[DanH]

Slow progress, but almost there. The grey paint is PPG DPLF sprayed for a pinhole check. I'll wet sand it later to break the gloss, then spray another light coat followed by K36, wet on wet. The inside was prepped and sprayed up through K36 before bonding the plexiglass; lot easier to do inner surfaces while you can still get at the surfaces from the top. It will get one more shot of K36 before spraying color.

The exterior got two squeegee coats of straight epoxy over the glass and micro before spraying anything. The epoxy skim coat was block sanded lightly with 220 to remove the squeegee marks. I found a grand total of 4 pinholes when I sprayed the DPLF. 'Nuff said; I'm sold on the method. I got so disgusted with trying to fill pinholes by spraying K36 on raw glass that I sanded all the K off a set of wheelpants and started over using the epoxy coats.

 

[grantcarruthers]

Can't wait to see more pics when mounted and complete. I'm just barely into my wings so no commitment on the fuse but am currently hoping to do a fastback which I assume is what you are doing?

Where did you learn your fiber skills? I'm thinking of doing some classes at Oshkosh next year.

 

[DanH]

<<am currently hoping to do a fastback which I assume is what you are doing?>>

Yes.

<<Where did you learn your fiber skills?>>

My father-in-law was crazy for a Long-Eze, so about 20 years ago I built a 1/2 scale roadracing sidehack (a pitbike; I was a racer back then). The body required every technique in Rutan's "Homebuilt Moldless Composite..." manual. Sort of a complex trial to see if I liked composite airplane work. It has gotten easier with every new project since.

Bryan at Showplanes supplies the canopy kit as a molded foam core shell and
a set of precut honeycomb strips for ribs and crossmembers. You bond them in, filet them, do layups over the filets, then fill and finish. Later you fit and bond the bubble to a flange, lay down two plies of 9 oz glass to tie and fair to the outer surface, then do another round of fill and finish. Kit quality is quite good.

 

[cytoxin]

wow

that is slick

 

[jferraro17]

Reviving....

VERY old thread...but I have questions!!

First one, how did y'all trim the front flange of the canopy frame? Sides and back are no issue, trim to size re. joggle. But the transition to the front face of the eventual wind screen is keeping me up at night.

Concerns: 1) Overhang to create a bit of "glareshield" inside the cockpit. 2) Trimming too much at front and having a gap once I drop the bubble on.

Pictures a HUGE plus (for the small brained here )



Second question: Having trouble sourcing the recommended adhesive. What else did guys use to bond the bubble to the frame?



Slow progress, but at least it's sporadic!

 

[DanH]

First one, how did y'all trim the front flange of the canopy frame?

Joe, I'm not sure what you are asking.

Second question: Having trouble sourcing the recommended adhesive. What else did guys use to bond the bubble to the frame?

I used Hysol structural adhesive:

http://tds.loctite.com/tds5/docs/HYSA9430-EN.pdf

You're doing a fiberglass/plexiglass/fiberglass sandwich with "pegs" of Hysol through the 1/4" holes in the plexi. It's not going anywhere....or hasn't yet

 

[Dave Stephens]

I remember that part! just cut a bit, drop it on, mark it, cut a bit etc etc.

I used the Hysol, just got away with two lots, its expensive!! in UK it was about ?160.00 for the two tubes (about $250.00)

Dave

 

[jferraro17]

Thanks for the quick input!

Dan, I'm talking about this part of the "flange" that gets removed. As you can see, I've got the rest trimed to final dimension, but this front part, cant figure out what to do...

Also, that Hysol part# you sent is not the same as the Showplanes manual suggests. Yours I can find, his I can't. I'll take your word for it as far as strength

Thanks again guys, appreciate the help! I'm sure the questions are just starting....that locking mechanism looks like fun!

 

[scard]

Keep asking them. I'm right behind you.

 

[DanH]

Mine didn't have the crazy squared section:

It was probably molded like yours and trimmed before shipping, so you just need to make the same trim (black line):

Scrape out the foam core along the cut edge, fill it with micro, then sand to a nice round edge after cure. The instructions tell you how to add a flox flange for bonding the front of the canopy.

Is that puce-looking filet one of the magic fillers from West?

Scott and I were talking about the canopy frame at KMPJ. Were I to build another I'd laminate a ply of carbon to the front and back of the crossmember, where I've sketched in the red strip in the photo. The compressed gas strut tends to stretch the low modulus glass when the canopy is closed, forcing the side out away from the fuselage just a fuzz. This a perfect application for high modulus carbon.

The above trim line will give you a nice little glareshield. I painted it and the top of the crossmember flat black:

 

[pat]

Hysol

Joe, I used hysol. I think you can buy it from the lance air website, they use the same stuff.

 

[Dave Stephens]

I used the stuff showplanes recommend, I got it from a company that repairs Ferrari cars, I think they use it to glue in the headlights

Mine came trimmed as shown, just had to add the fillet as per instructions

Dave

 

[DanH]

I'm talking about this part of the "flange" that gets removed. As you can see, I've got the rest trimed to final dimension, but this front part, cant figure out what to do...

I was thinking about that this AM. The base reference is the aluminum face of the instrument panel. The panel cover extends rearward past the panel face just a fuzz. The glareshield portion of the canopy frame needs to extend rearward enough to provide (1) a clearance between the panel face and the front face of the forward rib, said clearance being more than the cover overhang, (2) bond and filet area for the rib, plus (3) edge distance aft of the rib which is truly a glareshield. I suspect simply cutting along the edge of square chunk will give you plenty of material, but if you're nervous just do the dimension stack-up before you cut.

...that locking mechanism looks like fun!

The mechanism is no sweat, but there is a detail about the lock rods. I think it was Scott Hersha who first reported difficulty in latching the canopy after it sat in the sun on a hot day. Same thing happened to me when it was really hot outside. The canopy was built and fitted at a constant shop temperature of 75F, and if you fit the lock rods and their sockets so it is real tight at 75 you won't be able to latch it later at 100F+. I'm still not sure exactly what is expanding where (probably the aluminum "hoops" fore and aft), but give yourself a little slack.

 

[Dave Stephens]

I have not had issues with heat, as I'm in the UK! But I have had an issue with it shutting once when a large passenger decided to park his arse on the bulkhead above the rear seat with all his weight and it must have changed the angle of the hole the rod goes through (I had it very close tolerance) but it was fine after I reamed it out and been fine since.

Dave

 

[jferraro17]

Awesome....You guys are great, thanks!


Let's see....

Puce-colored filler is indeed West System #407, micro for areas exposed to "high" temps--recommended for under dark paint. Complete overkill, I'm sure, even for Texas summer, but I had to buy something, so went with this one.

I'll definitely take the carbon fiber advice. Nice touch, and want to minimize those kinds of "little" issues that pop up after completion.

Dan, understand about the clearances you spelled out, and happy to say I'm right on course there. I guess my only solution is to wait until the bubble gets here, then "on and off" while slowly trim to final fit. I'll probably start just short of your recommended black line. I really like the flat black top, never noticed that in other pics I've seen.

Nice catch on the locking rod....I'll wait until summer to rig it...no problem getting to 100+ in my garage

Thanks for the tips on finding the Hysol!


So, if I had one complaint about the ShowPlanes kit, and not sure I'd even call it a complaint, just a peeve.... When parts change, the manual doesn't keep up. This canopy frame is a good example....the pic in the manual shows nothing about this square part of the flange. I had other parts where this had happened too, along the way.

Well, back to work! Thanks again fellas!

 

[Dave Stephens]

I Painted mine flat black also