Has anybody Sikaflex'd a RV-6 Slider?

[219PB]

I am new to the site and I just purchased a RV-6a kit under construction. I am trying to wrap my head around the canopy install.

I looked on Sika's website and there are several types of Sikaflex Polyurethane sealants listed. Which one is being used?

Sika's website

I also have been reviewing the different posts and I was wondering, did you remove the tape while the Sika was still very wet? I heard talk of some having trouble with the tape being stuck underneath and I just wanted to ask. Is this material that viscous even when wet that it causes issues with tape removal?

[Pittsartist]

Originally Posted by 219PB

I am new to the site and I just purchased a RV-6a kit under construction. I am trying to wrap my head around the canopy install.

I looked on Sika's website and there are several types of Sikaflex Polyurethane sealants listed. Which one is being used?

Sika's website

I also have been reviewing the different posts and I was wondering, did you remove the tape while the Sika was still very wet? I heard talk of some having trouble with the tape being stuck underneath and I just wanted to ask. Is this material that viscous even when wet that it causes issues with tape removal?

the Sika I used was 295 UV (black - but it''s also available in white apparently)

theres a matching pre cleaner and primer that should be used as well.

Tape is only a problem after its set (about 12hrs)

[WingsOnWheels]

Just an updated status on my install. The windshield is done (at least the Sika part). It was much more of a PITA than the slider. The space between the panel and roll-bar is less than the length of a cauling gun with a full tube. The angles are much harder to work in, just bad geometry for the hands to make a smooth fillet. I did find that wet-sanding cured sika with 400 grit produced a very nice even matte finish and fixed any rough fillets. It is also a good way to remove overlaps at the tape line. I used no mechanical fasteners through the windshield, just a few clips around the edges to keep everything aligned.

I did find one problem. I was having a much harder time getting the right side to fit the fuselage compared to the left. It was then I realized that the right side of my canopy is a good 30% thicker than the left side and much less willing to flex the little I needed to get it in place.

[Pittsartist]

Looking good Colin !

Mine looks to be pretty much exactly the same - I made a nice seal from 10mm round section soft neoprene (off ebay) that glues on top of the sika on the windscreen side. When the slider is latched (the latch has enough force to compress the seal) it seems to seal perfectly so I'm going to do away with the external cover strip.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/115470196@N06/15117462972/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115470196@N06/15094840096/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115470196@N06/15094855716/in/photostream/

That's the theory at least, not flight tested yet.

I'm going to try a little wet sanding "tidy up" on my rough sika patches based on what you say.

[WingsOnWheels]

Your project looks great. I was thinking along the same lines for the seal. I plan to keep the cover strip though. The black roll bar and fram look really nice. I should have gone that direction myself.

[Pittsartist]

Now it's finished and flying (6 hours so far) I thought I'd post a "finished" picture or two.

[IMG]IMG_0068 by pittsartist@yahoo.com, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_0067 by pittsartist@yahoo.com, on Flickr[/IMG]

Nothing's fallen off (yet) and the seal's pretty good.

This being said I'm just toying with fitting some brush seals on the side of the fuz to seal against the canopy skirt. the current gap's only about 1/16" - but it's cold here in March !

If I ever did it again I'd probably tack sika the canopy in one piece then make the "big cut" in situ - before finishing with "fillet" sika later.

One other thing perhaps worth mentioning - I've shimmed the slider rails up about 1/8" starting from about 6" behind the roll over bar. This way the canopy raises a little as it slides back and you can make the side skirts a tighter fit without them rubbing on the fuz deck as you open the canopy. When it closes it goes forward higher up and then drops an 1/8 in the last few inches.

[ChiefPilot]

Originally Posted by Pittsartist

This being said I'm just toying with fitting some brush seals on the side of the fuz to seal against the canopy skirt. the current gap's only about 1/16" - but it's cold here in March !

I used 1/16" thick x 3/4" wide adhesive-backed felt from McMaster-Carr. It gets quite cold here, too :-)

[219PB]

Pittsartist,

How do you like the black color on the roll bar forward brace? I am doing my roll bar and canopy frame black but was not sure how obtrusive the black on the forward brace would be. Did you put a different color on the side that is visible from the cockpit?

Paul

[Pittsartist]

Originally Posted by 219PB

Pittsartist,

How do you like the black color on the roll bar forward brace? I am doing my roll bar and canopy frame black but was not sure how obtrusive the black on the forward brace would be. Did you put a different color on the side that is visible from the cockpit?

Paul

Black's fine for me - It's actually a black epoxy etch primer that's slightly "satin" in finish similar to the Sika (so its less critical to have perfect sika lines).

I also thought the Sika would bond better to satin and that a "1 coat" paint system would have less chance of peeling under stress

Finally, I'd hoped that there was less chance of a reflection in the wind shield from the support than with say white or cream.

All good so far after about 80 hours flying.

https://vimeo.com/142061184

(you can see that I'd also struggled with smoothing the internal fillet at the base of the windscreen)

[219PB]

Pittsartist,

Did you prep your steel by removing the powder coat first? My powder coat has rust indications coming through. I am going to strip the powder coat and start over.