Why Klett Hinges?

[Yakov]

Hi John,

Just wondering why in the QB sheeting option you mention all surfaces slotted for Klett hinges?

I prefer Robart pin hinges. Can the QB kitt be ordered with holes for Robart hinges?

Have you had an issue with the Robart that makes you favour the Klett?

I am looking at the 35% Yak 54 kit but must be able to have the rudder removable in order to fit the plane in my 2002 Pontiac Montana. I have seen how easy it is to accomplish this with the Robart hinges as you can buy them seperated with ut pins just for this purpose. Thought I might like to do it for the Elevators as well, just incase!

[cbk07]

It is just as easy with the Kletts. Just remove the pin and slide a piece of music wire through the hinges.

[KrisW]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Yakov
	Hi John, Just wondering why in the QB sheeting option you mention all surfaces slotted for Klett hinges? I prefer Robart pin hinges. Can the QB kitt be ordered with holes for Robart hinges? Have you had an issue with the Robart that makes you favour the Klett? I am looking at the 35% Yak 54 kit but must be able to have the rudder removable in order to fit the plane in my 2002 Pontiac Montana. I have seen how easy it is to accomplish this with the Robart hinges as you can buy them seperated with ut pins just for this purpose. Thought I might like to do it for the Elevators as well, just incase!

Yakov, thereis a tremendous advantage to using a flat hinge over a pin-style hinge. Teh flat hinges have abou 5-8 times as much pivot area against the pins, making them a lot stronger than the robarts. As well, you can slide a long wire through them after removing the original hinge pin, for surface removal if desired. Third, when covering, they are a lotless noticeable, and have a smaller bulge in the covering. fourth, they can be thru-pinned, unlike the Robarts, making the possibility of pulling them out very slight. I;ve poulled Robarts out several times, but never pulled out a flat or CA style hinge.

[Aerotech]

Hello,

We stopped using robarts a while ago. The ease of installation and Kris has a good point with the pivot. If you want them I can do it but the Klett's are what we do 99% of.

Thanks

John

[Yakov]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Aerotech
	Hello, We stopped using robarts a while ago. The ease of installation and Kris has a good point with the pivot. If you want them I can do it but the Klett's are what we do 99% of. Thanks John

OK thanx John.

One other question sorta related... On the 35% Yak 54 do you use one servo per aileron or two or can we choose at time of ordering the presheeted kit?

[Aerotech]

Hello


You can choose at the time of the order, but I always use two per aileron.

Thanks
John

[Hinckley Bill]

Hey John,

You mention that you still use Klett hinges on your plane....any chance of coming across with an email address or phone number for the supplier, as I cannot find them at my LHS anymore?

Thanks,

Bill

[GremlinX]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Hinckley Bill
	Hey John, You mention that you still use Klett hinges on your plane....any chance of coming across with an email address or phone number for the supplier, as I cannot find them at my LHS anymore? Thanks, Bill

Indeed... good question.

[Neogenesis]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Yakov
	OK thanx John. One other question sorta related... On the 35% Yak 54 do you use one servo per aileron or two or can we choose at time of ordering the presheeted kit?

A friend of mine has a 35% Yak with one servo per aileron. Hitec 5955 of course....and the plane has a good number of flights on it with zero problems. He has also done it on a 35% Carden Extra and it was well over 100 flights. When he pulled the servos and sold the airframe...they were as tight as the day he purchased them. I'm sold on the idea......2 servos in todays day and age is way overkill.


Neo

[gareth.ky]

I am considering these hinges for an upcoming project (thanks to John!). I actually used this type of hinge on another project with mixed results. They held in well but cutting the hinge slots was a beotch. The slots need to be wider than normal CA slots.

I used wood glue on the hinges and this caused the wood to swell and grab the hinge. Its happened really fast so I had to work quickly to get the hinges in place. The upside of is they are not going to come out anything soon. After that experience I would probably go with PU glue instead. Its not water based so the wood wont swell.

On one of the ailerons this had a nasty side effect, some of the pins were not perfectly aligned with the hinge line. This caused the surface to bind, not good. So this raises some questions:

How do you you cut the hinge slots?
Is there a special trick to keeping the hinges aligned while they dry?

[rmflyfish]

Garth.

I used a Great Planes 'Slot Machine' to open up the CA slots to the size for Kletts. It worked beautifully. I suggest doing a few practice slots on some scrap balse as it takes a little practice to hold the machine steady.

I know it 'just another machine we have to buy' but it was reasonably inexpensive, I think around $25.00 and has paid for itself after only a couple of kits.

Oh, you do need to pick up the wider (read thicker) blades to fit the klett style hinges.

Good luck

BP

[gareth.ky]

Ok, so there is a set of wide blades, cool. I saw that tool but I wasn't sure if it was just a gimmick. After my last experience I would really prefer to use a tool and $25 sounds like a good price to me! I was thinking that there might be a way to adept another tool to do the job.

John, how do you do it?

[flyingklown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Yakov
	Hi John, Just wondering why in the QB sheeting option you mention all surfaces slotted for Klett hinges? I prefer Robart pin hinges. Can the QB kitt be ordered with holes for Robart hinges? Have you had an issue with the Robart that makes you favour the Klett? I am looking at the 35% Yak 54 kit but must be able to have the rudder removable in order to fit the plane in my 2002 Pontiac Montana. I have seen how easy it is to accomplish this with the Robart hinges as you can buy them seperated with ut pins just for this purpose. Thought I might like to do it for the Elevators as well, just incase!

I was referred to the kletts 4 years ago! I have never had them fail. i use epoxy to secure them. I am using the Guerrilla glue on my current project for ailerons. They are easy to work with and reliable. However, The robarts are excellent too! As Craig says thread a piece of music wire through and you are set!

But that is why I use Kletts.

[aviti]

I've got enough Kletts left for my current 40% project but after that I'll be close to out. Can anyone get these now?

[GremlinX]

Yeah, where to buy???