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01-06-2018, 07:23 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Ottawa , Canada
Posts: 224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ronschreck
Wow, that's the third cracked canopy I have heard of this week! The bitter cold that has enveloped most of the nation this week is bringing a rash of troubles to many. My canopy cracked in September on a 75-degree day! I have installed a new canopy with Sikaflex and hope to never have to do it again. Just curious, has anyone ever heard of a Sikeflexed canopy cracking?
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We don't have much choice here if we wish to stay airborne in winter...-25C here this morning and a forecast today like this:
TAF CYOW 061138Z 0612/0712 28015G25KT P6SM BKN100 TEMPO 0612/0616 5SM BLSN BKN080 FM061600 29015G25KT P6SM SCT080 BECMG 0622/0624 29015KT FM070600 29010KT P6SM SKC BECMG 0708/0710 23005KT
However, although my brain is slightly frozen, I WONT go flying in this weather.
Normand is a fellow aviator here in the snowy north and his unfortunate experience led me to do some digging into cold embrittlement of acrylics.
Sorry to say, I couldn't find a lot ... the glass transition temperature didnt mean much in this case (being 85 to 165 degC)
I found one paper " Effect of Extreme Arctic Cold on Materials" http://collections.dartmouth.edu/arc.../EA02b-02.html The only thing I learned here is that Acrylics are a good choice for use in the Arctic......
What I want to know is... How cold is TOO cold? And is cold really something we should worry about for our canopies?
My personal limit is about -20C (-4F).
__________________
Chris Hepburn
Ottawa, ON
RV-8 C-GOGO FLYING
Renew 12/20
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01-06-2018, 07:56 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 834
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psychose
Hello folks,
For the record, I'm NOT looking forward to installing a new canopy...
Thanks in advance,
Normand
RV8 C-GNGN
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Fly it to cold lake, AB. I'll sikaflex on a new canopy for you.
Just pay labour and your own material.
__________________
Visit and subscribe to Stu's Aircraft Factory on
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQ..._as=subscriber
Steve "Stu"
Cold Lake, Alberta
7A #70015 - C-FZQX - built - sold
7A #71629 - C-FSIS - built - sold across Atlantic
7 #70215 - C-GOJU - flying - sold
7 #70703 - C-GMIY - flying - sold
6 #60119 - C-FHBZ - built - Airventure 2016 Bronze Lindy - sold
8 #82842 - C-FSBG - Fastback - built - sold
4 #2723 - building
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01-06-2018, 08:04 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Southlake, Texas
Posts: 626
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ronschreck
Wow, that's the third cracked canopy I have heard of this week! The bitter cold that has enveloped most of the nation this week is bringing a rash of troubles to many. My canopy cracked in September on a 75-degree day! I have installed a new canopy with Sikaflex and hope to never have to do it again. Just curious, has anyone ever heard of a Sikeflexed canopy cracking?
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Yes, a sikaflex canopy cracked without a single hole in it.
Several years ago, on a very cold day, my canopy cracked while parked outside Jay Pratt's hanger. I was there to work on the RV-1 restoration. Extreme cold is not good for RV-8 canopies. During my search for a replacement Aero Plastics canopy an RVer from New Mexico contacted me and said his Sikaflex canopy cracked in his hanger on a cold night. He said no holes were drilled in it. So yes, it can happen!
The expansion rate of the canopy and the frame are very different. I tried something new on the replacement canopy. I drilled all the holes to 1/4 inch. I cut inserts for the canopy holes out of 1/4 outside diameter silicone model airplane fuel line. The inside diameter of the fuel line is 1/8 as are the rivets. Therefore, the canopy has a lot more room to expand or contract without loading itself against an attachment rivet. In addition, the silicone inserts cushion the rivets and canopy from each other.
Knock on wood......So far so good!
__________________
Danny King
Beautiful Doll 80434 TT 1675 hours
I0360 A1B6 200 HP
Christen Inverted Oil
First Flight 12 July 2000
VAF Dues current for 2020
Last edited by Danny King : 01-06-2018 at 08:20 AM.
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01-07-2018, 11:55 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MI
Posts: 59
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well my sikaflexed RV-8 canopy cracked today so that makes at least two 
__________________
RV-8
flying
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02-15-2018, 09:07 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Henning
I have a “Todd’s” canopy on my -4. Has anyone taken over the operation or filled the void from Todd?
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Lance Logan / Aerocanopy ^^^ a few posts up. ^^^
__________________
Mike W
Venice, FL
RV-6A. Mattituck TMX O-360, FP, GRT Sport EFIS, L3 Lynx NGT-9000
N164WM
N184WM reserved (RV-8)....finishing kit in progress. Titan IOX-370
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03-11-2018, 06:51 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Gatineau, Qu?bec, Canada
Posts: 16
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RV8 cracked canopy
Update:
I tried my hand at repairing the crack in my existing canopy using Plastifix, avail from Aircraft Spruce. I put about 50 hours of work trying to buff the acrylic clear again, both inside and outside surfaces. It's very discouraging to put so much work in order to achieve such a mediocre result. Lots of distortion and many scratches that I just can't seem to make disappear using the MicroMesh kit.
So I finally ordered a new canopy which I received from LP Aero Plastics yesterday. For a canopy with the Grey 2525 tint, they were 400$ cheaper than Vans or Spruce and about 250$ cheaper on shipping. It's now in my garage and waiting for install, which I will probably do next winter.
Still debating whether to Sikaflex or rivet (with very large holes!!!). For those on this thread who had cracks with a sikaflexed canopy, what thickness of Sika did you use? I hear that minimum 1/8 inch is required. Any pearls of wisdom on this?
Normand
RV8 C-GNGN
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03-16-2018, 06:45 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: McAlpin, FL
Posts: 253
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$400 ???
Vans canopy - $840
ACS canopy - $675
LP Plastics - $741 (clear)
$890 (Med Gray)
$1154 (UV)
__________________
Lance Logan
McAlpin, FL
Plane at FL10
Scratchbuilt Biplane
Preceptor N3 - Sold
Zenith Zodiac 601HD - Sold (good riddance)
Kitfox IV - Sold my share, but loved that plane
RV8A Sold! Loved the plane, but not the nosewheel!
RVX (RV6/4) Sold
Cherokee 180 pickup truck
RV8 Fastback
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03-16-2018, 10:51 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,412
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My SIKAflex'ed RV-8 canopy cracked at the back, left side on a cold high altitude flight. It started behind the back seat passenger, where the lower canopy frame tube joins the upper tube. The crack (fortunately) went straight up. I fixed it with Acrylafix, which lasted several months, then another cold air flight cracked the original line, plus farther. I had noticed a couple of RV-4 canopies with Targa stripes across the back, and the reason became instantly obvious, they must have cracked too!
I got out the Norton Cut Off Disc, and sliced the crack out, all the way across the top and down the other side for a perfect symmetrical line (for stress relief), and made a Targa strip, then ran it thru a sheet-metal roll until I got the perfect roll and taper. Then I SIKAflexed it on with some left over product and never looked back.
__________________
Scott Emery
http://gallery.eaa326.org/v/members/semery/
EAA 668340, chapter 326 & IAC chapter 67
RV-8 N89SE first flight 12/26/2013
Yak55M, and the wife has an RV-4
There is nothing-absolute nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing around with Aeroplanes
(with apologies to Ratty)
2019
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03-16-2018, 11:42 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Lemoore (Fresno), CA
Posts: 132
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Is the Aerocanopy the Todd's profile? I'm going to need to replace the Canopy on my RV-8, but I've got the standard Van's bubble. What replacement options are there for the stock profile canopy?
__________________
Evan Levesque
RV-8 N88MJ (Built by Michael Robbins)
Lemoore, CA
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03-17-2018, 06:53 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: McAlpin, FL
Posts: 253
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Aerocanopy profile...
Good morning Evan,
The Aerocanopy RV8 canopy is the same profile as the Todd's canopy. I'm assuming that you're concerned about the windshield portion, and the intersection on the forward fuselage. I've considered making an apparatus to change the forward end of the form to produce the same profile as the factory canopies for those who want them. Unfortunately, I'll need to visit an 8 builder who has the canopy, but hasn't mounted it yet. I'll need to get a tracing of the forward two feet. That's nearly impossible right now since I'm limited to a 85 mph biplane for air travel!
Regards, Lance
P.S. Hey Doug, I'd like to advertise here, sent you a couple of emails some time ago. Please send me a rate card, thanks!
__________________
Lance Logan
McAlpin, FL
Plane at FL10
Scratchbuilt Biplane
Preceptor N3 - Sold
Zenith Zodiac 601HD - Sold (good riddance)
Kitfox IV - Sold my share, but loved that plane
RV8A Sold! Loved the plane, but not the nosewheel!
RVX (RV6/4) Sold
Cherokee 180 pickup truck
RV8 Fastback
Last edited by judoka5051 : 03-31-2018 at 03:23 PM.
Reason: misspelling
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