[Bob McAuliffe]

I am in the process of fitting the forward top skin for my RV8. Van provides a scribed line for the glare shield cut out.

How are builders covering the sharp edge of the cut out (crash safety) and covering the top of the shield (sun reflection)?

I'd appreciate your ideas and experiences.

Bob McAuliffe

 

[chrispratt]

Glareshield items

Bob:

I covered the glareshield area with black leather. This cuts the reflections to a minimum. Just glue in place with some thing like Sticky Stuff or 3M 77.

The edge was covered with a black welt material which you can buy from numerous sources such as Classic Aero. They are an advertiser on this site and have a link.

Chris

 

[N941WR]

Bob,

I covered the top of the glare shield with sheet Velcro and on the edge was covered with some nice black edging I bought from McMaster-Carr. Search Dan's web site, somewhere on there he lists the stuff.

 

[John Clark]

Glare Shield

I too went with the Velcro idea. The Velcro works like carpet or leather to keep the glare to a minimum and allows you to make most anything stay put on the shield. A velcro dot (the "hook" side) applied to a pencil, checklist or whatever, keeps it from disappearing in flight. The edge can be finished with vinyl trim (I got mine at an automotive interior shop.)

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

 

[mannanj]

Glare Shield edge

There are lots of options for the top, but the best solution I have seen for the edge I found in an Upholstry shop. It is a flexible metal "U" channel that's covered in vinyl. It's easily curved to fit the curve of the shield and is tightly crimped on the open end of the "U" for a push fit onto the sharp edge of the glare shield. It provides a professional look and the metal provides much more protection from the edge of the glare shield.

Can't remember what the shop called it but they said they used it to trim motorcycle and tractor seats too. Hopefully with this description, they will know what I'm talking about.

 

[John Clark]

It is a flexible metal "U" channel that's covered in vinyl. It's easily curved to fit the curve...

Yup, that is about what I ask for too It even comes in colors and different widths.

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

 

[N62XS]

Cleveland Tools

I used the Cleveland tools vinyl with their edging.

 

[dan]

...edge was covered with some nice black edging I bought from McMaster-Carr. Search Dan's web site, somewhere on there he lists the stuff.

www.mcmaster.com
p/n 8451A22

 

[Rick6a]

.....How are builders covering the sharp edge of the cut out (crash safety) and covering the top of the shield (sun reflection)?I'd appreciate your ideas and experiences.Bob McAuliffe

I've been thinking about this issue lately. Lots of possibilites. You could always go with Cleavelands materials, but installed on countless RV's (including my -6A) seems pretty common. Seeking something a little more original this time around, I'll likely go with a leather or vinyl treatment in something other than a smooth flat black surface. I'll probably first lay down a thin layer of foam padding to give it a little extra texture. I'll defer ordering the edge treatment until I know exactly what the overall edge thickness will come in at. Here's a trim supplier I found while researching the subject. http://www.trimco.info/edge-trim.html

 

[Geoff]

Fuel hose

I am in the process of fitting the forward top skin for my RV8. Van provides a scribed line for the glare shield cut out.

How are builders covering the sharp edge of the cut out (crash safety) and covering the top of the shield (sun reflection)?

I'd appreciate your ideas and experiences.

Bob McAuliffe

I just did some transition training with Mike Seager. In the plane he uses, the edge is covered with a piece of small-diameter black automotive fuel hose with a slit in it. Cheap, simple, and it really didn't look half bad.

-Geoff

 

[Kevin Horton]

I just did some transition training with Mike Seager. In the plane he uses, the edge is covered with a piece of small-diameter black automotive fuel hose with a slit in it. Cheap, simple, and it really didn't look half bad.

That is similar to what I did, except I wanted to ensure that the sharp edge of the glare shield couldn't be pushed through the rubber hose in the event of a hard impact. I slit a piece of 1/4 aluminum tubing and put it over the glare shield, then I put a slit piece of rubber hose over that.