Seal on Doug's (Flash) Canopy

[macrafic]

I was looking at Flash at AirVenture and noticed some kind of black seal around Flash's canopy; both the tip-up and the rear window. I stopped every time I went by the plane, hoping to see Doug, but it never happened.

Anybody know what this seal is? Is it's only purpose to provide a water-proof environment between the canopy and its containing structure?

[gasman]

It could just be pro-seal. It makes a good transition.

[RV7Ron]

Originally Posted by gasman

It could just be pro-seal. It makes a good transition.

agreed...probably ProSeal...a lot of guys are doing this now with really great results. Gives it a nice 'finished' look...and seals it from water. I plan to do it on mine.

[az_gila]

OK - but how do you do it neatly?

[jbagley]

Originally Posted by az_gila

OK - but how do you do it neatly?

Masking tape, I imagine. Just put blue tape on anything you don't want to have sticky black stuff stuck to. Haven't needed to do this personally, but have seen it done with good results. Also, the pro-seal tubes are pretty awesome and make pro-seal jobs pretty easy.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/...ct=sealant-gun

[RV7Aflyer]

Maybe Doug can chime in and tell us if his seal is ProSeal or if it is something else.

[ed. Yep...Sikaflex marine sealant. dr]

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by jbagley

Masking tape, I imagine. Just put blue tape on anything you don't want to have sticky black stuff stuck to. Haven't needed to do this personally, but have seen it done with good results. Also, the pro-seal tubes are pretty awesome and make pro-seal jobs pretty easy.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/...ct=sealant-gun

It can't be that easy...

You would want the sticky goop to be narrow (1/8 inch?), smooth and with nice blended edges. All without the use of strong solvents on the plexi.

I personally prefer smalled plastic syringes with a #30 hole drilled in the dispensing end.

[flyeyes]

Originally Posted by az_gila

It can't be that easy...

You would want the sticky goop to be narrow (1/8 inch?), smooth and with nice blended edges. All without the use of strong solvents on the plexi.

.

It actually is that easy.

I have a friend who works for an airline who occasionally can get me the cartridges of proseal that are expired by a week or so and not legally usable on certified stuff.

You can use the good (green) 1/8" 3M masking tape butted against the fiberglass on the plexi. Then use some 1/2" tape butted against the side of the 1/8" tape on the plexi, and on the fiberglass side as well.

Then carefully pull the 1/8" tape from the middle, leaving a perfect 1/8" strip of exposed plexi right along the fiberglass.

The Yard (and others) sell a nice air-powered sealant gun which accepts the cartridges and is very easy to use. It can make a nice small bead. try to lay out as much as you can in one steady stripe.

A soapy wet finger is a good tool for smoothing the fresh sealant into a nice fillet. as sonn as the shape is good, carefully pull the masking tape before it sets up fully.

In a hot hangar, expired proseal kicks off pretty quick, so be ready to move.

[rv7charlie]

Here's a shot of my back glass. Note that the protective film is still on the outside, and also note that there's a ~1" band of black UV guard on the inside surface (probably twice as wide as actually needed). I did mine with blue masking tape and the filet with a popsicle stick.

But it ain't proseal; it's Sikaflex marine sealant. Here's a link to some completed a/c using it:
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...canopy+sealant

Or, just search this forum for 'canopy sealant'.

Charlie

[Brantel]

I used Pro-Seal on my rear window. Worked great, just tape off everything you don't want it on.

Good thing is that Pro-Seal takes paint well.