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pilot28906

Well Known Member
I think I am about ready to drill the 3/8" holes in the canopy hinge and have some questions:

1) Directions say to drill after the forward skin is riveted on. Is this the best way to go?
2) Where do you purchase threaded 1/4" drill bits for the angle drill to drill the hole while the frame is on the fuse?

Thanks
 
pilot28906 said:
I think I am about ready to drill the 3/8" holes in the canopy hinge and have some questions:

1) Directions say to drill after the forward skin is riveted on. Is this the best way to go?
2) Where do you purchase threaded 1/4" drill bits for the angle drill to drill the hole while the frame is on the fuse?

Thanks
Click to expand...

A normal 1/4 inch drill will fit in the collet of any cheap angle grinder and do the same job as an angle drill.

But, if you have a true angle drill, 1/4 bits are easy to get -

https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=5000-1/4
 
Thanks Gil I see there pretty common.

Any idea about riveting the front skin on before drilling the holes?

Thanks again
 
And so it begins . . . .

I do not find riveting the forward skin on before drilling the canopy pivots in my instructions. Be sure to install ALL the clecos in the forward skin and in the canopy skin before drilling. be sure to use the spacers under the frame rails to. This is the first step in a very important cascade of dimensions leading to proper fitting of the canopy.
 
Thanks Bill, I will cleco both fully.

Is there a particular spacer size or just keep the canopy frame parallel with the side rail? I can not find a dimension for this gap.
 
pilot28906 said:
Thanks Bill, I will cleco both fully.

Is there a particular spacer size or just keep the canopy frame parallel with the side rail? I can not find a dimension for this gap.
Click to expand...

In my instructions it said to make a number of 1/8" spacers.

Don't take this the wrong way, but you need to read the instructions very carefully, about 10 times until not only it make sense, but you know how to do better than Vans presented. The canopy is not a good time to be underwater and just follow step by step. ( voice of experience) One needs a good idea of the big picture and how to adjust each step to facilitate the next steps. If you read and understand then address the deficiencies of the instructions, you can get a nice fit. It is definitely a good time to enlist help of others, which you are doing, but most real help will be after the instructions seem to make sense.

What have you assembled on the canopy frame so far, what is drilled and/or riveted?

general thread - http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=129094
my comments - http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1009868&postcount=5
 
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Thanks Bill, no offense taken. I have read them multiple times and studied the prints but still can not find the reference to the 1/8" spacers. The reference to riveting the skin comes from the "Drilling the Hinge Brackets" section: "Be sure you have installed the second of two AN3 bolts through F-745, C-617, C-618, C-619, and F-644 after riveting on the F-771 skin. Use a 1/4" drill bit in an angel drill....".
So far I have fit, drilled, and riveted the C-614 splice plate and WD-716G attach tabs.

Thanks for your input and guidance.
 
John, I must apologize - it was I who should have read more closely. I did this a while back and did not remember clearly the progression. So, I see where you are now. The canopy skin is the part that positions the frame. They say duct tape to pull it down. Just watch that the skin is not deformed around the perimeter and it is square against the fuse skin and the forward skin (spaced there). Take a straight edge and pit fore/aft over the canopy-forward skin joint(spaced) to verify it is not depressed. IIRC, the hinges are not yet riveted, so they can still move up and down. The upper tip of the hinge will likely touch the forward skin, it is that close. It is ok, good in fact, because it needs to be high. Most trim the radius later to eliminate cam action against the skin. The primary dimension you are setting now is the fore aft. Push forward, but not too hard then mark the hole. Just a dimple, then remove the assembly and look. It will probably be a little forward of the center. Most are.

You will need to have the hinge operable to go back and check the splice accuracy. PM me when you get the hinge done and we can discuss that.

The spacers I mentioned come later in the process, so it was I who did not read carefully!

You may laugh, I made cardboard templates of the hinges to understand the geometry of that hinge and skin area:eek:
 
After putting the frame back on I can only get the canopy skin to withing 1/8" of the rear end of the forward skin. I marked the rear edge of the forward skin then removed. The hinges are hitting the C-619 spacers and not allowing the frame/canopy skin/hinges to go forward enough. I think I will need to shave a little off the C-619 spacer on the rear end to give the hinge enough room to go forward a bit more.

The frame looks good everywhere except from the right hing down to the rail; it is a bit high (1/4"). I think this needs some bend down. Any good way of doing this? The hinge tabs are riveted.

Thanks
 
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