Hinging with Solatex

[Limobob]

i am in the process of building a Flair Pup. purchased via the Modelflying classifieds. My thoughts turned to covering and with the demise of Solatex the obvious choice is Oratex. Only problem, it is narrower than Solatex and for the Pup would be very wasteful not wishing to join across the wing chord except at the centre but on contacting Solarfilm Sales it would appear they still have some stock of antique so problem solved. My thoughts with the covering was to complete the wing and ailerons seperately and then do the hinging afterwards i.e. not attempting to cover the top of each wing and aileron in one piece. It is probably obvious to those experts who have done this many times but just seeking a bit of advice. I will probably pink some strips for rib tapes so a double layer around the aileron would i think not look out of place. Any hints or tips gratefully accepted.

[Peter Miller]

This is how you hinge with Solarfilm or Solar tex. It used to be called the Clotheshorse hinge as the old racks for hanging laundry in the kitchen had similar cloth hinges.

We used to use it with ordinary cloth tape and glue on control line models for as far back as I can remember...and that is a long way!!

Basically you cut strips and join them glue to glue with an overlap of about the same as the control thickness. 

Then cut them into hinges and iron them on as shown

Edited By Peter Miller on 26/01/2019 08:38:44

[ken anderson.]

hello limobob……………… my way is to hinge with mylar and then cover the model as normal,deflect the elevators, rudders etc to maximum each way,and run the covering down to the trailing edges. This gives you a completely sealed joint etc...its easier to do than it is writing it on here.....check out any of my models in my albums...they are all done with this method..film and tex.....

ken anderson...ne...1....hinge dept.

[Stephen Jones]

One of many methods i use is to use scraps of SolarTex stitched together 1"x3" .

Cut a 6 inch long by 1 inch wide fold it in half with the backing still on and in the middle stitch across the middle and back again tie of the thread.

Now cut the loop at the end of the solartex so you end up with a X . now all you need to do is peel of the backing from the middle and iron into place on your control surface use as many hing tape as you think you will need .

Line up you're control surface and iron on.

Easier to show than explain i think.

You may also need to add some balsaloc to be sure it sticks well.

Steve.

Edited By Stephen Jones on 26/01/2019 19:11:38

[Limobob]

Interesting posts. The clothes horse method is easy and should work fine. Stephens method is interesting, never seen that before but not sure what thread is best to use as it then becomes the hinge but would seem a very good way to get things lined up properly. On my tiger moth i have used pinned hinges and made a pocket in the core of the flying surfaces capped each side with 1/16” sheet. You finish up with a perfect ‘box’ for the hinge to slide into and exactly on the centre line. Still at early stages with the Pup so plenty of time to sort covering /hinging out but have contacted Solarfilm Sales and ordered some Antique which i undestand they can still supply. Fingers crossed.

[onetenor]

Peter The true clothes horse hinge attaches to alternate surfaces at both ends I.E, over and under but you have a "sold" tab with flaps if I follow you correctly. Do you insert that into the fixed surface a la a plastic hinge.? If so why not just introduce a glued double tape into both surfaces? or have I missed something?

[Allan Bennett]

I don't know how it is with the Pup, but the ailerons on my Flair Magnatilla and SE5a are top hinged. So it's simply a matter of ironing down a strip of Solartex, say about 1" wide, along the top of the hinge line, then folding the aileron back on itself and ironing on another strip on the underside. You can even omit the top strip and use the main covering to do the job.

Edited By Allan Bennett on 28/01/2019 20:13:41

[eflightray]

A picture always helps me to explain things --

.

[Peter Miller]

Posted by onetenor on 28/01/2019 08:38:29:

Peter The true clothes horse hinge attaches to alternate surfaces at both ends I.E, over and under but you have a "sold" tab with flaps if I follow you correctly. Do you insert that into the fixed surface a la a plastic hinge.? If so why not just introduce a glued double tape into both surfaces? or have I missed something?

Sorry Onetenor.

I can't understand what you mean. My drawing is completely clear and the way that I have done it for about 65 years.

[Limobob]

Hope i havent stirred up a hornets nest...quite common out here in France! I think eflightray has the answer to my question and that was should i hinge after completely covering. Gives the option of easy removal if not correct.i now have both wing panels of the Pup all but complete apart from the sanding etc. so can cut the ailerons free and see how it all looks then. I must say it is difficult not to finish up with a nice straight wing. I built the second half of the top wing straight onto its mating partner. Much easier, so tomorrow when i release everthing we shall see. Thanks to everyone for your input to this thread, it is good to chew things over and eventually arrive at a satisfactory solution...but knowing me....i will change my mind at the last minute and get myself i to an awful mess. I just love the building side of aeromodelling, very thereaupeutic...wrong spelling i am sure....i always have loads of builds problems etc going round in my head and am sure this is no bad thing!!!!!!!!!!

[Allan Bennett]

Posted by eflightray on 28/01/2019 20:28:17:

A picture always helps me to explain things --

.

Thanks eflight; you're better with pictures than I am with words.