Did you upsize your canopy holes?

Repeat offender building a -14. My canopy is completely trimmed, drilled and countersunk for #6 screws. If I recall, on my -9 I upsized these holes to allow more room for expansion and to avoid stress fracture. This time around I’m considering enlarging holes from #27 (0.144”) to 5/32” (0.15625”) or #21 (0.1590” - I have this reamer). Instructions don’t give any guidance here. Any thoughts on my choices?

Slots

Don't know how different the RV-14 is. On my RV-3 and RV-4 canopies, I made the holes into slots. Picked a point of zero thermal expansion/contraction and then slots longer and longer the further away from that point. That allows the canopy to move on the rivets (or screws) relative to the underlying metal structure. Oh, and you can use the microstop countersink, sliding it back and forth in the slot.

I guess people enlarge the diameter of the holes because it's "easier". But didn't seem much extra work to make slots. Used a dremel 1/8" "burr".

Finn

MS19087 said:

Repeat offender building a -14. My canopy is completely trimmed, drilled and countersunk for #6 screws. If I recall, on my -9 I upsized these holes to allow more room for expansion and to avoid stress fracture. This time around I’m considering enlarging holes from #27 (0.144”) to 5/32” (0.15625”) or #21 (0.1590” - I have this reamer). Instructions don’t give any guidance here. Any thoughts on my choices?

Click to expand...

I did upsize my holes slightly. I had found a place that sells numbered plexi bit but don't seem to have the link now as some of my bookmarks are lost.

I found the drill bits that are sold by McMaster as plexi bits are not nearly as effective as the ones that are really for plexiglas as you see here
https://www.tapplastics.com/product/supplies_tools/plastic_tools_supplies/tap_plasdrill_bits/161

If I find the link for the numbered bits similar to the link above, I will post it again.

Bavafa said:

If I find the link for the numbered bits similar to the link above, I will post it again.

Click to expand...

Perhaps, Abbeon.com? That is where I got my numbered plastic drill bits. Great products.