RV-9A slider frame question

I need to make sure I'm looking at this correctly. The plans call for the canopy side rails to be 1/16" inside the fuse profile. The plans also call for the rear bow to be inset about 1/16" relative to the aft top skin. I'm having problems maintaining both of these dimensions in the area where the rear bow is welded to the side rails because the bow is welded to the "inside" of the side rail, as seen here:

[/URL][/IMG]

Am I not thinking about this correctly? Any guidance on the reality of maintaining both dimensions would certainly be appreciated.

Thanks for the help!

ge9a said:

I need to make sure I'm looking at this correctly. The plans call for the canopy side rails to be 1/16" inside the fuse profile. The plans also call for the rear bow to be inset about 1/16" relative to the aft top skin. I'm having problems maintaining both of these dimensions in the area where the rear bow is welded to the side rails because the bow is welded to the "inside" of the side rail, as seen here:

[/URL][/IMG]

Am I not thinking about this correctly? Any guidance on the reality of maintaining both dimensions would certainly be appreciated.

Thanks for the help!

Click to expand...

Keep it the 1/16" on the side rails, 1/16" on the aft bow at the top to about halfway down on each side, then gradually increasing to the point of the weld.

Make sure the frame clears the aft skin when opened.

Vern

vlittle said:

Make sure the frame clears the aft skin when opened.

Click to expand...

As Vern says, this is what's important in the rear. You want the pin weldment part to just barely clear the aft skin . At that point, you do what you need to do to get the side skirt to fit (may require shims b/w skirt and square tube). Above all else, make sure you have at least 1/16 at the front sides. More is OK because you can shim the skirt out as above. Less and your going to be stuck with a very leaky skirt and no good way to fix it. Hope this helps.

alpinelakespilot2000 said:

Above all else, make sure you have at least 1/16 at the front sides. More is OK because you can shim the skirt out as above. Less and your going to be stuck with a very leaky skirt and no good way to fix it. Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Steve:

Are you saying that having the side rails inset 'more' than 1/16" is OK, because you can shim if necessary? Just want to be clear on that.

And thanks, Vern, for the info. That certainly helps.

Slider

ge9a said:

Steve:

Are you saying that having the side rails inset 'more' than 1/16" is OK, because you can shim if necessary? Just want to be clear on that.

And thanks, Vern, for the info. That certainly helps.

Click to expand...

The plexiglas will be cut above the side rail, that's why the aft bow is inset from the side. You will be able to adjust the aft skins easier than the side skins of the canopy. Get the sides right/close and just make sure that you are not below/inside the rear deck skins with the aft bow. I spent way too much time on the aft bow trying to make it perfect. Hindsight, not worth it since the aft skins can be easily shaped to fit the aft deck skins when the canopy is closed. Don't cut the front bow down until the windshield is drilled and screwed to the rollbar. The measurements on the plans at the canopy lock did not work for my application and I had to build the front bow back up to match the windshield correctly.
Mike H 9A/8A

Slider

Steve:

Are you saying that having the side rails inset 'more' than 1/16" is OK, because you can shim if necessary? Just want to be clear on that.

And thanks, Vern, for the info. That certainly helps.

Click to expand...

Greg-

Don't get to caught up in the 1/16" before you put the plexi on. Once you put the plexi on, it will spread the slider frame from 3/16 to 1/2 inch. Your initial side rail measurements should be at 3/16" on each side. You will find it's a bit of a hassle to tape and clamp the plexi on tight, so you can get an accurate post spread measurement. But if you start at the perfect 1/16", it will end up way to wide when the canopy is added.

Thanks for all the comments - they are all very, very helpful.

Here is my plan, which I think is almost complete, and my thoughts. Get the side rails 1/16" inboard of the fuse just to make sure they actually match the curvature of the fuse as close as possible (85% done with this part). Once I get all of that set, and I finish bending the forward and aft bows to match the roll bar and after skin respectively, I'll bend both the forward and aft bows inward more per the instuctions to compensate for the plexi drawing it back out when attached. I'm not sure of the actural amount I need to bend them in, but I know that dimension is in the instuctions (slightly different dimension front and rear, as I recall).

My concern right now is that I'm just about complete with bending the side rails to match the fuse, but the rear of the frame (where the rear bow is welded to the side rails) is hitting the skin when you start to slide the canopy open. Maybe when I get the side rails 100% complete, this will be eliminated because it appears to be getting better as I get the side rails closer to where they need to be. But if that doesn't resolve the problem, will I have problems later if the aft end of the side rails is a little outboard of the fuse side(s)? I'm guessing this will only be about 1/16" outside the fuse, instead of the 1/16" inside. Clear as mud?

Again, thanks for the help.

My concern right now is that I'm just about complete with bending the side rails to match the fuse, but the rear of the frame (where the rear bow is welded to the side rails) is hitting the skin when you start to slide the canopy open.

Click to expand...

Yep, mine did the same thing. However, after I had the plexi on, the spread was enough to clear the skin.

Working also on canopy

Taking my time trying to picture what the perfect frame is supposed to look like. I mentioned in a previous post that my slider rails are at the edge of the skin at the back which puts my frame inside the skin edge by 3/16". I am leaving that demension and will adjust later after the plexiglass is on. I have a question for the group; are the side skirts at the back supposed to be tight against the fuselage skin when the canopy is closed? Thanks

ge9a said:

Steve:

Are you saying that having the side rails inset 'more' than 1/16" is OK, because you can shim if necessary? Just want to be clear on that.

Click to expand...

Within reason, yes, but I wouldn't have them inset more than an extra 1/32 or so. Any more than 1/32 means you'd have to have a pretty thick shim. And yes, it's when the canopy is clamped to the frame that you'll really know whether or not you have the appropriate distance. Good luck.

Perfect! Thanks for all the help great help and pointers. I'm looking forward to more frame bending tonight! From the sound of it, I'm on the right track.

not to hijack the thread...

rwarre said:

Taking my time trying to picture what the perfect frame is supposed to look like. I mentioned in a previous post that my slider rails are at the edge of the skin at the back which puts my frame inside the skin edge by 3/16". I am leaving that demension and will adjust later after the plexiglass is on. I have a question for the group; are the side skirts at the back supposed to be tight against the fuselage skin when the canopy is closed? Thanks

Click to expand...

Yes.
Mike H 9A/8A