Almost finished, satisfied?

Ever get that feeling when things worked out? That special feeling that your airplane is about to be covered?

Well, this little plane is my very first electric scratch built. I have built them big and have built them heavy, but this one is very special. Because it weighs a tad under 16 ounces with all the necessary equipment juggled around inside. Allowing for the covering, it balanced!

Yes, it has an inside. I don't mean to denigrate the planes with their innards hanging out like so many park flyers. I have some of those. This plane has a "real" fuselage.

The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the hinges. I dislike hinging with a passion. Slits too deep, torn balsa, CA stuck to wood and fingers, etc.

I thought first to use the "stitch and sew" method, then I want to install CA hinges, then use the Monocote on top with 45º under the control surfaces, Then there are other options too numerous to list.

Any words of wisdom on what you've done to avoid the frustrations of hinging? My choice will HINGE on your input :-)

Wan

Reply to
Wan
Loading thread data ...

Reply to
Paul Ryan

Paul,

I am interested in your fabric hinges. Is it the kind that are sewn with the sewing line between the control surfaces? Or do you make your own and glue them over and under alternately?

Wan

Reply to
Wan

Use a strip of irton on covering top and bootom. Then add cover the whle thung tiop and bottomm, with teh surface at full defelection to make sure it is not impede by teh covering.

For faster models use solarflim under teh final covering, slower ones its fine with whatver yiu cover with.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Wan: You put them on with Ambroid- just glue them on, and with your fingers, smooth them on to the wood, pressing the glue well into the fabric- do the stab side first, let the glue dry, then the elevator side. They are the old time hinge seen in old u-control kits and the plans, and they're light and work great. I used to use fabric from an old shirt. Ambroid is a real good acetone/lacquer thinner based glue- Paul

Wan wrote:

Reply to
Paul Ryan

Wan,

No advise on the hinges, but are you really going to use Monokote on a 16oz plane?

Monokote will easily distort and warp such light structures and is quite heavy at 1.8 oz/sq yard.

Solite (aka Solar Film Light, Nelson Lite Film) is a much more appropriate covering. It is .6 oz/sq yard will not distort light structures and goes over compound curves quite easily. Works at much lower temps. Can be used as hinge too.

Reply to
mike tully

Mike,

Thanks for your concern on the covering. I already have the wing covered with Ultracote Light. Seems to me some time ago, a poster did extensive research over quite a number of plastic covering materials and found Ultracote Light to be the lightest.

I just went and weighed the covered wing with a postage scale and believe or not, it weighs a scant 3 ounces minus the ailerons. Wonderful stuff.

I mentioned Monokote as a well known product, though I don't use it. I thought it'd make good hinges also.

As for the hinges, I am still trying to decide until I hear some more ideas, though I've read some good one here.

Wan AMA773188

Reply to
Wan

TNP,

I have the plane all covered, but the control surfaces have rounded LEs. I was wondering if it's still possible to install your kind of hinges?

Wan

Reply to
Wan

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.