Attaching the canopy to a QB fuselage ... is this a problem?

bkervaski · #1 01-19-2018, 01:39 PM

This is a QB fuse.

On page 35-22 it shows the location of a fuel tank sealant line as follows:

Getting ready to attach my canopy and this is the shape of the fuel tank sealant line from the QB team:

As you can see, it goes right up to F-01471 Fuselage Top Skin. I'm concerned that the canopy won't seat properly.

Any thoughts or advice from those that have completed the canopy install?

And .. if needed, is there a way to cleanly trim down the sealant?

rkbrown819 · #2 01-19-2018, 02:35 PM

Mine looked exactly the same as your picture and the canopy fit perfectly.

Jake14 · #3 01-19-2018, 03:31 PM

here's what my QB fuse looked like.... remember there's also a rubber seal on the canopy frame which contacts that surface (38-34)..I think it needs to be trimmed

jeffw@sc47 · #4 01-19-2018, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkervaski

I'm concerned that the canopy won't seat properly.

Any thoughts or advice from those that have completed the canopy install?

Something that I came up against, was that the sealant exposed on the forward fuselage top where the canopy comes down to when the canopy is closed - depending on how long the canopy is in the closed position - - the front leading edge of the canopy aluminum skin will stick to that sealant, and when you raise the canopy it will hold onto that skin edge and pull it down, deforming it like it was interfering with the fuselage skin. I found that I had to trim that sealant so that it did not have a lot of contact with the front leading edge of canopy aluminum skin. Trimmed it with an Xacto blade and a steel putty knife edge.

Recommend that you lower the canopy frame carefully and slowly - successive iterations - and try to get an idea of how much contact to the sealant you have to deal with. Trim very little as you go.

bkervaski · #5 01-20-2018, 03:54 PM

Thanks, all.

We fit it today, went well, no complaints.

Any tips on the mounting the plexiglass?

Don E · #6 01-20-2018, 04:10 PM

My only comment would be that I tried too hard to make it fit without trimming it. Once I decided to trim about a quarter inch off the aft edge and about 3/16? off the bottom of both sides, it all went very well. I just really did not want to trim, and it turned out to be easy with a belt sander.

mturnerb · #7 01-20-2018, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkervaski

Thanks, all.

We fit it today, went well, no complaints.

Any tips on the mounting the plexiglass?

Any trimming?

Bavafa · #8 01-21-2018, 08:09 AM

If there is any cutting/trimming involved, I will make sure the area to work in is pretty darn warm, reduces the chance of cracking. I am planning on leaving this part for the warmer weather but I am far behind you and still ways to go.

bkervaski · #9 01-21-2018, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Any trimming?

Not on the aluminum frame .. but am going to need about 1/16 off the right aft of the plexiglass. It fits pretty darn good at first glance, evaluating now ...

bkervaski · #10 01-22-2018, 07:50 AM

Just an update - we only had to trim about 1/16 off the aft canopy plexiglass and not all the way around, just in a few areas. I used the cabinet scraper method then re-bezeled the edge with 180 grit sandpaper on a sanding block, turned out nice.

The sides of the plexiglass fit nicely, the front squares up on the template's line nicely.

We're doing the chamfer(s) today hopefully.

Really, unless we run into something unexpected, the fitting was trivial. I expected it to be a big deal, wasn't.