R

rv7charlie

Well Known Member
I'm trying to wait on riveting the forward top skin until the last possible moment (months from now) and I'm currently fitting the tipup canopy frame. The instructions say 'after riveting the forward skin' to drill the canopy hinge holes.

Can the hinges be safely drilled, if the forward skin is pulled down tight & you've got a good frame-to-fuselage fit? If not, does that mean I can't finish the canopy work until the bitter end?

Thanks,

Charlie
 
You should fit and cleco the fwd skin while you fit and adjust the canopy frame and skin. The fwd skin stabalizes the subpanel and keeps the hinge blocks in the right place. Also you will probably have to shim the canopy skin to the frame in places so that it matches the fwd skin. The fwd skin does need to be in place but don't rivet it as you will need easy access to the foot well for wiring and plumbing etc later in the build.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Finishing Up
 
A related question and I am sure the original poster will be interested in as well....

What is the best tool and method to use in drilling those spot holes?

Angle drill? Seems like it will be too close to skin and rib flanges...

Long drill bit from the side with the edge of the front skin lifted up? Seems like this would allow the front end to move around and could cause problems.

Other ideas?
 
Marked the hinge points from underneath

Hi Brian and Charlie,

I just went through this. My 1/4" punch was too short, I didn't have a 12" long 1/4" bit and my right-angle attachment was too bulky to get up in there. So I scrotch-brighted the hinges to get them nice and smooth and with everything cleco'd within an inch of their lifes and things held down with bunggie cords (duct tape and heat don't work very well together), I crawled under and hand turned a 1/4" drill (not the easiest thing when your hands are all sweaty - maybe some rubber gloves would have helped). All I needed was a mark on the hinge. Pulled the canopy frame out, and step drilled the holes using a drill guide. After it was said and done, the right side was dead on, the left side walked aft about .010" bringing the skins closer together. No problem, as I can deal with that.

Some pictures are here.

Good luck,
 
I don't know why, but maybe because it's me, I always have weird things happen to me. But I did my canopy pre drill, which can be done without the forward skin riveted, is that everything changed once I riveted the canopy skin on, I had to redue the settings for the hinges. My advice, rivet on the skin for the canopy before setting the pins.
 
Angle die grinder...

Brantel said:
A related question and I am sure the original poster will be interested in as well....

What is the best tool and method to use in drilling those spot holes?

Angle drill? Seems like it will be too close to skin and rib flanges...

Long drill bit from the side with the edge of the front skin lifted up? Seems like this would allow the front end to move around and could cause problems.

Other ideas?
Click to expand...

...will work well.

I used my HF mini angle die grinder. The collet will take 1/4 drills perfectly.
I can't remember now, but I think I might have shortened a standard drill bit to fit better.

I turned the pressure down to get a bit less power behind it.
A cheap angle drill substitute - as long as you want 1/4 inch holes...:)
 
Riveting the canopy skin sounds like it might be a good idea. Any 'issues' with doing that now?

On the subject of taping down the frame, I used a long (cheap; HF) 2" ratcheting cargo strap just behind the front row of rivets on the canopy frame. That & small strips of Van's duct tape from the kit packing (I save everything) at the back edge of the canopy skin seem adequate , so far.

My canopy frame/skin actually has too much arc on both sides where it transitions from horizontal to the vertical sides. It matches up with the front skin on top & on the sides, but it stands out (up) about .025 on one side & closer to .032 on the other, around about 4-5" of each arc. Has anyone tried shimming the front fuselage skin to meet it? The problem I fear with that is losing the fit of the front skin where it rivets to the fuselage sides & top longerons.

Charlie
 
90 Degree

I have also just completed this step successfully. I clecoed on the forward skin with many many clecos and with the canopy frame nicely in place and securely taped down I climbed into the fuse while my wife made sure nothing moved up top. Laying upside down I used the avery 90 degree drill extension to make a full 1/4 circle in the goose necks drilling from the fuse centre line outboard.

I then removed the frame, removed the skin from the frame and took WD 716 to the drill press. I made sure the frame was rigidly clamped to the drill press table and then completed the 1/4 inch holes followed by the 3/8 in holes for the bushings. It all worked beautifully and when I put it back on the fuse it all lines up just great.

Hope this helps.
 
What not to do.

Well I should be an "expurt". Problem is all I can tell you is what I did and the results didn't work for me. I don't have any rv's around or builders help so if Van's instructions aren't clear or I misinterpret then I end up re-doing the part. The first time, I used ratchet straps on the rear skin instead of taping it down and I pulled it down tight, (Read: "too tight") . I had the front skin cleco'd in every whole. Long story short... the rear skin rubbed on the front one. I drilled out the front splice plate in the weldment as well as the gooseneck rivets, took it to work and had a friend weld repair it. I used the same skin and re- did it again. Second time it turned out worse. Aaargh! And yes I did all kinds of web searching and looked for ideas before I even attempted it the first time.

Searching the forums I tried the suggestion of filing the front edge of the rear skin back a little at a time. Got up to 3/8" gap before there was no interference, it looked like #$%^. So.. I decided to "build on" and come back to it. One year later and I am close to loading the airplane up on a trailer and going to the airport with it and I just couldn't stand the looks of the gap. So, I re-ordered a new weldment and skin and tore the whole canopy; frame, plexi and all back down and I'm redoing it again.

All I've learned is that there is a significant difference in the first weldment and the second one. I've about got it finished and it looks much much better but the rear skin is probably 1/16" high. I'm gonna go back out in the garage after supper and finish riveting the last of the canopy re-inforceing kit. Please pray for me. :)
 
you can also take a small piece of AL tubing the diameter of the hole in the plastic blocks place it over the drill bit and drill a smaller hole. the tube will keep everything centred. Remove the canopy and then drill to size.
 
HF angle die grinder

I used this t drill several of the tight holes...I could get #30 holes with the 18th collet and the 1/4" for the canopy worked well.

For 3/6ths holes I pushed some hard nylon tubing over the drill and the 1/4" collet gripped that perfectly.

Frank
 
Yesss!

Caveman said:
I've about got it finished and it looks much much better but the rear skin is probably 1/16" high. I'm gonna go back out in the garage after supper and finish riveting the last of the canopy re-inforceing kit. Please pray for me. :)
Click to expand...

Update: Whew! It worked. It was worth re-building the thing again. The wife helped me re-install the canopy this morning and it looks very good! One of those precious moments of satisfaction during the build.

The main thing I did different was not pull the rear skin down so tight and I placed a sheet of .032 on top of the front skin which overlapped the gap and fit under the rear skin during set up before I drilled the splice plate. I also made a consious effort to keep a bit more gap between the front and rear skins. I was very worried the springs would push the panel into the sub panel again and mess it up.

Try this method at your own risk. I don't know if the .032 spacer skin is a good idea or not. A piece of .020 might be better.

This thing might just fly yet and not look too bad doing it... On to the next challenge...
 
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