[selhardt]

Does anyone know what the product is used to seal the canopy to the fiberglass in this photo?

[/IMG]

 

[flickroll]

Most likely ProSeal. ProSeal is commonly used to seal aircraft plexi to airframes.

 

[rv9aviator]

I wonder if it's just not epoxied on the airframe and what you see there is black paint trim. Looking at the inside of the frame it looks like Sika-Flex.

 

[scsmith]

direct epoxy bond

When we form the fiberglass fairing, most of us bond it directly to the plexi with the epoxy during the wet lay-up. Put black dye in the epoxy so it looks better.

Some folks use a release agent so that the whole fiberglass fairing can be removed and finished after layup. In those cases, proseal or sikaflex would be used to install it permanently once it's ready.

In either case, sikaflex was likely used to bond the plexi to the bow and perhaps even the forward skin before the fiberglass fairing was made.

 

[selhardt]

Maybe sikaflex or proseal

Maybe it is sikaflex or proseal. If so, the builder is a master at making a fillet from that stuff. I didn't have a chance to ask the owner at Oshkosh. You can see where he masked the canopy for the fillet on this shot. It was SO smooth that I concluded it is a material that flows more than sikaflex or proseal would.

 

[BillSchlatterer]

More than likely,....black windshield sealer

Assming you are looking at the black trim,...3M makes a product specfically for sealing windshields. The area is taped off with fineline tape, apply sealer, smooth and let dry. Peel off tape. Don't have the number but check any good autoparts store.

Could also be Sika or ProSeal with a lot of hardner but there is a product made specfically for this job.

Bill S
7a flying this month

 

[rv8ch]

Beautiful job

Scott, if you have more pictures, can you post them? That's really a nice looking canopy!

 

[Rick6a]

Does anyone know what the product is used to seal the canopy to the fiberglass in this photo?

Don't know without closer inspection but based upon the photograph, I do not discount the possibility that it is proseal. Masked off and lightly smoothed (often using a proseal filleting spoon), an "A" mix of sealant can easily render the same dark, shiny look. My yeoman's effort to pleasingly fill in a gap with B4 sealant is no match for that builders eye towards cosmetics...whatever medium he chose.

 

[tomagin]

I just had my -8 painted. I used Sika to bond the canopy and windshield and it looks like your photo is the same. The paint shop sealed the edge by the plexi with Dow Corning silicone. Same as they do on all production planes. Just mask the area. Smooth the sealant and then peel the tapes. Easier to work with than Sika for what is just a sealing, appearance function.

 

[db8]

I chatted with him (Bob Gibbons) and he said his paint guy applied that while (or probably before or after) painting? It did look very nice, but I know it's not Sika after chatting with him. It could be what Bill or Tom said. It sure was a nice airplane and he is a great guys too. Dave

 

[N58RG]

Plexi to Fiberglass seal

Just saw this tonight. That is my airplane. The sealant was applied after painting by Tony Dias of Advanced Aircraft Refinishers in Griffin, Georgia.
Give him a call.

Bob Gibbons
N58RG

 

[rv8ch]

seats

Hi Bob,

What kind of seats are those?

Regards,
Mickey

 

[vlittle]

I did the same thing.

Masked off the area to seal, used black polyurethane caulking and hard-tooled it with popsicle sticks. Cleaned up with sovent.

Worked like a charm and was very easy to do. The poly caulk does take a couple of days to firm up though.

Any UV-resistant caulking or proseal or sika or 3m marine product will work, although clean-up with proseal is a pain.

V