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Tipper crew: to targa or not to targa? Why did you do it?

wjb

wjb

Well Known Member
Hi Folks,

I'm nearing the completion of my zen training, ahem, canopy installation, and I am contemplating adding a targa strip over the top.

rjh2iv.jpg


I'm going the sika route; Without a some sort of covering (paint and or official targa strip), the black primer shows through the plexi, witch might look a bit odd in the end once the paint is on.

If you targa'ed, why did you do it? For cosmetics?, for a better gap seal? (I'd likely extend the strip back over the top of the rear window to cover the sika bond line as well)

Any hints or lessons to share?
 
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MyOpinion.........

I did not Targa and would do the same again. I think it looks better without. But OTOH, my canopy is riveted.
Text $.02 to BR-549 please.
 
Sikaflex here. No Targa strip, and it looks great. No rivets. Just make a very good mask for the Sika primer. (Made mine with 1/4-circles a l? car windows at the corners).
 
Targa here because it looks better in my opinion, hides the roll bar/cut between the front and rear as well as keeps water and wind out. If I were doing it again, it would have a targa. To me it just looks more "finished" with a targa.
 
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Brantel said:
Targa here because it looks better in my opinion, hides the roll bar/cut between the front and rear as well as keeps water and wind out. If I were doing it again, it would have a targa.
Click to expand...

Thanks Brantel ... Google helped me find a picture of your bird:

DPP_1139.JPG


The targa does look nice! Is is aluminum or fiberglass?

I see, also, that you screwed your canopy on ... and then glassed over the screws. Shoulda' done sika! ;-)
 
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wjb said:
Thanks Brantel ... Google helped me find a picture of your bird:

DPP_1139.JPG


The targa does look nice! Is is aluminum or fiberglass?

I see, also, that you screwed your canopy on ... and then glassed over the screws. Shoulda' done sika! ;-)
Click to expand...

It is fiberglass.

I almost went Sika. Decided in the end to just push on with the standard plan. Have had zero issues with the screws. Not sure what I would do if I were doing it again. Most likely would go Sika since I have already tried screws.
 
Wish we had done a targa......

Didn't remove the plastic before we glued the canopy on...

You try getting that plastic out over the support strip - ain't happening :(
 
I have a targa

I have a Targa strip and while repainting the plane it allowed me to paint under the Targa strip to cover sealers and rivets and seeing thru the plexi to the painted roll bar.
Like this:
LKtpaOXcu0WPpRchZlu0Vt7uASZ6XH-ehAkfQ7mB7zznfzLCQTSEqMuzj0QjSHbef7NZsr1xNcLSpe1J_89yNwXLWVmMGibeCph_S0YBKD3gNHWtAxYX2fs7YxsAasHHScgHvQVcpyLZMLq7lfP0vTmhI3HEn5KxI7pSWJgPbYP4XaWfjy3L4OLkMi3uT6sYwNQ9ovZworVDQOxRp4QtZMfrxsQjfyRZrf8wCeFZpDUglXkfEWPLb5AkZYSUFVnmQxjlY9xa26vyCdulTw-LvVoGEFWrlYAF8I62mCUc9vFAEYeGSc60IZkH_CMBBW48YXzAgX5bfzSG5sawLlpj0_NSXPip6XG9X4Cn95_yMqY2K6HikNQGJfxPZm-5N-G8MhJknFRudNanUGcH8PT9G0Xxb7RuWtwz5Qd0EpV3swt9bO3MwxeMOLwBQbnzN4iaPI9UfrCcQy1urXtHQt1tE_HqdgD75d-bsvp8rvUyXvH6GFGv8sHqg6EhghyI1drRvVurJ79OMTYIq_76fgRcc5Qf2VueyahCSfkOAectvUV9BW_5qNetgMLZkB2ctCeWgHEVIAz6rZo0-vZOdVHlUTN9zawPF1TZLdxYPiOUFh81NS0eBzQD=w1214-h910-no
 
I've done several and love them

I have a very simple technique for doing it out of glass and epoxy or vinyl-ester.

If you ever get to STS I'll show you how. Sometimes I do get to HAF.

Steve
 
Steve Barnes said:
I have a very simple technique for doing it out of glass and epoxy or vinyl-ester.

If you ever get to STS I'll show you how. Sometimes I do get to HAF.

Steve
Click to expand...

Happy New Year to all.

Steve, I'd love to see your technique. I'm finishing a tipper RV-9A for a friend, that will require a targa strip to hide a few things...

I'd be happy to fly to STS to see yours

Thanks!
 
Lars said:
Happy New Year to all.

Steve, I'd love to see your technique. I'm finishing a tipper RV-9A for a friend, that will require a targa strip to hide a few things...

I'd be happy to fly to STS to see yours

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Me too! I'd like to join in the fun.
 
After I built my targa out of carbon fiber I found that the stiffness at the rear of the canopy was improved. The shakiness is mostly gone and the twist introduced in the canopy while raising or lowering is reduced. This helps the alignment of the canopy while lowering. I would do it again.
 
joe_rainbolt said:
After I built my targa out of carbon fiber I found that the stiffness at the rear of the canopy was improved. The shakiness is mostly gone and the twist introduced in the canopy while raising or lowering is reduced. This helps the alignment of the canopy while lowering. I would do it again.
Click to expand...

I forget where I got them, but I installed those nylon blocks that align the catchment on both sides as the canopy lowers...they work great. Before I had those on, I had the same problem with the canopy alignment on lowering.

Don't recall where I got them though...they'd be easy to fab up, of course.
 
Tbone said:
Buller Enterprises has the canopy alignment blocks. Very well made.
Click to expand...

That's them! A great little addition to the plane for very low cost...keeps the latch finger things from beating up the plate with the hole into which they go. I highly recommend them :)

As an aside, I always fully latch the canopy, both upper and side latches, during engine start. There's way too much movement due to engine "wet dog shake" for my liking, and latching everything keeps the canopy from tweaking around.
 
I went with targa...one layer of carbon and two layers of fiberglass. I like the look and it did help with added stiffening. I haven't flown in much rain so I don't know if it helped in that area but the before and after experience was that it may have been ever so slightly quieter, but that could just be my brain justifying the effort:D
 
51% happy

I did a targa

Pros:
added much needed stiffness to canapy
Looks good

Cons:
Now has a couple edge nicks where it caught on closing
Adds weight to canopy, I replaced shocks with higher pressure model
Not perfectly flush adding to drag

Would I do it again, yes, but it would be carbon, which mine isn't and it would be thinner width
 
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