap taping or point me to a thread on it?

[Brett Buck]

OK Folks, bare with me. Can some one either carefully describe gap taping or point me to a thread on it?

  Try this one:

http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=11355.msg99465#msg99465

  Brett

[Chris Wilson]

OK Folks, bare with me.

Its winter time here in Oz so I ain't going 'bare' with anyone!

[Paul Walker]

Winter in Oz......


Is that when it drops to 25C???


Brrrrrrrrrrrrr....

[Dallas Hanna]

Winter in Oz......


Is that when it drops to 25C???


Brrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Was around zero C here at Richmond a few days ago Paul!  Too cold to play in the shed early mornings!!

HH

[Randy Ryan]

  Try this one:

http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=11355.msg99465#msg99465

  Brett

Thanks Brett, but I'm still a little confused, I realize the tape fold has to occur at the hinge center line. What about the hinge itself? The tape will contact both leaves of the hinge and since the remainder of the tape pushed down to the centerline doesn't is bunch over the hinges and drag in the eyes? You don't trim out around the hinge eyes do you?

[Tim Wescott]

Randy, what I do is get the tape as deep into the gap as I can, which is usually just touching the hinges.  So the tape doesn't fold at one point, but gently bends over 1/8" or so.

That leaves a hinge that's still slack enough for the surface to flop around of its own weight, which is my personal standard for "good enough".  When you get it to that point, the tape is not going to be the worst contributor to stiffness or friction once the whole control system is hooked up.

[Randy Ryan]

Randy, what I do is get the tape as deep into the gap as I can, which is usually just touching the hinges.  So the tape doesn't fold at one point, but gently bends over 1/8" or so.

That leaves a hinge that's still slack enough for the surface to flop around of its own weight, which is my personal standard for "good enough".  When you get it to that point, the tape is not going to be the worst contributor to stiffness or friction once the whole control system is hooked up.

Well, I guess I'm just going to experiment and see what I can see. Thanks Tim.

[Paul Walker]

Was around zero C here at Richmond a few days ago Paul!  Too cold to play in the shed early mornings!!

HH

How do all the Croc's stay alive at 0 C???

[Brett Buck]

Thanks Brett, but I'm still a little confused, I realize the tape fold has to occur at the hinge center line. What about the hinge itself? The tape will contact both leaves of the hinge and since the remainder of the tape pushed down to the centerline doesn't is bunch over the hinges and drag in the eyes? You don't trim out around the hinge eyes do you?

   I used to use separate pieces that go between the hinges. Then Paul Walker told me he found a big difference when he went over the hinges, so I use a single continuous piece. I put oil on the hinge barrels and stick it right down to the hinge, makes little difference in the drag or binding. It didn't make a huge change when I first changed but it doesn't hurt anything so I kept doing it. Although I did crash the airplane on the very first flight with it that way. It wasn't due to hinge sealing, the remnants of Hurricane Dennis was a significant factor, that and my basic clumsiness.

   Note also that using a continuous hinge pin makes this process even easier than it shows in the pictures, because you can stick it right to the pin instead of having to get it stuck in exactly the right place to bridge the gap. Also ripped off from Paul.

     Brett

[Derek Barry]

  I used to use separate pieces that go between the hinges. Then Paul Walker told me he found a big difference when he went over the hinges, so I use a single continuous piece. I put oil on the hinge barrels and stick it right down to the hinge, makes little difference in the drag or binding. It didn't make a huge change when I first changed but it doesn't hurt anything so I kept doing it. Although I did crash the airplane on the very first flight with it that way. It wasn't due to hinge sealing, the remnants of Hurricane Dennis was a significant factor, that and my basic clumsiness.

   Note also that using a continuous hinge pin makes this process even easier than it shows in the pictures, because you can stick it right to the pin instead of having to get it stuck in exactly the right place to bridge the gap. Also ripped off from Paul.

     Brett

I always used one continuous piece until I was in Hungary and Ted retaped my hinge-line while I was working on other things. He told me that he does not cover the hinges on his planes and that is how he did mine....I didn't notice any difference when I flew it again. Now, I have some planes that will not fly without tape on the hinges and others that fly just fine with or without it. I guess there are a lot of variables to deal with...

Derek

[Randy Ryan]

Great input, thanks guys!