[MartySantic]

Noticed one problem when I match drilled the canopy skirt to the plexiglass canopy. The most forward, upper row hole in the side skirt just barely hits the underlying plexiglass. I have 1/2 of a hole on the left side in the plexi (the drill bit wandered a bit cause it caught right on the edge of the plexi) and have a hole as close to the plexi edge as you could imagine under the right side skirt. I think I am lucky the plexi did NOT crack.

Compared my results with three other builders and all experienced the same.

This appears to be a design issue. I sent Van's an e-mail.

DO NOT drill these two holes before you mark them and check to see if there is enough plexi behind the hole!!

 

[MartySantic]

Looking at the latest issue of the RVator. Van did NOT put a screw in the most forward top hole in the canopy skirt. Nor are there rivets in the forward bottom holes. See the article on glassing the RV-12 canopy in the 2-2009 issue of the RVator. How did he KNOW?

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Looking at the latest issue of the RVator. Van did NOT put a screw in the most forward top hole in the canopy skirt. Nor are there rivets in the forward bottom holes. See the article on glassing the RV-12 canopy in the 2-2009 issue of the RVator. How did he KNOW?

They were not put in until after finishing the fiberglass work.
It is hard to sand a fiberglass layup smooth when their are screws and rivets sticking up out of it.

 

[MartySantic]

Scott,

So holes were drilled thru the fiberglass for the most forward top row hole and the forward bottom row holes. Then a screw was inserted over the fiberglass in the top row and rivets were set over the fiberglass in the bottom row?????

In fact, the 5 most forward bottom row rivets are flush, CS4-4. Do you countersink the fiberglass??

None of this is in the plans.

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Scott,

So holes were drilled thru the fiberglass for the most forward top row hole and the forward bottom row holes. Then a screw was inserted over the fiberglass in the top row and rivets were set over the fiberglass in the bottom row?????

Yes

In fact, the 5 most forward bottom row rivets are flush, CS4-4. Do you countersink the fiberglass??

No

I was explaining the reason the holes where open in the photo you referred to. A very minor change was made in by calling for flush rivets so that RV-12 builders would not have to deal with the interference issues.

 

[MartySantic]

Scott,

One more question. Are you familiar with the problem I described in my original post?? With virtually no plexiglass behind the top, most foward hole in the canopy skirt, should I leave the screw out or try to capture some of the plexiglass with a large washer?

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Scott,

One more question. Are you familiar with the problem I described in my original post?? With virtually no plexiglass behind the top, most foward hole in the canopy skirt, should I leave the screw out or try to capture some of the plexiglass with a large washer?

I recommend that you call Van's technical support and see what they say.

 

[MartySantic]

Called technical support and they acknowledged that this was a design issue that will be corrected. They gave me the option of leaving the screw out of the left and right side as that area is fully covered and supported by the fiberglass.

Now, looking for advice to do something with the hole very near edge and the partial (1/2 of a hole), right on the edge of the plexiglass canopy.