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RV8R999

Well Known Member
Does adding the gap between the canopy and frame around its perimeter so that the Sika can be applied affect the fit of the canopy skirts to fuselage later on? Seems this will change the angle of the skirts slightly maybe even making them easier to fit more tightly?

Should be doing this work in about two weeks so am studying the various processes that seem to have worked well in the past.

If the sika is good enough for the canopy anyone have a reason why not for the skirts as well?

Thanks,

Ken
 
Ken- I am planning on using Sika for the whole installation. Skirts and all. I suspect that I won't get the 1/8th bead thickness of Sika that is called out, oh well, still seems better than drilling (and possibly cracking).

I ordered my Sika stuff today and am still a few weeks away from application so I too am all ears for any responses here.
 
I used SIKA for the whole shebang.
I used the garden hose segment spacer method. It was easy and worked well.
I did drill a few holes in the skirts to position them and pull them in with clecos, and some spacers behind to set the skirts to the right fit and appearance.
I did not use spacers at the windshield-to-fuselage. Nor did I use spacers at the windshield-to-roll bar. Thermal expansion of the windshield would be upward and forward, the 90 degree joint and shorter over-all length of the windshield made the use of spacers seem unimportant to me. (correction: I did use spacers on the roll bar only)
One disclaimer here, I have not flown my RV-8 yet.
One thing to consider: I set the back edge of the canopy as high as possible for back seater head clearance, the result is a long skirt tail that hits the vertical stab when I remove the canopy (sliding it aft until the delrin block comes off the track).
Check my link below, it's my EAA chapter webpage, my builders photo section. Pictures of my canopy job are in it. not a show plane-job, but easy to understand and just as easy to do. I spent a lot more time worrying about it than I actually spent doing it.
Edit: there's something wrong with our chapter webpage, and that link doesn't work. I did go to the site and pull this pic tho, so follow this link.http://gallery.eaa326.org/main.php?g2_itemId=1746
 
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Thanks guys!

Scott - your link isn't working?

with no spacers between the rollbar and winscreen how did you match up with the canopy and canopy roll bar assuming you had spacers there?
 
Scott - Very interesting work installing the 13b. I considered this during my BD-4 build but chickened out and went with a lycoming instead. Then I considered it again when I started the RV8 and once again chickened out. My plan though is to get the RV flying and then take my time and begin a slow engine conversion project with a firewall mock-up so that when my current engine needs to be replaced, I'll be able to more quickly drop the new project in place. I'm looking at the renesis engine.

The pics of your canopy are very helpful..thanks! I'm sure I'll end up doing some glass work on the skirts as well.

Thanks!

Ken
 
Ken, I used the Sika AKA "black gue" on my canopy for my RV-8 and have only praise for it. Not a single rivet holds the canopy. I did drill holes along the bottom through the plexie into the horzional steel frame so as to celco the side skirts at the top. I used the gue between the outside of the plexie and the inside of the skirts for attachment and seal and the clecos were necessary to hold them in place until the gue cured. The remainder of the skirts are pull rivetted to the canopy frame. Once I removed the clecos I fiberglassed all the holes and covered the rivet heads. I encourage folks to consider the alternative to rivets into the plexie. Best of luck, Bill
 
RV8R999;
Thanks for the kind comments on the 13b. You are not making a mistake. Auto conversions are long projects. Rewarding, but long. I'm entering the glory phase with mine. It runs and working on it is fun again.
On the canopy, I used no spacers at the join line of the skirt to the canopy. I used a few clecos to hold it in place and to pull it in toward the plexiglass canopy. The lower part of the skirt rested against the fuse, and a few spacers were inserted between the skirt and the canopy frame tubes to help make it all lay correctly. I used electrical tape on the canopy, very close to the skirt. When the Sika squeezed out as the clecos pulled the skirt tight to the canopy, I wiped up the excess SIKA, then pulled off the tape, which left a 'perfect' Plexi-SIKA-skirt joint.
My right skirt fit perfect. The left skirt not so much. I cut off the back 1/3 and laid up a new one on the aircraft. Don't use cheapo packing tape for separating media, the glue stuck to the aluminum and I had a heck of a time washing and wiping it off.
Oh; a correction on the roll bar spacers. I checked back....I DID USE SPACERS on the roll bar to windshield, but not to the aluminum fuse. (now I'm embarrassed about that lapse of factaulness..)
 
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It is questionable how well the canopy skirt fits in the first place but I think adding the space and adhesive makes it a little more problematic.

Mine is glued and I think I had a similar wrestling match with the skirt as those that used rivets.

The other consideration is that the rear portion of the canopy skirt has no rivets attaching it. On my -8 I glued the canopy as others had. I then fit the skirt using the rivet holes on the frame but no rivets through the plexi or the upper part of the frame. When I had a satisfactory fit I used Sika all around plus rivets in the lower part of the frame. At the back it seemed very secure with no rivets but just to be sure I added some glass under the plexi and to the skirt to insure that moving the canopy there would be little possibility of the skirt separating from the canopy. It was also helpful to leave a bit more plexi sticking out around the frame for the Sike to bond to and also to allow for some glass to go under it to reinforce it.

30 hours and it hasn't fallen off! Others have hundreds.
 
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