Articulated Wing Framework

Step 6 More hinges

Now you have two of the seven hinges complete. The rest of the hinges are of two types, balsa-to-balsa and balsa-to-dowel. Both kinds of hinges are easy to assemble, but you need to get the bones in the right order. Assuming the wings are lying with the front down and the back up, put them together like a sandwich, bottom to top, as follows:

balsa/balsa hinge 1:
- binding post shaft piece
- bone Y middle hole
- nylon washer
- bone X middle hole
- binding post screw

balsa/balsa hinge 2:
- binding post shaft piece
- bone Y upper hole
- nylon washer
- bone Z upper hole
- binding post screw

balsa/dowel hinge 1:
- machine screw
- bone Y lower hole
- shaft collar (put the remaining end of the lower shoulder dowel in it)

balsa/dowel hinge 2:
- machine screw
- bone X lower hole
- shaft collar (put one end of one of the 18" dowels through it)

balsa/dowel hinge 3:
- machine screw
- bone Z lower hole
- shaft collar with the other end of the 18" dowel

For the balsa/dowel hinges you may need to add some of the small nylon washers. Use your judgment.

UPDATE: for the balsa/balsa hinges, once you are satisfied with the wings, glue the screws into the binding posts. Otherwise they will unscrew as the wings move, and fall out. I was lucky not to lose any pieces the first time this happened, and after that I checked often to make sure they were screwed in enough until I had time to glue them.