plastic hinge out of alignment tolerances

[pilchard]

Hi Muggnz, I live in Kerikeri NZ and am having truble finding plastic hinges, can you tell me where to get it? or can I buy a 1300mm strip from you? thanks
Phil

hi,

I recently bought a supply of Monroe Plastic hinge.


with the aim of fitting it where the hatch meets the body







However as can be seen this isn't all that straight. There's about a 5mm difference between the center & the edges. I may be able to reduce the curve. But before I try & possibly break stuff. Do I actually need to change it, or can the hinge cope with with the current curve?

thanks
david

[Muggnz]

Phil,

http://www.mcmaster.com/#1588a736/=7xba7r

Postage was OTT because I thought I'd need sooner than I do.

It's probably best that you order your own roll. As currently I haven't started using mine & don't know how many mistakes I make. And I may have enough left over for TD #2.

[Muggnz]

One could still shim it a (as you've proved it doesn't have to be perfectly flat) to get it a bit straighter.
Cheers,
Gus
Cheers,
Gus

shimming is a good, thanks

Doesn't that come under the rules of bending something on two separate axises? Unless the hinge is designed with a lot of elasticity in all directions it will fail prematurely.

Also, how much did you buy and how much did it cost, I'm thinking of using it on my build #2?
_________________
-- Paul --

a 53 foot roll for US$53 at the end of jab 2010. from
http://www.mcmaster.com/#1588a736/=7xba7r

you're right, which is why I asked. However as it is obviously stored in a roll, & is designed to flex in another axis. And without any evidence otherwise, I believe Steve.

it took me 2 tries over the weekend, but I've finally managed to separate the ali with screw holes from the silicon as shown in the lowest picture. there's still more to be removed, but what I've done so far, I've found an extra mm of movement, reducing the curve.

david

[eamarquardt]

However as it is obviously stored in a roll, & is designed to flex in another axis. And without any evidence otherwise, I believe Steve.

david

The hinge, when in use, is flexing in one plane. When rolled, it's flexing in another plane. Even a metal piano hinge will do this to some extent. Problems arise when trying to flex a hinge in two planes at once.

I agree, Steve has proved it will flex in two planes at once. Practical experience trumps conjecture every time. After all, haven't engineers "proven" that honeybees can't fly?

Straighten it as best you can and then I'd go for it with or without a bit of shimming.

Cheers,

Gus