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RV8R999

Well Known Member
My Todd's canopy shows up this week and the frame and rollbar are ready and prep'd for SIKA.

My plan is to drill at least 3 3/32" holes in the canopy (two near front each side and one at the apex of the canopy frame to ensure the canopy stays lined up while clamping to the frame in prep for the SIKA.

Do you think using a standard 3/32" bit is fine considering how small the bit is? I cannot find a plexi bit that small. of course i'll countersink slightly.


Thoughts?
 
Skip the holes. You can do without all that stress.
Mark the canopy cover plastic with a sharpie, and use plastic spring clamps to hold the canopy to the frame and spacers.
You will be fine. Once it's all lined up and clamped, SIKA AWAY!
 
Ken,

I too have a Todd's canopy and I ended up drilling about four 3/32 holes on each side of the canopy to keep it secured while I Sika'ed away. I didn't feel comfortable with using just spring clamps. The holes gave me a consistent reference point.

Worked for me and I didn't countersink.

YMMV,

Mike
 
Mike - that is my plan. Agree, having a few holes will guarantee correct alignment. Did you use normal bits?
 
I have read several articles in RVator, that say you can take your drill bits to the grinder and grind down the sharp tips...this is basically all a plexi bit is.
 
Normal bit

The plans actually have you drill the initial holes for rivets with a normal #40 bits, this lets you match drill through to the frame. You then enlarge to #30 in the plexi with the special bits. I too glued the canopy so I drilled 7 holes in mine as keepers for the rivets, I used the normal drill bit. I liked having the holes to realign things for the glue, once cut in two the canopy is really flimsy. I really like how well the glue holds. When fitting the skirts I discovered that the frame was too wide near the rear seat area. I blocked the frame with wood and compressed in the sides, I never worried about the canopy since it did not have rivets. I did not put rivets in the keeper holes I drilled. One nice thing about the holes is you can use them when fitting the skirts.
 
Thanks guys! I agree, having the holes for the skirts later will be helpful. I take it with 7 holes you went in pairs along the side and 1 at the very rear? I'll do the same. I suppose it would be possible to check the skirts prior to glueing the canopy by using those keeper holes....

Ken
 
Hole locations

My seven holes where one up front, next just forward of the cross brace in the frame that has the track attach hardware, just forward of where the bottom part of the frame slopes up to the part the canopy gets glues to. The last 3 are at the aft end, on center and two on either side. The aft end needed to be brought in quite a bit so I wanted to take some pressure off the clamps there. In the photo you can see the clecoe locations, I used draw cleoes which allowed me to control the tension, you can see the whole canopy is held in place with just the clecoes, I did use clamps when I glued it up.

2e4i8aa.jpg


Once drilled I cut tiny bits of hose that the cleco goes through for a spacer, I glued right up to the clecoed area then after the first round set I could push out the spacer, I had some I could not get our but they are covered by the glue.

The photo shows what you can do with a glued canopy that has no rivets, the garage for this is 65 degrees. I had to move the sides in on my frame, I did not see it on the initial fit, but it was too wide which really stood out when the skirt was attached.

x42a75.jpg
 
That was a the gutsiest move I eve saw Mav! I might try to trial fit my skirts first so I don't have to do that. Thanks for the pics and info!

regards,

Ken
 
To your original question ...

...I agree with Ryan. Just dull the sharp cutting edges on a #40 bit. The idea is to dull it so it won't "grab" or catch the plexi. Then mark it clearly so you know not to use it on aluminum !!!
 
Your right

RV8R999 said:
That was a the gutsiest move I eve saw Mav! I might try to trial fit my skirts first so I don't have to do that. Thanks for the pics and info!

regards,

Ken
Click to expand...


Ken,

If I had to do it again I would hold up the skirt to see how the frame fit. I did the strips of aluminum and it seemed fine but the frame flared out after the last vertical support and that was what cause the skirt to bulge out.

As far as tweaking the frame, once you see how flexible the Sika is you will understand how I was not really taking any chances.
 
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