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3D Hinges

yakken

100cc
I hope to be finishing up my jtec this weekend and starting on a new 37.5 TT yak. It comes with flat hinges. Would you guys use those or switch to robarts? if you would use the flat hinges whats your methods of installing them. What type of glue?thanks
 
Good flat hinges should be really strong.

I cut the slot with a hobby knife and then a small file when cutting into balsa. I used a dremel multimax to cut in the slots into light ply.

I'd tape over the slots and cut the slots back in through the tape leaving tape where you want to protect the covering from glue. Maybe a smidge of petroleum jelly or similar carefully applied to the hinge itself if you're worried it might come into contact with epoxy.

Running piano wire through the hinges is an option to make the surface easily removable.
 

yakken

100cc
Good flat hinges should be really strong.

I cut the slot with a hobby knife and then a small file when cutting into balsa. I used a dremel multimax to cut in the slots into light ply.

I'd tape over the slots and cut the slots back in through the tape leaving tape where you want to protect the covering from glue. Maybe a smidge of petroleum jelly or similar carefully applied to the hinge itself if you're worried it might come into contact with epoxy.

Running piano wire through the hinges is an option to make the surface easily removable.
They already have the slots cut on this plane. Just got to glue them in. Do you glue one side of the hinge at a time? For example put all the hinges in the wing and glue them. Then put the aileron on and glue it?
 

pawnshopmike

Staff member
They already have the slots cut on this plane. Just got to glue them in. Do you glue one side of the hinge at a time? For example put all the hinges in the wing and glue them. Then put the aileron on and glue it?
Yup one side at a time. Let them dry. Then do the other side. At least that's the way I do it.
 
Yup one side at a time. Let them dry. Then do the other side. At least that's the way I do it.

When gluing hinges, just remember to dry fit the surface and run it through its range of motion before the glue sets. For example, when gluing aileron hinges, put your epoxy or whatever glue you use in the wing hinge slot, install the hinges, then install the aileron with no glue on the aileron side of the hinge. Move the aileron through its range of movement to set the hinge alignment (ensures no binding), let dry overnight, then glue the hinge in the aileron the following day.
 
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