OMG... my tip-up canopy cracked!!

[rv9av8tr]

OMG?. Almost done & my tip-up cracked!!

Conditions preceding the event:
Canopy holes were countersunk and drilled out with a 5/32? plexiglass drill bit. Canopy was held in place on each side of the frame with three #6 screws and outside skirts were cleco?d in place. Using a #27 standard drill bit, commenced match drilling from the inside through the tip-up canopy frame/canopy assy into the outside skirts.

All went well exactly as planned.

The event:
After removing the skirt cleco?s and the 3 screws on each side, I reinstalled the skirts with clecos so the last 3 holes on each side could be match drilled. When it was all said and done, I found the forward most hole on the left side had a huge crack (about 6" long) in the canopy, coming out of the hole!!!!!!! I nearly had a heart attack on the spot!!!!!!! You know? one of ?those? moments when you experience utter denial. NO NO NO? this can?t be happening.!!!!

The Cause:
After performing a through investigation and root cause analysis, it was concluded the builder (me) is a flaming bloody idiot!!

For some reason, the forward most hole had not been drilled out from 1/8? to 5/32? with the plexiglass drill, nor had it been countersunk. Some how, I missed ?finishing? that hole. When I match drilled, using the #27 bit, it caused a stress riser in the original 1/8? hole and off went the crack about 15 minutes later!!

The Punishment:
I could have lived with an ?accident?, but this was my doing? or should I say ?undoing?!! Tonight will be the flogging with a cat-of-nine-tails? followed by a soak in the hot tub to calm down. Holy mackerel?. I?ve read about not drilling plexiglass with standard twist drills? now I stand before my peers to attest, NEVER EVER let a non-plexiglass drill bit remove so much as a sliver of plexiglass!!

How?s that old flying adage go? something to the effect: Building in itself is not inherently dangerous, but it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.

Now? to start over?

[DeltaRomeo]

Mike, you're taking this very well. Welcome to the club....I have a small crack in mine....Ross cracked his....I can go on....

Anywho, I'm sorry it cracked. At least you're close to the replacement living so close to Van's!

Sorry again.

[cytoxin]

sorry to hear that.. you know i drillled nearly ten dozen holes in test strips with normal avery bits and it never cracked. it did however chip out the backside. this just goes to show that it will, and when you least expect it. i feel your pain . better luck next time. or should i say pay attention next time? either way good luck.
i cringe even posting here as it is bad ju ju.

[L.Adamson]

I'm sorry too! If it was 90 to a 100 degrees or so, you could almost knock a hole with a hammer and nail, and it probably won't crack!

I took some scraps in hot summer weather, and got very abusive with drill bits of all conditions. The stuff just held up.

L.Adamson

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

Sorry to hear about the crack. And, yeah, it's a big club.

FYI, I decided not to drill the most forward hole (in the plans) in the canopy. I'd heard that there is a lot of cracking on that hole.

That it turns out, my cracks is in the most rear hole.

Crazy world, this RV stuff.

[rv9av8tr]

Thanks for the encouraging words..... I needed that. Redoing the work isn't as daunting having to fork out $$$$$$$ that could've / would've / will still have to be spent yet going forward................

Anyone have experience with Todd Silvers canopies?? Rumor has it his canopies aren't as sensitive to cracking as those from Van's. Must be a different plastic????

Any thoughts?

[groucho]

Mine's cracked too...although from my own stupidity, not from the building process.

[joeboisselle]

Originally Posted by rv9av8tr

Thanks for the encouraging words..... I needed that. Redoing the work isn't as daunting having to fork out $$$$$$$ that could've / would've / will still have to be spent yet going forward................

Anyone have experience with Todd Silvers canopies?? Rumor has it his canopies aren't as sensitive to cracking as those from Van's. Must be a different plastic????

Any thoughts?

If it makes you feal better I've cracked TWO canopies in the last 10 days. T-minus 2 days before being "flyable" I was standing on the right side of the -4 and was closing the canopy, but had to drop it the last 8 inches or so because I can't reach all the way across. Done it a hundred times, but it was around 28 deg out and it cracked around the front. AHHHHH! I'm 3 hours from vans so I bought a new one, (ouch) had it cut and drilled ready for rivets after 3 evenings' work. I removed it from the frame to peal the inner plastic off so it wouldn't be in the way and as I set it down on the saw horses... *tink* a 6 inch crack ran from one of the holes in the back. (sigh) my throat got dry, eyes got moist... I turned the air compresser off, the lights off, and went home. Um, honey...?

The first canopy was from aircraftextras.com (I'm not sure if these are Todd silvers) and I would say was 3/32 of an inch thicker than Vans and it was gauranteed not to break during instalation. $150 cheaper too I think. Took a month to get it tho. We should start a support group.

[sprucemoose]

Mine's cracked in almost the same place, so I feel your pain.

Before you order a new bubble, consider repairing it. It can be done, at considerably less cost than a new bubble.

[Ramendala]

I have a Todd's Canopy on my Cozy IV project. Todd is an AWESOME guy and his work is fantastic. I have scratched my cozy canopy (my fault entirely) and Todd told me a few years back he would replace it for $100 instead of the $350 original price. Mine is also a slightly bigger canopy than the standard cozy for no extra charge. Check the canard lists for testaments to Todd and his work. According to his website he does not have a -9 canopy but I bet he could build you one if you asked.

FWIW I believe he uses a slightly thicker material and that is the reason they are resistant to cracking.

Ryan
Hillsboro, OR
Cozy MKIV
RV7?/8? who knows at this time