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10-03-2015, 03:46 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near Harrogate, England
Posts: 391
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Todd's canopies
A group of us here in England need 8 canopies in total, of various types (RV-8, Harmon Ricket, Fournier RF4), and have been trying to get them from Todd. Initial response was good but now, for weeks, nothing. Is this experience typical? Any hints or tips on how to progress this quite large order?
We know that his canopies are excellent and so far as we know he is the only supplier of Rocket and RF4 canopies. But being 3000 miles and an ocean away is a bit difficult......
Thanks
Chris
__________________
Chris Mitchell
Repeat offender;
RV-8, QB, built, flown 150 hours, sold;
RV-4 - attempted repair, rebuild and remediation - abandoned and junked   ;
RV-4 fuselage and wing kits - both at QB stage;
2015-2018 dues paid!
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10-03-2015, 06:02 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: palm coast fl.
Posts: 945
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Todd's
I have a Todd's Canopy , really happy with it , would do it again .
I picked mine up at his shop , and got to see his operation . Most would be amazed that it's Todd and maybe two helpers in a rented 1000 (?) square foot shop , vacume forming on a home built oven with old shop vacs .
Todd is an amazing talent , has lots of work , little time for customer service . Tell him what you want and a reasonable timeframe , I'm sure he will get back to you when he gets a chance .
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Rv8
N 666 TA
First Flight 2-3-2015 🚀
2017 donation paid
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10-03-2015, 07:10 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
Posts: 5,516
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g zero
I have a Todd's Canopy , really happy with it , would do it again .
I picked mine up at his shop , and got to see his operation . Most would be amazed that it's Todd and maybe two helpers in a rented 1000 (?) square foot shop , vacume forming on a home built oven with old shop vacs .
Todd is an amazing talent , has lots of work , little time for customer service . Tell him what you want and a reasonable timeframe , I'm sure he will get back to you when he gets a chance .
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Interesting, our "industry" is made of many small operations, not major corporations.
I have wondered, to expand that canopy to a certain shape, does it depend on the temperature management alone to allow the pressure to expand, or is there some kind of mold where the canopy is expanded to meet a fixed mold? I saw a TV program where a bubble was made but it just used pressure to expand and temperature of the sheet had to be even or the bubble would be odd shaped.
Thanks in advance.
__________________
Bill
RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
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10-03-2015, 09:28 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 98
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A few years back a small group of us here in California worked with Todd to buy three different canopies and share freight from Florida. It worked out great, saved us quite a bit on shipping, and I'm very happy with my tinted RV-8 canopy. Be patient!
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Greg Blanck
RV-8 Completed March 2014
Redwood City, CA
RV-8 Build Log
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10-03-2015, 09:39 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mojave
Posts: 4,652
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We did a group buy (of 2) Rocket canopies recently, and while he is great to work with up front, accomodates custom requirements without hesitation, and the end product is excellent, expect a bit of a wait beyond his promised delivery.
Just the nature of his operation.
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WARNING! Incorrect design and/or fabrication of aircraft and/or components may result in injury or death. Information presented in this post is based on my own experience - Reader has sole responsibility for determining accuracy or suitability for use.
Michael Robinson
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Harmon Rocket II -SDS EFI
RV-8 - SDS CPI
1940 Taylorcraft BL-65
1984 L39C
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10-03-2015, 09:58 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mount Vernon, IN
Posts: 1,270
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According to Facebook, Todd was on vacation recently. Be patient. I'm sure he'll catch up to you.
Good products!!!
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Vince Frazier
www.f1aircraft.com
F1 Rocket and F4 Raider components
1-888-F1AIRCRAFT (1-888-312-4727)
www.flyboyaccessories.com
RV and Rocket Accessories, Tailwheels, Tools, & More
1-888-8FLYBOY (1-888-835-9269)
F4 Raider - under construction
F1-H Rocket "Crazy Horse" - sold
RV-4 "Chief Pontiac" - sold in 1994, purchased in 2018
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10-03-2015, 01:11 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: palm coast fl.
Posts: 945
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Todd's
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillL
Interesting, our "industry" is made of many small operations, not major corporations.
I have wondered, to expand that canopy to a certain shape, does it depend on the temperature management alone to allow the pressure to expand, or is there some kind of mold where the canopy is expanded to meet a fixed mold? I saw a TV program where a bubble was made but it just used pressure to expand and temperature of the sheet had to be even or the bubble would be odd shaped.
Thanks in advance.
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Todd's are all " Free Blown " only form is the perimeter . Pretty much the way you blow soap bubbles , but instead of soap it's plastic that's sucked with a vacuum. A lot of Art and trade knowledge goes into getting the right shape .
His oven is the body and frame from an old "pop up " trailer with a bunch of heating elements that are each separately controlled . Vacuum is provided by some shop vacs .
__________________
Rv8
N 666 TA
First Flight 2-3-2015 🚀
2017 donation paid
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10-03-2015, 09:52 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Cloverdale CA
Posts: 254
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Todd
Todd was great when it came to ordering my canopy. After I received it he spent a huge amount of time giving me this on the installation. I truly appreciated his sincere desire to help ensure my canopy was installed properly.
Gary
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10-05-2015, 10:05 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near Harrogate, England
Posts: 391
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Thanks - I'll just wait a little I guess.
Chris
__________________
Chris Mitchell
Repeat offender;
RV-8, QB, built, flown 150 hours, sold;
RV-4 - attempted repair, rebuild and remediation - abandoned and junked   ;
RV-4 fuselage and wing kits - both at QB stage;
2015-2018 dues paid!
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10-05-2015, 05:00 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Tampa (BKV)
Posts: 926
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If you wait quietly, you will be waiting for months. I tried it. The more silent you are, the less likely you will see your canopies any time soon. When I ordered mine he promised it would ship within the week. I think I heard that promise another half dozen or so times before he finally shipped it.....14 weeks later. It only shipped then because I told him if I didn't have a tracking number by Friday I was ordering a Vans canopy and expected a refund.
Nice enough canopy, but if I were to build another 100 RV's, none of them would have a Todds canopy on it. Besides the bong smoke customer service, the shape difference makes Van's already questionable fiberglass fit even worse.....which means more work.
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