Tip-Up Canopy on RV-7A

[lorne green]

Originally Posted by FresnoR

Of course, ten minutes with a five-foot pipe clamp and a couple soft whacks with a mallet and I had an absolute perfect fit.

Its remarkable how much "tweaking" that frame will take! I have had to add some persuasion to my frame as well. The "206" primer is just as bad for ruining clothes and anything else it touches. Mask off everything you don't want primer on. Electrical tape worked real well.
I too have a minimal gap on my rear window. I drilled the aft skin just behind the rear window plexi and clekoed the window to the inside of the skin with a broad backer plate of aluminum. I just dimpled the skin and filled, ready for primer and paint. Again, no screws

[bruceh]

On the sides of the canopy I superglued some fishing line to the frame in order to prevent the Sika from getting squeezed out an to act as a spacer. The nylon line was about 1/32" thick. I've got a whole bunch of photos and writeup on my web site in the Canopy section.

[agirard7a]

I used an 1/8" spacer between the front weldment
and the side frame. This inset the side rails in 1/8" from
it's normal position, allowing for an 1/8" glue joint. This meant
I needed to compensate for the gap between the frame and the side
Skin. I used some lightweight Home Depot anadized
Alum and drilled lightning holes in it as well.
I also took an 1/8" off the width of the rear arched frame by
Cutting 1/16" off the verticle center cut of each half.

When it came time to glue up the canopy. (No drilled holes in the plexi)
I used the side rails Clecoed to the frame to act as my side clamps.
And had a nice 1/8" gap to apply the glue into.
I held up the canopy with 1/8" rubber screen stop off the glare
Shield. I climbed inside painfully and glued it all from
Inside. The process all worked great. You need an extension on the
Silka tube to get a decent fillet joint inside at the glare shield because of the acute angle.

I did not want to be a member of the " I cracked my canopy club"
Thus the glue. Worked very well and would do it again. Call 401-862-5577
With any questions.
Pm me if you want pics.