Sikaflex Canopy Questions...

[idleup]

1. Is there any websites of a -7 or -9 with tip ups that show the gluing process? all the links and wiki's I have looked at with exception of the PH-VIII one are all -8 or -4's or sliders..

2. On the tip up how are people keeping a thick bead as per Sika's recommendations and still able to put the side skirts over the canopy? it seems that the plexi has to be perfectly flat in order for it to fit right.

Still trying to learn more about the processes but seems to be a real lack of pictures and instructions for the tip-ups...

- Matt

[DGlaeser]

I don't have pictures of the process (no one available to take them, and I was busy :-)

When I built my frame, I offset the side pieces 1/8" inboard with spacers at the front. I adjusted the rear frame width and height so that I had about a 1/4" gap all around.

So I have at least an 1/8" bead along the sides and I also made sure the bottom edge area had plenty of glue as well. When I glued the canopy in place, I put teflon tape on the side skirts, and clecoed them in place to hold the canopy, but attached them later. The exterior side skirts have some glue on them, but I didn't make any attempt to put a thicker bead there - the inside bead and bottom are going to have to do the main structural job.
On the rear canopy, I left over an inch of canopy extending inside the skin, and sanded the edge behind the skin very well to get a few thousandths more glue there, but I also glued the rear canopy to the chanel at the top. I had about a 1/4" gap between it and the canopy. That joint is definitely enough to hold the plexi in place, and there is enough glue along the edges to hold them down very securely.
Glueing the canopy is definitely a roll-your-own affair, since it's not a mainstream process (yet anyway :-)

[Steve Sampson]

I hope this does not derail your thread but I think it relevant.

When you work with fiberglass you can use wax or cling film to protect surfaces where you do NOT want a bond. Anyone know what works with Sikaflex?

Thaniks.

[Radomir]

Just don't put any Sika primer.. and it won't stick to it.

[idleup]

After looking at the canopy frame, in order for the rear skin to fit at the lower part of the roll bar the whole roll bar needs to be smaller. This means that planning would have to be done before the roll bar is riveted and installed. If you put in a 3/16" gap for the rear window, the skin that goes over the window will not meet flush at the sides.

- Matt

[DGlaeser]

Originally Posted by Steve Sampson

I hope this does not derail your thread but I think it relevant.

When you work with fiberglass you can use wax or cling film to protect surfaces where you do NOT want a bond. Anyone know what works with Sikaflex?

Thaniks.

Any unprimed metal surface I accidentally got Sikaflex on, it peeled off quite easily. I used teflon tape on the side skirts when I glued the canopy, and that worked very well.

[Jim Ellis]

Hi Matt,

There are several pictures and installation information showing how I glued the tip up canopy on my RV9-A on the Matronics Wiki.

Hope this helps.

[idleup]

Jim,

I am very curious, do you have close up pictures of the rear window where the side skin meets the rollbar?

Also, with a 3/16" gap around ribs on the rear of the main part of the canopy did it still fit flush on the rollbar? if so, how did you glue the rear windows on the roll bar so it matched up?

Do you have any close up pictures of the rollbar with the canopy open to see some details?

Lastly, did you finish riveting the canopy frame and skin on before doing this?

- Matt

[Jim Ellis]

Matt,

I'll take some pictures when I'm at the airport tomorrow and post them.

[idleup]

Thanks, the more, the better and close up if possible. I appreciate it.

- Matt