Slot Machine Great Planes

Great Planes Slot Machine HD Nylon Hinge Blades (2) Includes: Two Heavy Duty Hinge Blades. Requires: A Slot Machine Hinge Slotting Tool. Technical Specifications: Top of teeth to bottom of blade: 1-5/8' At widest point: 1-1/8' Mounting Holes (Center to Center): 3/4' Teeth per blade: 10.

What’s the biggest challenge you have creating slots for your hinges?

Creating a slot of the proper width?
Creating a slot of the proper depth?
Not splitting the wood?
Cleaning out the slot so the hinge will slide in cleanly?
Not damaging the hinge in the trial-fitting process?
Does it just take too long and get frustrating?

The normal process involves continually trial-fitting until the correct slot width and length has been determined. Since this operation relies on the modelers’ skill, there are any number of unnecessary and misaligned cuts that are not included in the final geometry of the slot.

This process is time-consuming and largely damaging to the wood grain, and in some cases damaging to the hinge. Certain hinges have a flocking material attached to the opposing surfaces that can be damaged or removed by trial fitting. Splitting of the grain can extend beyond the useable slot length thus making the anchoring point unstable.

Since the hinges connect the control surface to the aircraft, is it imperative that they are securely attached to the airframe in a manner that is not mechanically detrimental to the airplanes structure in order to produce a controlled and predictable flight.

Using a #11 knife blade to cut hinge slots in control surfaces has been done for decades – it’s highly dependent on the modelers’ skill, and time consuming. It can be physically damaging to both the wood grain and to the hinge.

While there are several type of hinge slotting tools on the market, the majority of them rely on splitting and separating the grain with a blade which can’t be controlled by the knife or the modeler – immediately followed by digging out the remnants to generate the slot.

Remember, a knife blade is a wedge – and we’re not splitting firewood in the backyard!

AeroBroach offers a revolutionary approach to hinge slotting

The AeroBroach way!

Each broach has been designed to penetrate the grain and roll the fiber downward – putting it in tension – so that it can be easily sheared by the serrations as the broach progresses through the control surface cap. (pic)

Each broach is a pre-determined thickness to generate the correct slot width for the type of hinge to be installed. The resulting slot length provides lateral adjust of the installed hinge with the mating control surface at final assembly.

AeroBroach Comes in 3 Popular Sizes

The “CA” broach is designed for use with the Cyanoacrylate Adhesive (CA) type hinges – the thin polyester strip with flocking bonded to the opposing surfaces – available in pre-cut packages and strip.

The “60” broach is designed for use with the standard pre-pinned hinges such as Dubro #116 for up to 60 size airplanes.

The “1/4” broach is designed for the heavy duty, two (2) piece plastic pinned hinges such as Dubro #257 commonly installed in ¼ scale airplanes

Why AeroBroach?

AeroBroach provides a means of forming a slot of pre-determined width for installation of commercially available plastic hinges in preparation for permanent attachment of the hinges to the control surface caps. The resulting slot is also wider than the hinge to compensate for lateral adjustment and final positioning of the hinge along the hinge line on the opposing control surface cap ( ie. aileron to wing, rudder to fin, and elevator to horizontal stabilizer).

The design of the broach provides accurate centering of the slot on the control surface hinge line and the serrated sides shear the wood perpendicular to the grain. The resulting geometry of the slot is similar to the hinge in thickness and width.

AeroBroach does not rely on splitting the grain, instead it generates the slot by shearing action perpendicular to the wood grain which reduces the time it takes to makes the slots and is less damaging to the wood.

AeroBroach Advantages

Saves time
Easy to use
Accurate – broaches are designed to produce a slot that fits the selected hinge
Each broach is clearly identified by laser engraving.
AeroBroach can be used to clean-up and realign pre-cut hinge slots in ARF’s
Great for field repairs – a new slot can be made on an inside corner without splitting the edge
The broaching blade material is strain-hardened chrome/nickel alloy for strength and durability
Laser cut for precision and accuracy
AeroBroaches can be used with many commercially available handles and holders, used with or without a handle in a press, or adapted to a handle of the modelers’ preference

See the AeroBroach in action!

Great Planes Slot Machine Blades

Stop wrestling with a knife blade. Get the AeroBroach today and create precise hinge slots in a lot less time!