Scale Soaring UK

For years I've fancied having a go at hinging control surfaces using the composite skin itself (as per most commercial moulded wings).

For a first attempt I'm making some glass-skinned blue foam tailplane panels. The plan is to trap a layer of peel ply between the foam core and the glass skin, then score through the glass skin from the top with a needle file, stopping when the peel ply is revealed.

Has anyone got any experience doing this?

Thanks,
Rog

Hi Roger, Happy New Year to you, I do live hinging on all my builds, using peelply or kevlar, not together, you do need to be careful when removing the glass / veneer, I cut the underneath first, then when you start on the top, and after you have done a few passes, you can start to bend it up and down, then it's just a case of filing until free, also the more you flex the joint the more epoxy will break away from the peelply
Happy filing
Chris

There is an excellent Youtube video made by Paul Lewis of Limited Edition Models on live hinging that may be worth looking at, together with other videos of making moulded wings. Enjoy!

Here is the link for said video.

Good to hear from you Chris and best wishes to you and yours for 22.

Thanks also to Roger and Cliff for the video link, which is great - very clear and instructive. I'm so grateful when hobbyists take the time to share their hard-won lessons with others. It saves so much hassle, heart-ache and waste!

Thanks again,
Rog