Cloth Hinges

What's the best material for durable cloth hinges and where do I get the stuff? I think there was a thread or info on this subject a while back. Thanks, Andy

LAST EDITED ON Jun-26-03 AT 04:23 PM (CDT)
 
<http://www.tulsacl.com/WorkShop.html>
CLICK the button that has Tom Dixon cloth hinges

I used some wedding dress material that did very nicely. The hinges that Tom Morris sells are made of similar stuff, but thinner. They work great. No more than they cost, and no more than I use, I'll use TM's. I can't cut them that neat.....

The best material I've used is ripstop nylon, you can get it at
kite shops. It is very thin,strong, and cuts very easily.

Walter

> The best material I've used is ripstop nylon, you can get
>it at
> kite shops. It is very thin,strong, and cuts very easily.
>
>Walter
>
>

Linen is the original choice, but I will to give the ripstop nylon
a try next time I use over/under hinges...
By the way, we clear doped the linen tape before using,to make it easy to cut,
then applied thinner to the assembled hinge to free them.
Tony

Tony, I originally got the idea from Bill Werwage. Thats what he
uses on his classic airplanes.

Walter:+

>Tony, I originally got the idea from Bill Werwage. Thats
>what he
>uses on his classic airplanes.
>
>Walter:+

Thanks a bunch Walt, I have some ripstop kite tape around the house
somewhere.....for Stunt Kite repairs , of course....
Tony

Tony, I mean the kite material, not the tape.

> Tony, I mean the kite material, not the tape.
>
>Walter

Ok ......I'll have to get some in my next order to a kite/supplies
site....Thanks;
Tony

>What's the best material for durable cloth hinges and where
>do I get the stuff? I think there was a thread or info on
>this subject a while back. Thanks, Andy

I used to use the nylon reinforcing tape Goldberg sold. I tried fiberglass too; it works but you have you be more careful about sanding thru it.
The old cotton cloth hinges are ok to an extent, but you have to watch the specimen material for rot. I had some NIP Perfect ones that a gentle tug broke right in two. I had some other stuff that was over 40 years old that you couldn't part with a garden tractor.

Nobody has mentioned the magic word for cloth hinges. It is Rayon Taffeta. A $1 supply will build dozens of planes, and it has never been known to fail. "Over and Under" is what I use, and continuous, meaning you don't need any Fascal to seal the hinge line.

I have found that Ambroid is best for the material. As I remember, SIG glue will dissolve it!

LAST EDITED ON Jun-26-03 AT 09:30 PM (CDT)
 
I've used the taffeta hinge material as per Tom Dixon's article & recommended by Mike Ditrich for many years with great success. It is thin, strong and lasts indefinitely if installed properly. It is also practically invisible after covering & painting. I use Testors Green glue to apply it because it is clear, unlike ambroid.

Taffeta is basically a very thin drapery lining material available from most fabric stores. The unfinished stab pictured in the Glue Dobbers website is my Yoiks OTS model. Here's a picture of my most recent hinge job using this same material on my 1/2 Nobler.

Andy, I have had good success with the material that Tom Morris sells also.
You can get it at Aircraft spruce and Speciality Co. They are listed in the pampa manuel if not mistaken..
I just put 3-4 coats of dope on the surfaces, sanded between coats and just dope them in place over and under, I also but them up next to each other and have a sealed hinge line...
Gil,

I've been using Sig Koverall with great success, similar to what full size aircraft are covered with, maybe a bit lighter.

>
> Andy, I have had good success with the material that Tom
>Morris sells also.
> You can get it at Aircraft spruce and Speciality Co.
>They are listed in the pampa manuel if not mistaken..

The material Tom Morris sells is Dacron at 1.8 oz. per square yard. Aircraft Spruce sells it for $ 3.10 per yard and it is 64 in. wide, a lifetime supply. I got some to use on my Fancy Pants, model plane that is. Will see how it works out. Mel

I'd have to go for the tafetta hinges. I know they're durable. Mine got run over by a Lincoln Mk VIII and, unlike most of the plane, the hinges were still like new!

LAST EDITED ON Jun-27-03 AT 04:57 AM (CDT)
 
Wow!!! So a really nice stunter like that Nobler had cloth hinges?? I'm impressed.. I've always thought of cloth hinges as being ugly, and for use on sport planes. I didn't know you could get such a great finish using them. I'll have to consider using them when I build those Twister kits.

Unfortunately, for the rest of my planes, the hinges will be the quick-remove ones using piano wire and brass tubing. That's because they aren't planes that have a good finish...

Muslin.

Many thanks for all the info! Never paid attention to stories of cloth hing problems until the "Perfect" brand hinges gave way on my 15 year old Flite Streak last weekend. Andy

Back in the olden days, Perfect Brand cloth hinges were the only choice, other than the brass ones with pins.. No Nylon, no R/C stuff available. Perfect Brand hinge material was simply cotton.. and didn't last very long.