fabric plates for aileron/flap bell cranks & hinges?

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Dave Krall CFII SEL SES
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fabric plates for aileron/flap bell cranks & hinges?

Post by Dave Krall CFII SEL SES »

We're wondering how others are bridging the gap at the hinges, just to the rear of the leading edge. Maybe filled in with epoxy filler peanut butter consistency to keep high speed air out of the interior of the control surface, with a light wood or metal fabric plate on top. Is there a simpler way to keep the entire leading edge region well glued?
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Gary H
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gaps

Post by Gary H »

Don't think it is an issue, just follow the instructions and keep it light.
GW   :o
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Dave Krall CFII SEL SES
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Re: gaps

Post by Dave Krall CFII SEL SES »

Gary H wrote:Don't think it is an issue, just follow the instructions and keep it light.
GW   :o
I didn't see anything in the instructions. Maybe I've got a mental block with them!
Roger
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Hinge gap seals

Post by Roger »

Dave:
I looked at the same thing your looking at and decided to make little aluminum pieces and glue them in. Without measuring them, Im not sure of the size, but I know I bent the tops around to fit the contour of the backside of the leading edge. I didn't want the wind and maybe water to get in that little space. I also made small aluminum glue plates to fit around the protruding hinge arms.
Roger
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Wes
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Hinge Fabric Plates

Post by Wes »

Timely discussion here, since I spent about 2 hours yesterday trying to come up with something that would:
- seal that opening around the hinges, and,
- make the fabric sit  properly around them.
The pics are of a .016 thick 6061-T6 piece that has been 'tortured' into shape and will probably do the job if enough epoxy glue is used to fair it in to the aileron spar. I keep thinking there must be an easier way!
If I come up with one, I'll post.

Wes

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scubarider2
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Post by scubarider2 »

If I recall when I did mine....I did not use anything.  The fabric glues to the hinge and then you use a round piece of fabric on top of that and it glues to the hinge and tightens around it.  All air tight and looks good.
Dennis
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alan
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Post by alan »

My plates look just like Wes's, except I used a couple of aluminum pop rivits to hold it whilst the epoxy cured.

Alan
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Roger
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Hinge gap seals

Post by Roger »

Just a little note for some of you on cutting aluminum. As a finish carpenter, I've needed to cut different thicknesses of aluminum at different times and didn't have the appropriate equiptment to do it with and had to make do with a table saw. If a person is very carful on feeding the aluminum into the blade on top of a piece of scrap plywood, you can cut it with a table saw. This is the way I cut the fabric glue pieces for the hinges. Just be very careful to keep the fingers out of the way. I feed it through with a couple of fingers resting on top fo the fence. If you have a nice square piece of plywood one can get a nice square cut. Also the carbide tip blade makes a perfect width for the hinge arm. A lot of carpenters put the blade in backwards and that aleviates the "grab" factor, in fact I recommend it.
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Gary H
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plates

Post by Gary H »

I just laid up some fiberglass, cut them out with a pair of scissors  and glued them in place. Really easy!
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