Hinge Slotting Tools

[Dick Pacini]

I recently saw an ad for hinge slot cutters by a company called Aerobroach and the video was very impressive. The price for the set of three was reasonable, so I ordered a set.  I am always looking for more ways to hinge flaps and flippers.

The package came today and I believe them to be well worth the money.  I didn't post in Product Reviews because I haven't used them yet.  When the time comes, I will give a report.

Check out the site and watch the video.  I think you will be impressed.

http://aerobroach.com/

[Tim Wescott]

Ooh cool -- please do review it: if it's twice as hard as he makes it look, it's still going to be way nice.

[Howard Rush]

That looks really good.

Speaking of hinge slotting tools, Dirty Dan had a fancy hinge slotting machine which he claimed to have lent me some years ago and which he asked me to return.  I had no recollection of such a loan.  I looked high and low in my shop, but couldn't find it and told him he must be mistaken.  I found it a few weeks ago in an obscure place behind the combat wing cutter.  Good thing, too, as I have some slots to make.  I might return it if these Art Deco arrowhead things work as well as they look like they do.

[Allan Perret]

The video sold me.  Mines on order.  

Hey Dick:  Where did you find out about this ?

[john e. holliday]

Yes, I'm a skin flint.  I still have my Du-Bro slotting tools I have used for years. 

[Dick Pacini]

The video sold me.  Mines on order.  

Hey Dick:  Where did you find out about this ?

I'm not sure.  Maybe a magazine or on line when I was looking for something else.

[Dick Pacini]

Yes, I'm a skin flint.  I still have my Du-Bro slotting tools I have used for years. 

I also have the Dubro tools but the big difference is they are a plunge cut that pushes the wood into the center of the slot whereas these tools shear and push the wood away from the center of the slot.  The Dubro set also requires picking out.

[Dick Pacini]

I found them on pg 85 of the Feb issue of Model Aviation.

[Balsa Butcher]

I have used this product. (and the electric slot machine as well). They are a good product, allows one to start the center the slot from the middle rather than the sides as in the DuBro set. It makes it easier to center and get a straight cut. No magic, still requires technique to get right. As for the electric slot machine, hope you have better luck than I did. The slots come out too narrow and it is hard to control the blades and keep the slots keep straight. Others experiences may differ.

[Randy Ryan]

I just ordered a set. I've tried the Dubro gouge set and the Slot machine. I've found by starting with a center slit with an Exacto #11 and inserting the Slot Machine blades I can get a pretty accurate and centered slot. then U clean it out with the Dubro gouge. These broaches look good except for solid flaps and elevators. The best I ever did was built up laminated edges with the slots formed by the 1/32 center lamination. These are fool proof but they're also very labor intensive and you stand the chance of installing the wing trailing edge backwards so the slot spacing is wrong (inboard panel outboard and vice versa) like I just did on my Legacy. Anyway, we all need more hinge slot tools so I bought some more!!!!!

[Mark Scarborough]

I have the electric hinge slotting tool, the slots are a bit thin, but I have only tried it once, so further research is due. The key element related to me was that you have to use the guide to make it work, I can definetly tell why,, However I do NOT understand why they do not provide the guide with the cutting tool,,

[Larry Fernandez]

I just ordered one

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Keith Miller]

I just finished a long battle with the Dubro slotting tools .  I'm impressed by the concept and the video. Just bought me a set!

[Steve Helmick]

Why not laminate your TE with the hinge pockets included?  Steve

[RknRusty]

Boy, this is the first thread I see when I just came in from the shop gluing pin hinges in the flaps. My first time at using these things... both pin hinges and flaps. These flaps have been the biggest pain in the ass of the whole kit. I could not even dent the Sterling kit wood with the Dubro blade, so I cut some out of more cooperative wood. The first flap looks like a first try, but the next one looks good. Both will look good to the casual observer

Now to see if they're going to lock up when the epoxy hardens. I'm worried that maybe I didn't get enough Vaseline in the hinges, or cleaned them too vigorously with acetone after lubricating them. They're not floppy loose. I'll keep exercising them until I can't stand it any more and go to bed.

I ain't making new flaps. If I did botch it, I'll cut the tabs off and sew the damn things on. This plane has forward swept hinge lines so I had to cut triangular grooves for the coupler wire to have room to slide laterally and make caps to cover them. It took me a while to wrap my head around that problem, but it actually came out looking pretty nice.
Rusty

[Mark Scarborough]

Why not laminate your TE with the hinge pockets included?  Steve

Steve, thats what I typically do, however there is a weight penalty involved in that and a few other niggly details that make it less than optimal
so I am always looking at alternatives,,

[Steve Hines]

they work good but they cut to wide of slot for me. I need to find a way to cut them down so they are the size of the hinges.

Steve

[Dick Pacini]

they work good but they cut to wide of slot for me. I need to find a way to cut them down so they are the size of the hinges.

Steve

The video points out that the slots are cut wider to allow for shifting the hinges a bit for alignment.

[Dick Pacini]

There are many ways to do just about every facet of model building.  I believe in giving everything a chance to determine what works best for both the builder and the airplane.  I just bought a few dozen hinge-points and 4-40 threaded inserts based on comments on this board.  I have lots of kits to experiment on.

[john e. holliday]

Rusty, now  you know why I use cloth hinges on the older kits I still have. 

[David_Ruff]

To hell with hinge slotting.  I am going to use cloth on my current build, the Fancy Pants.  I always mess things up with slotting.

[Randy Ryan]

I have the electric hinge slotting tool, the slots are a bit thin, but I have only tried it once, so further research is due. The key element related to me was that you have to use the guide to make it work, I can definetly tell why,, However I do NOT understand why they do not provide the guide with the cutting tool,,

Mark, see my post just above yours, a knife slit is all you need.

[Derek Moran]

Some of you may recall the article in the June 2006 issue of MA, "Slot Machine Fixture."
Derek

[proparc]

I recently saw an ad for hinge slot cutters by a company called Aerobroach and the video was very impressive. The price for the set of three was reasonable, so I ordered a set.  I am always looking for more ways to hinge flaps and flippers.

The package came today and I believe them to be well worth the money.  I didn't post in Product Reviews because I haven't used them yet.  When the time comes, I will give a report.

Check out the site and watch the video.  I think you will be impressed.

http://aerobroach.com/

Must have tool. Going to order mine. This is the kind of stuff we need, as opposed to arguing about the BOM!!!

[FLOYD CARTER]

I'll stick with my tried-and-true method:  A Dremel cut-off wheel mounted in a drill press.  Guaranteed all slots in the same line:  turn the piece over for a second cut, and this guarantees each slot is exactly centered.

Floyd

[Rick_Huff]

Floyd,
I tried the dremel cutoff tool in the drill press method.  It worked fantastically!  Thanks for the tip!
Rick

[David_Ruff]

Maybe using the DuBro centering tool and then an Exacto blade will work.  Then use Sig Easy Hinges? 

[Steve Helmick]

Maybe using the DuBro centering tool and then an Exacto blade will work.  Then use Sig Easy Hinges? 

All control travel you have is powered by line tension. Your controls must be uber free, with minimal friction. Ixnay on the SIG Easy Hinges. They bring the "Netzeband Wall" closer to you, and you do NOT want that!  Steve

[David_Ruff]

Well alrighty then..if Sig easy hinges are no good, then what are good hinges?  I used duBro nylon types with metal hinge pins.  They are OK if perfectly lined up.  As I mentioned, will try the cloth hinges again.  Have not used them in 40 years.  In the RC birds, used the nylon types. 

[John Stiles]

Danggggg....now they come with that.....I don't know how many more models i have left in me, but I'm gonna ask santy claus to get me a set of those! Gonna chunk the old ones! 

[RknRusty]

I've been sewing all of my elevators for thwe last few builds, but don't really want to do it to flaps. I am going to try Floyd's dremel wheel method. I wish I hadn't already drilled the stitch holes in my current one. My new Oriental ARF came with CA hinges. They will go in the junk drawer.

The pin hinges I wrote about gluing last night came out fine when the glue dried. What a relief.
Rusty

[Howard Rush]

Some of you may recall the article in the June 2006 issue of MA, "Slot Machine Fixture."

And indeed there was such a fixture included with the slotter Dan left.  Goody.

[afml]

I'll stick with my tried-and-true method:  A Dremel cut-off wheel mounted in a drill press.  Guaranteed all slots in the same line:  turn the piece over for a second cut, and this guarantees each slot is exactly centered.

Floyd

Stack a couple of wheels together to get the desired thickness of the cut.
No 'turning-over' needed!
Wear safety glasses at all times & "Tight Lines!"
Wes

[john e. holliday]

I have used almost every type of glue to put in the Du-Bro pin hinges.   Some of it very messy, silicone glue.   I have tried jigs and tools to try and get the hinges centered.   They are usually within 1/64 of an inch.  After finishing a plane they may not be as smooth as most guys like, but after about three or four flights they loosen up real good for me.   Did have a push rod dragging on one plane the Jim Lee loosened up for me.  Even cloth hinges  are a little stiff at first.   Have never tried the Robart hinges yet even tho I have several packages of them.

[Ward Van Duzer]

Yup, they looked terrific to me also. The only thing that needs to be improved is a jig, or some device to hold the blade(s) in alignment while punching. Perhaps the little DuBro thingie would work. I have pretty good eyes, but getting one slot off line will really mess up your hinge job.

W.

[Dick Pacini]

Anyone else experiencing long shipping time on the Aerobroach?


MM

I ordered on the 3rd and they arrived on the 7th.

[Allan Perret]

Mine came in about a week.

[Juan Valentin]

 I would love to know how well it has worked for you before I decide to buy a set .
                                                                                                            Juan

[john e. holliday]

No matter what a tool is only as good as the person using it.   Watched a demo at a wood working show.  The gentleman was showing different portable table saws that he had and how well they were cutting.  He went over to a vendor and picked up another table saw still in the box.  Proceeded to assemble it and make cuts.  This after doing the set up according to the manufacturer.   Was not too accurate.   He also stated tools are only as good as the person using them.   Then he showed us how to really set up the machine to make accurate cuts.   Sold the saw on the spot along with the alignment tools he was pushing.   Even with cloth hinges I have misalignment once in a while.  Being old and a tight wad,  you guys can have the new tool.

[Motorman]

I would love to know how well it has worked for you before I decide to buy a set .
                                                                                                            Juan

I got mine, all I can say is wow! So much better than anything else I've tried. Can't imagine anyone doing a bad job with this tool. Here's a tip: The blades come stuck to paper with some goop. Don't scrape the goop off with a knife or you'll dull the edge of the broach. Use some solvent.

MM

[Randy Ryan]

No matter what a tool is only as good as the person using it.   Watched a demo at a wood working show.  The gentleman was showing different portable table saws that he had and how well they were cutting.  He went over to a vendor and picked up another table saw still in the box.  Proceeded to assemble it and make cuts.  This after doing the set up according to the manufacturer.   Was not too accurate.   He also stated tools are only as good as the person using them.   Then he showed us how to really set up the machine to make accurate cuts.   Sold the saw on the spot along with the alignment tools he was pushing.   Even with cloth hinges I have misalignment once in a while.  Being old and a tight wad,  you guys can have the new tool.

Good point John. Something I've tried on occasion to express here. People want "the best" tools yet for what we do "the best" cost way more then we can justify, at least that's true in my case. I have many what may be termed "lessor" machine tools that work perfectly fine for modeling, all it takes is some proper setup an no abuse. That said, there are tools out there that are so incredibly chinnsey they should be passed over, that's where a little careful judgement has to take over. I would love to have a shop full of the finest woodworking tools, but the fact is, I don't build furniture, I build model airplanes.

I got my broaches but have yet to try the out, they look neat.