Author Topic: Taping Hingelines (Read 3629 times)

Joe Messinger · « **on:** February 19, 2008, 11:53:16 AM »

Hello,

Just wondered how many of you tape the flap and elevator hingelines on your planes? I know there are various ways to seal the gaps but (I suppose) tape is the easiest.

I don't own any real competition planes. Just sport planes like Cardinals, P-40, TF Nobler, etc. Perhaps on the all out competition planes sealing the hingelines makes a marked difference in performance. Tighter cornering?

I do my best to keep hingeline gaps to a minimum during construction but I'm afraid I can't see any improvment in the planes I have that I've taped. Maybe it's just me.

Any advice/thoughts on this subject?

Thanks,

Joe

Joe Messinger · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2008, 07:25:50 PM »

Ty,

Thanks for the info on hingelines. I understand the principal of sealing hingelines, I just was curious to know if many fliers actually do that.

I do know that if the tape isn't installed correctly, it can cause more problems than it eliminates.

Joe

PeteBergstrom · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2008, 11:12:20 AM »

Joe,

There is no doubt that the effectivenes of the control surface is increased with a sealed hingeline over an unsealed hingeline. How much more effective is going to be different on each and every airplane, depending on the accuracy of the build. I have always taped the hingelines as a matter of course simply to remove one variable from my trimming routine. This is true whether the aircraft is CL or RC. It just is one thing I know I don't need to look at.

The biggest thing to watch out for when you do seal the hingeline is to not add any binding to the surface movement. Any additional binding or drag added to the control system because of the hingeline sealing will more than negate any gains made by the sealing. Use care here and I think you will enjoy the results.

The stuff I liked to use was Dave Brown Trim Seal Tape DAV5250. I think he has discontinued it but you may still find it at some hobby shops. 3M Magic tape works also but takes a little maintenance to keep it in good shape. Just some ideas.

pete

Bill Little · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2008, 11:28:31 AM »

I have gone to full span cloth hinges. Getting the tape on well takes a bunch of practice it seems.

Andrew Borgogna · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2008, 01:43:44 PM »

I tape my hinges. I use Windy's method working from the bottom clean the hinge line with alcohol then deflect the surface down as far as it will go and run Scotch brand frosty scotch tape (the one in the green plaid dispenser) along the hinge. Push the tape into the hinge line and press it down. Then move the surface back and forth a few time. Works great and supprising last a long time. Cleaning the surface is a major key to success.
Andy

Louis Rankin · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2008, 01:57:28 PM »

If you use Monokote there is another trick you can use. Insteasd of pinned hinges, fabricate Monokote hinges by overlaping the adhesive side by a 1/4 inch and then cut in 3/4" by 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" strips. Iron them on just like you would install cloth hinges. Really seals the hinge line well. Also, they are the most free moving hinges I have ever used. Strong too!

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2008, 03:46:20 PM »

I seal my hingelines.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2008, 03:50:54 PM »

To add to what Pete said, taping hingelines can also cure "hunting" on some planes. I've used taping as a trim tool too. Partially taping hingelines can do a lot to balance a turn.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2008, 05:32:52 PM »

My hinge lines are sealed before I ever let them off the bench for the first flight. If I've used a base color that Monokote has I use Monokote for the seal. I just clean the area, cut MK to the right width and iron them in. I've only had to reseal one ship done this way and that was only in an area that I failed to properly iron. They last forever and are totally flexible.
Will

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2008, 05:46:31 PM »

I think the best reason to seal the hingelines is that it REMOVES any trim problems that might be caused by any differences in construction of the hingelines. Since I started sealing hinglenes I have NEVER built any model, CL or RC that did not have sealed gaps.

Heck on my new bird I even sealed the hinge gap on the battery access hatch!

Joe Messinger · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2008, 08:01:40 PM »

Thanks to everyone for the tape advice. I think I had better go buy a roll of tape! I might give the MonoKote a try. I assume both flap and elevator hingelines should be sealed.

Joe

Bob Whitely · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2008, 10:36:42 PM »

One should never ever attempt to fly a model without all the hinge lines taped. Not doing so means that the model will never defy gravity as it was designed to do. Not taping the controls is no different than using the wrong prop or incorrect line length or center of gravity out of limits. RJ

Chris Gilbert IRL-1638 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2008, 01:10:27 AM »

As a for instance I had one model which turned completely differently for inside and outside loops. Taping the elevator hinge line fixed that problem.

In my case as it was a look/see so I just cleaned the hingeline and used masking tape. The masking tape lasted a surprisingly long time too.

All hinge lines sealed since.

Bill Hodges · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2008, 06:23:54 AM »

Has anyone ever tried using the 3M packaging tape? Is it any better than the regular Scotch tape?

Bill Hodges

Will Hinton · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2008, 08:11:07 AM »

Bill,
Yes, I've used it, but it's an absolute BEAR (but not Big Bear) to get down without wrinkles. It really has the stickem and it grabs anything it barely touches! Lasts almost forever, though.
Will
(Big Bear doesn't have wrinkles.

)

Mike Spiess · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2008, 09:21:05 AM »

Back when I flew allot of RC gliders we used tape as the hinges for flying surfaces. We used a vinyl packaging tape it was thick. I have done some sport CL planes with it as they don't last long (at least in my hands) and worked great. I wouldn't put it on a plane I planed on keeping long though as the fuel seems to affect it after a while and it would be a nightmare to get off.

I suppose if you fuelproofed it it would last. Makes for a smooth moving control.

Joe Messinger · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2008, 12:58:20 PM »

As I mentioned earlier, I will tape the hingelines on my planes which brings another question to mind. On the planes I've seen that have the hingelines taped, the tape was added to the the -underside- of the control surfaces. The tape was affixed to the wing/stab, the flap/elev moved in the -up- position and then the tape was sealed to the movable surface.

Someone mentioned that they sealed the tape to the fixed surface then moved the control surface-down- and finished sealing the tape to the flap or elevator. That makes me think the tape was used on the -top- of the surfaces. Other than keeping the tape out of sight, is there an advantage to taping either the bottom or the top side of the wing/tail?

Thanks,

Joe

Howard Rush · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2008, 07:22:01 PM »

I tape my hinges. The reason for taping the bottom is ugliness minimization.

Joe Messinger · « **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2008, 08:10:50 PM »

Well, I drug out a couple of my planes and sealed up the hingelines on them. More to come.

I didn't have any of the right kind of tape so I used MonoKote. I have a roll of clear and, not having any of the same color Kote that I used to cover the planes, I cut strips of the clear and ironed that on. Worked out well, I hope. The controls are smooth and there's no noise when they are deflected. The ones I used tape on always "crackled" when they moved up and down. It looks good too. Can hardly tell the hingelines are sealed. The real test will come when I am able to fly the planes.

Thanks again for the help.

Regards,

Joe

Bob Whitely · « **Reply #19 on:** February 22, 2008, 06:26:46 AM »

All kidding aside taping the hinge lines on any model is just as important as putting in a gas tank. Don't even waste your time flying it til it is taped.

The best tape to use is called "Moores' Crystal Clear" and is usually found at architect stores and some better artist supplies. The reasons it works so well is it is thin, clear, and very flexible. Also sticks very well yet you can peel it off without taking paint with it. Removes very smoothly yet will stay put very well.

As Ted has stated long ago the two basic reasons for taping a plane is to equalize the aerodynamics for both up and down. There is not a builder out there that can make all the hinge gaps the same therefore each wing or elevator will not work with equal quality.

As for doing the top or the bottom either will work. Most do the bottom so it can't be seen.

One more reason for taping is it allows the plane work with 100% efficiency with no high pressure leakage due to the gaps.

This is one of those things that always works, ergo, therefore, irregardless of what anyone else says always do it or settle for second best. RJ

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2008, 10:39:19 AM »

Another tape that works: Scotch "MultiTask" tape. Available many places. 3/4"wide, on a dispenser, sticks well, easy to apply.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #21 on:** February 22, 2008, 01:27:09 PM »

In recent years, as Bob states, I just taped hingelines as a matter of course. Part of completing the plane. I've had only 2 planes in the past 15 years that flew better without tape than with. And even in those cases, it was for a specific reason.