jferraro17

jferraro17

Opulence, I has it...
I am fitting/trimming the instrument cover, and the instructions say to trim the leading edge flush for the thickness of the instrument panel. I'm wondering, does the canopy frame provide some sort of "glare shield" overhang when the canopy is closed? If I leave the cover longer, will it interfere with the canopy closing?

I would like some overhang, but can't picture this in my mind, and with neither top skin riveted, can't place the canopy frame in place to determine this.

Thought I'd ask before I cut :eek:

Thanks-
Joe
 
showplanes

Joe, the cover your referring to is the instrument panel cover and is only visible with the canopy open. There is a bulkhead that is a close fit that travels in front of panel when the canopy is closed. You can certainly wait to trim the front flush when you get closer to final fit. There really isn't a true glare shield like one would think, just a few inches where the canopy bubble meets the canopy skirt. You also need to think about the front bulkhead with regard to the panel if you plan on using every inch of panel real estate. The bulkhead may obstruct view if your pushing to the edge of the panel with instruments.
 
Joe,
The glareshield overhang is what you make of it. I have about 3 inches overhang and it curves aft as it goes outboard. The instrument cover should be about the thickness of the IP so it fits flush when installed. If it's a little long, just file it down to fit when initially installing it. When you glass the forward bulkhead to the canopy, make sure you have the instrument cover installed because the top of the IP can move forward and aft and may not fit the same later if you don't have the cover installed when you bond the bulkhead in place. I'll try to attach a couple of pics to show you how I did it. Putting a light under the glareshield, shining down on the panel really looks cool at night and you can't see the light because it's hidden under a lip I built on the aft edge of the overhang.

img0049pa.jpg

img0054kp.jpg

img0059wg.jpg

img0149yl.jpg

img0304m.jpg


I glued automotive headliner material to the glareshield for anti-glare.
img0304m.jpg


Apparently only one of my 5 pictures attached to this post. Attaching pictures to this site never works the same twice..... Oh well....
 
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OK, I'll try to post a couple pics again....

img0049pa.jpg
By n184sb at 2010-04-27[/IMG]

img0059wg.jpg
By n184sb at 2010-04-27[/IMG]

img0304m.jpg
By n184sb at 2010-04-27[/IMG]

img0059wg.jpg
By n184sb
at 2010-04-27[/IMG]

Not in the right order, but for some reason it sort of worked this time.... maybe it's a MAC thing.... I hope the pictures help show what I was trying to explain.
 
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Scott--

They're in the correct order on my MAC!! :eek:;) Seriously, thanks, that is exactly what I'm thinking...somewhere for an LED strip at night, and a little shade from the sun during the day. So it sounds like the instrument cover will be of little use, but I can hold off on trimming the edge for now, and then figure it out when I do the canopy frame. Thanks, the pics are invaluable.

You and Pat both mentioned the bulkhead...completely forgot about that. I have laid out my panel, but haven't cut it yet, so I'll hold off on that. I'm already a tall guy, so I biased most of it low to begin with, so that I could see it all. Thanks for the heads up on that guys! Already see where my vent placement is going to have to move as a result of that bulkhead :(

So my frustration (currently :eek:), lies with the sequence. I don't want to rivet the front skin on yet, with so much wiring to do. I could rivet the aft skin at this point. I've riveted the re-inforcement strip under the forward skin, allowing me to cut and fit the instrument cover. How do you tackle the canopy frame and bulkhead issue without first finishing your wiring and riveting on the forward skin? Or can you even do this?

Joe
 
Joe, I didn't install the first wire until recently, and my entire fuselage is done and painted with canopy mounted. There's no access problem.
 
Dan are you some kind of yoga guru? Double jointed? ;)

I'm actually tending towards your advice, between the baggage access, the instrument cover, the removable panel, and the bottom, I would agree about the access. Lower left foot area being the only real stretch (fuel pump).

Good advice, thanks.

Joe

PS.Scott, is that the original instrument panel or a custom? Did you reinforce the backside where it is trimmed?
 
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Another

Next question...

Are the instrument panel cover screws that attach to the panel bulkhead (803) countersunk or panhead? IOW, do I need to countersink the glass because the frame sits down tight on the cover when closed?

Thanks again-
Joe
 
Top of the instrument panel? Mine isn't countersunk there as I generally try to avoid it with fiberglass. The countersinks just never look as nice as those in metal.

I don't think low-profile dome screw heads will touch the underside of the canopy shell, or at least I don't think they did back when I built the parts. I've not done a trial assembly since finishing and paint. Worst case is to countersink later.
 
Thanks Dan, exactly where I'm talking about, and I agree, the look of countersunk glass never comes out quite "right"...probably why we see so many Timmerman(?) washers.

Didn't want to paint the cover, and then have to CS later, but think I'll take the chance for now.

Joe
 
low profile domed

screws worked fine with mine. I know its a close fit because I accidently put in a standard screw and it hit slightly. I also gave you an unnecessary worry in the prev post. The front bulkhead on the canopy does not restrict instrument panel view. It just covers the outer line of rivets which hold the flange that the top panel fastens to. sorry about that.
 
I put C/S screws in my cover because I was afraid it would hit. It does make contact in one area that happens to be between the screws. It doesn't look bad and it's covered most of the time anyway.
My instrument panel is the original one, trimmed to allow a longer stick, bent to prevent interferrance with the gear tower cross brace in the full nose-down stick position. I riveted in a piece of .063 angle at the top of the cut in the IP for reinforcement. Seems to be real solid and the longer stick is more comfortable to me.
 
Did any of you have issues on the aft seat bulkhead/top skin riveting? I've got some major pillowing between rivets. The clecos hold it all in a position that looks good, then when we rivet it, the pillows are significant.

Tried a couple of shims, but haven't riveted them yet--looks good with clecos. Wondering about adding a rivet between each pre-punched hole.

Thoughts?
 
Joe,
I seem to remember having a little of what you are talking about. I tried to contour the bulkhead flange as much as I could to make it curve just like the skin, but still had some pillowing. I ended up filling the depressed areas with epoxy/flox and sanding it smooth. Obviously won't work if you're not going to paint your plane. After it was painted, you can't tell and there's no cracking.
 
Thanks Scott. I riveted the left side today with the shims in place. Came out much better, but now the "face" of the edge is much thicker. Hopefully I can match the paint with the interior, and it won't look too bad. Fabbing the shims for the right side tonight.

BTW, I'm mainly talking about the '10 & 2' positions as you face aft. The very apex, and the bottom 4 or 6 rivets on each side are good.

Anyway, it'll work. More "FIF"...fastback induced fun. ;)



Joe
 
Joe,
Final fit of the panel, panel cover, and canopy this last weekend. I got all the truss head screws (w/ nylon washers) to clear the underside of the front canopy skirt, but it took some tweaking. Looks like the handy reference is setting the panel about 1/16" - 3/32" low where you see the arrow.

Also found some D-cell EPDM weatherstrip in Home Depot's aviation section:

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Comes in white and brown for sure, maybe black too. 1/4" nominal height, hollow section so it compresses nicely. I applied it to the underside of the skirt so it rides just in front of the screw line, which may prevent screw contact as well as seal. We'll see in due course.

Have fun.

 
Dan,
Wow, nice job. That looks beautiful.
Here's a heads up for FB builders. This last weekend I flew to Florida to visit my dad and had an interesting thing happen after I landed. I got out and went in to the FBO to use the 'facilities' and left the canopy open. When I got back, I couldn't latch it closed. The aft rod wouldn't go into the hole in the bulkhead frame. I had been at 9500' for almost 4 hours (57 degrees) and it was 95 degrees on the ground. I think that since this entire canopy is made made of plastic, it 'swelled up'. I removed the rub strip (piece of electrical tape) that I had on the canopy frame where it contacts the aft turtle deck skin, but that didn't help. I had to remove the aft rod and then I could get the forward and mid rods to latch and lock. I came out to the airport the next morning - a little cooler, 75*- and re-installed the aft rod and it closed just fine. When I got home I put a slight taper at the entrance of the hole in the bulkhead - top only - and put a little more 'roundness' on the tubing/rod. I had difficulty closing the canopy a couple times before and now that I think about it, it was quite warm out with the sun beating down. I don't want the rods to fit loosely, so I'm trying a little taper to allow it to pull itself into a tight closure. Sitting in my cool hangar, there's no resistance at all and it closes very nicely.
BTW - did anyone say these are great airplanes?? I made HAO (Cincinnati) to Leesburg, FL non-stop - 3+45 going down, 3+50 coming home - and had 8.2 & 8.3 gallons remaining when I landed. Average TAS was 173 knots at 62 - 64% power. Door to door, that beats the airlines for me, and I burned about 66 gallons of fuel.
 
Have any of you guys used the Todd's canopy? Does it fit okay with the SP frame? Anything I should take note/caution of before I order it? How about tint?

I deleted the Van's canopy form the finish kit intending to order a Todd's, and am running out of things to do without an engine. Seems like a good "next" project.

Thanks!

Joe
 
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