Monokote hinges

I am building a scratch build Aeronca Champion. I have never heard of using MonoKote for the hinge but it sounds good to me. So I am going to try it. Thanks for the tip.

Brian:

I think your fears were unfounded, and regardless of your experience so far with Monocote hinges, I would feel very uncomfortable pulling high G maneuvers with the hinges you described.

The balsa piece on the trailing edge of the wing is glued nearly the entire length of the wing. There is plenty of glue area, and wood glue or epoxy will make a strong bond. The only problem with hinging into a foam wing, is the CA will eat a little of the foam at the end of the hinge (if the slot is cut into the foam). I understand that there is a CA that is foam OK, but it's expensive and may not come in thin?

If CA hinges are a problem, there are hinges that are OK for epoxy.

Ciao,

Mr Akimoto

---------------------------------------------------------- Believe me, I have pulled high G maneuvers. Each aileron is 26 inches long and has 9 sets of hinges. Each set is 1-1/2" wide (two each 3/4" wide Monokote strips). Each strip is actually two pieces of Monokote, turned back to back and joined so that the adhesive side is on both the aileron and the wing. The gap between the aerosurfaces is a nice fit for 3x5 card stock. If you wished, you could put even more hinges in place, but they aren't needed. You need a jig (balsa top and bottom, clamped in place) to hold the aileron in position while you install the first hinge sets at the ends.

Brian

| I think your fears were unfounded, and regardless of your experience so | far with Monocote hinges, I would feel very uncomfortable pulling high | G maneuvers with the hinges you described.

Strange. People have been using monokote hinges for decades, and they're known to be plenty strong. The only potential problem I see is that they could wear out after many years.

Certainly, I've never had one come loose or break, even in a crash. (And I certainly can't say the same for CA hinges or your standard nylon hinges.)

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I have continuous length Monokote hinges installed on a Gentle Lady sailplane that has now celebrated her 21st birthday. I have yet to find a reason to replace the original hinge. The monokote hinge performs extremely well and seals the gap at the same time. Control surfaces are more efficient when the gap is sealed.

Tom

Has anyone tired using old floppy discs as hinges? I've cut up a few and they are really great. I can't break or wear out the test sample. Cut them about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide and about an inch long, chamfer the edges where you stuff them into the precut slot, epoxy the slot and slide the hinges in. Let me know how you make out.

Red S.

Red:

They are made of polyester film which goes under several brands names .... Mylar and Melinex among those names. The same stuff is used for audio tape and video tape. I would think the oxide coating on the tape and the disks would not be the best surface for adhesion since that coating can flake off.

I'm very new here, so take my opinion for what its worth. I'm just building my first trainer (a Tower Trainer 60) and kind of enjoying building an airplane again after a 47 year respite from that sort of thing. I think the last one I built was a Guillows Morse Scout when I was about 17. Things have progressed since those days in methods and tools of assembly to say nothing of transmitters and receivers ...... and costs.

Other things have changed, too. I was in one of the local hobby shops yesterday, and it was loaded with adults; not a kid in sight. That sure wouldn't have been the case 50 years ago. What happened to those kids? Did they all grow up without replacements? If the replacements are there, where do they get the bucks to spend this kind of money on model airplanes.

Harlan

Will these hinges stick, why not just try it, slot a 1/8" thick piece of balsa, insert hinge and then hit it with thin CA the same way you would a regular CA hinge. If you can't pull it out without bringing out wood then I would say empirical evidence trumps theory. Now my theory - CA bonds any coating firmly to the substrate.

Where do kids get money for modeling? The same place they get it for $150 sneakers, Ipods, gameboys and picture cell phones.

Red S.