Removing Hinge Pins

I'm ready to replace the elevator on my plane with the much lighter version. It has epoxied Du-Bro pin hinges.

My approach is to grind off the Head of the pin using a small dremel bit and remove the pins--then reinstall using new pins.

I also thought about just cutting the hinge part that is attached to the elevator to make removal easier--I dont plan to ever re-install the heavy piece.

But I do want to re-use the half that is in the Stab.

Any other hints?

Thanks

>I also thought about just cutting
>the hinge part that is
>attached to the elevator to
>make removal easier--I dont plan
>to ever re-install the heavy
>piece.
>

Try the above, unless you are really anal about how you make repairs. (Which includes grinding hinge pins off).

And I know that you're a laid back Motown kind of guy.

A quick way is to cut all hinges at the hinge line, leaving the the hinge "flappers" in the stab. Then go to cloth hinges for your new el.

Sloppy, perhaps, but quick. And effective.

I was fortunate enough to see the B-17 fly earlier this week, and got to give that big bugger a good looking over. Mr. Walker replaces his pins with a piece of music wire that runs the full length of the flap or on half of the elevator, pretty cool setup.
Kiiski

Some hinges are made with removable pins. Those that aren't usually don't work well when you try to remove them. And the setups like Paul's where he has a one piece music wire going through all hinges must start out that way. Your best bet would be to cut around the hing at the elevator (which you are going to discard anyway). Then clean the hinges, and install the new elevators in the old hinges. It is not all that difficult and will give a much more satisfactory conclusion to your rework.

Is there any trick to removing the fixed pins from Du-Bro hinges to use a setup like Paul Walker?

It strikes me that removeable flaps and elevators might be a very useful trimming device to build in.

>Is there any trick to removing
>the fixed pins from Du-Bro
>hinges to use a setup
>like Paul Walker?
>
>It strikes me that removeable flaps
>and elevators might be a
>very useful trimming device to
>build in.

The trick is to use the Klett hinges to begin with. The pins are intended to be removable. They also work without alteration, unlike the DuBro that have to have the flash cleaned up.

I ripped this off from Mr. Walker, and it's come in handy a few times.

Thanks Brett but sadly, I've not seen Klett hinges anywhere that I visit regularly in Sydney. And with the Aus Dollar where it is right now, the cost of importing a few is all but prohibitive.

After seeing this suggestion here and in Stunt News, I now know better. I found the Klett removeable pin hinges locally for the next project.

They are much cleaner without the center-position flash of the Dubro units.