RC Aircraft Pin Hinge

thingiverse

This is a basic pin hinge. Yes, it's noticeable that it's square, and yes... it will still fit snugly into a 3mm hole. This hinge is primarily designed for foam models, although it can also work in balsa too. The "pin" part of the hinges I typically create makes use of very small screws used to repair eyeglasses. They are 1.2mm in diameter and come in various lengths. These screws can be found through common Chinese websites like Alibaba, AliExpress, Banggood, etc. But they're not really necessary. I made a bunch just using flexible safety wire with a tiny 90° bend at one end, pushed into a snug fit hole on one side, and secured with a drop of CA. The hole is approximately 1mm in size, but with most printers, the hole tends to expand slightly. However, it provides a perfect starting point for tiny drills making pin holes of various sizes as needed. The teeth hold glue, so the filament type isn't particularly important. I use PETG which doesn't bond well, but the teeth securely grip and mechanically fix the shaft in the foam or balsa hole. Got any questions?