Canopy Bonding Help-Sika Flex

[C-J]

For those that have gone before me, I could use some Sika Flex Expert
advice:

I have bonded my RV 7 canopy to the frame and have pulled out the spacers
that were set on 4" centers. The results were very strong and it is now a
simgle piece unit never to be separated.

Where I need some help:

1. I would like to go back and fill the spacer holes and pretty up the
fillet around the frame. Do I just use the Sika cleaner to re-soften the
primer and Sika for the finishing layer?

2. Will the new Sika stick to the first layer well enough. Can I sand the
Sika in the high spots before the finishing layer.

Any knowledgable help would be appreciated. Thanks Carl (C-J)

[Radomir]

1) NO!!

Just fill -- you don't have to reappy primer or any of that.

[sjhurlbut]

Just go ahead and fill the empty areas. No sanding, re-priming, or primer required. For the high areas you'll find it hard to sand, just use a sharp hobby knife to take off the high spots. The new application of Sikaflex will bond to the old but be careful to not add too much.

Sikaflex is the best thing I ever did with my canopy.

Steve
Rv7A flying 2 years

[grover]

I simply filled in the spots that were previously occupied by spacers. what I didn't do is spend enough time to smooth out the spaces that were subsequently filled. it looks like it was done by a 5 year-old on a bottle of no-dose and a 6-pack of mountain dew. should have taken more time in making it look nice, as it is more difficult after the stuff is set up (as you know).

[lostpilot28]

Originally Posted by grover

I simply filled in the spots that were previously occupied by spacers. what I didn't do is spend enough time to smooth out the spaces that were subsequently filled. it looks like it was done by a 5 year-old on a bottle of no-dose and a 6-pack of mountain dew. should have taken more time in making it look nice, as it is more difficult after the stuff is set up (as you know).

Mine did, too! But I found that using a very rough sandpaper smooths it out nicely. Take care not to let the sandpaper touch the plexi...actually, I taped mine up just to make sure. It all came out very smooth. It could've been less work had I just put down a smooth bead in the first place, though!

[rvtach]

Originally Posted by C-J

For those that have gone before me, I could use some Sika Flex Expert
advice:

1. I would like to go back and fill the spacer holes and pretty up the
fillet around the frame. Do I just use the Sika cleaner to re-soften the
primer and Sika for the finishing layer?

2. Will the new Sika stick to the first layer well enough. Can I sand the
Sika in the high spots before the finishing layer.

When I did mine I called Sika USA tech support regarding a second application of the adhesive. I used a small/narrow bead initially and went over all the joints a second time (after the spacers came out) to lay down a nice smooth bead for cosmetic purposes and maybe a little more joint strength. The recommendation from Sika was to clean with the cleaner and then apply the glue.

The concern with the second application of the glue is that you want to get the second layer on ASAP (within 48-72 hours the guy said) so that the 2 layers of glue are able to bond together better. That said, I suspect that a really good adhesion of the second layer to the first is not all that important as the first layer by itself is probably strong enough and the second layer is mainly cosmetic.