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Canopy cracked - need replacement

hecilopter

hecilopter

Well Known Member
I'm helping a buddy build his 7A tip up and everything on the canopy went really well.... until it cracked! We were drilling the holes thru the canopy along the side of the canopy rail, had 2 HOLES TO GO to be finished and CRACK :mad:

I guess everything just went too perfect. Anyway, we are working in a hangar at Grand Prairie, TX (GPM) and I was wondering if anyone had a cracked back half of a canopy with a good front still to be cut or had an extra canopy they might want to sell.

I thought I would try this first before going to Van's and ordering a new one.

Thanks!

Rusty Williams
 
&*^%>! holes

I bet it was the front hole of the horizontal row on both side....

gil in Tucson

Mine was OK, but another RV6 had a strategically placed EAA sticker over his crack... :)
 
I feel your pain. You might also try Todd's Canopies for a replacement. His are guaranteed not to crack. I wish Van would start including his canopies, instead of the ones they currently use. Fortunately, I haven't cracked on yet, but there's a big old RV-8 bubble sitting in my bedroom (gotta put it somewhere) waiting to be fitted.

Good luck,
Rusty
 
13brv3 said:
I feel your pain. You might also try Todd's Canopies for a replacement. His are guaranteed not to crack. I wish Van would start including his canopies, instead of the ones they currently use. Fortunately, I haven't cracked on yet, but there's a big old RV-8 bubble sitting in my bedroom (gotta put it somewhere) waiting to be fitted.

Good luck,
Rusty
Click to expand...

Rusty,

Todd doesn't make RV 6,7,or 9 canopies.

Peter
 
plaurence said:
Rusty,

Todd doesn't make RV 6,7,or 9 canopies.

Peter
Click to expand...

Right you are Peter. I guess I just never looked at those.

Of course he would probably make one if someone would send him a stock canopy, or enough dimensions to make one without a pattern. He made me a custom 1/4" thick, extended headroom canopy for my previous RV-3, but I had to send him the old broken canopy as a pattern. Now that he knows the dimensions, he offers RV-3 canopies for sale. That seems to be how it works.

Cheers,
Rusty
 
todd canopy

He said he would need a different oven that would fit the wider side by side RV's.Maybe if enough of us ask him he will look into it.
 
Thanks for the replies

There seems to be no other alternative than to bite the bullet and get a new one from Van's. The Todd canopies looked like a good idea, but alas, as said up above, they don't make one for the -7.

This really bites the big one having to buy an new one because, in theory, this could happen again! :cool: This could get really expensive.

Thanks again!

Rusty W.
 
How bad is it?

Rusty, you did not indicate how bad the crack is, or where it is. On my -6, everything on the canopy went (slowly and painstakingly) well, all the fasteners were in on the sides except for the single rivet at the fwd end on the R side - when I tried to drive it, I heard that awful sound . . . and then made a few more awful ones myself, which I hope my daughters did not hear. I then stop drilled it just to be safe.

The crack was about 2" long in the lower front portion on the R side. Gus at Van's said "stick an EAA sticker or something like 'at over it and get on with the project; it is not structural, and the FAA won't care." He was right - 18 months after my airworthiness certificate was issued, it has gotten no worse, and I don't even notice it most of the time. I never even put the EAA sticker on :)

If you are building a show plane, or just are a perfectionist, then go ahead and buy a new one ($$$$). But for me, when looking at the location and size of the crack, the cost of a new canopy, the labor to re-do it all, and (as Gus mentioned) the risk that the same or similar thing could happen again despite all precautions, I decided to live with it and get the plane flying. No regrets there.
 
canopy crack

:) My sad tail begins when the first canopy rolled off the fuselage and struck the corner of my bandsaw table. Builders insurance covered the replacement. I was out the shipping and crating. The second canopy went well until the last hole drilled on the right side forward. When the plastic bit went thru a loud noise. Approx two inch crack from broder upwards. I stop drilled right away. Van's was unable to tell me if it was airworthy, but gave the name of their guy that builds 'em. He told me that he had made more mistakes then I and to put a sticker over it and drill a bigger stop hole. Which I have done. There is no guarentee you or me won't crack the next one. $1000 is a big item for me. I just put a bullet hole over it. ;)
Regards,
John
 
Todd doesn't make RV 6,7,or 9 canopies.
Click to expand...

Of course he would probably make one if someone would send him a stock canopy, or enough dimensions to make one without a pattern. He made me a custom 1/4" thick, extended headroom canopy for my previous RV-3, but I had to send him the old broken canopy as a pattern. Now that he knows the dimensions, he offers RV-3 canopies for sale. That seems to be how it works.
Click to expand...

As I understand the situation, a major reason Todd doesn't offer side-by-side canopies is that they are molded, whereas the tandem canopies are "blown" which is a different process.

Hate to hear that anyone experienced the dreaded crack!, but I vote for the EAA sticker repair. :eek:

Sam Buchanan
 
hecilopter said:
This really bites the big one having to buy an new one because, in theory, this could happen again! :cool: This could get really expensive.
Click to expand...

On a nice summer day, and a very warm canopy, it's surprising what abuse it will take! I used plexiglass drill bits, but then tried all kinds of other bits, dull and sharp on the scrap, without a hint of cracking. Those summer days were in the 90's , and the warm canopy just takes the abuse.

As to a shop heater running a few hours in the winter? I don't know. Perhaps wait a month or two, to drill the new one.. :D

L.Adamson
 
Anyone ever try filling a crack with IPS Weld-on and buffing with one the those acrylic scratch removal kits. If I remember correctly the 2-part weld-on #40 is suppose to be EXTREMELY strong, however it is a little thick, Weld-on #16 is thinner (and cheaper) but not as strong. I don't know how much a new canopy cost so if they aren't too much maybe replacement is the way to go.
 
Cost

Anyone have a price list for one of Todds Canopies? I'm looking for a thicker one to use as the windscreen for my -8.
or a ball park cost?

thanks
 
Warn the National Grid

L.Adamson said:
On a nice summer day, and a very warm canopy, it's surprising what abuse it will take! I
Click to expand...
When I eventually get to that stage I plan to use a Todd canopy (in fact I have to if I go with the Tom Clark fastback kit). I also will wait until the NZ summer and fill the shop with so many heaters the National Grid will wonder what on earth just happened!! :D

There's simply no way I could realistically aford to ship a replacement canopy to NZ!

Cheers,
 
bond the canopy

we have bonded our canopy without drilling holes in it. that will also reduce stress on on the glass if there is no bolts and screws going through the plexiglass we used sika and you get it with a primer for aluminum and the plexiglass
 
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From the peanut gallery.

A couple of things I learned while doing my canopy.
1. I planned it so I would be doing it in the heat of the Texas summer. After a while 95 feels cool after it's been 105.
2. When drilling, you must have something hard on the backside of the hole to prevent cracks. Working on test pieces, every time I drilled a hole that was not backed up, I got a crack and I was using plexi bits.
3. Weld-on #3 will wick into tiny cracks by capillary action. It's as thin as water, which makes it hard to use. I had a couple of holes that started to develop cracks. It treated them with Weld-on before I enlarged them.
4. Mistakes can be covered up! I think some of the best advise I got was that the trick to doing the canopy hiding the mistakes :)
 
Ditto

jstiegel said:
:) The second canopy went well until the last hole drilled on the right side forward. When the plastic bit went thru a loud noise. Approx two inch crack from broder upwards. I stop drilled right away. Van's was unable to tell me if it was airworthy, but gave the name of their guy that builds 'em. He told me that he had made more mistakes then I and to put a sticker over it and drill a bigger stop hole. Regards,
John
Click to expand...

Ditto for me. The exact same thing, drilling the last hole. Not quite as big but just as frustrating. I stop drilled it and then sealed it with some adhesive I got from the vendor who makes Van's canopies.

I'll probably add a sticker when I find the right one.
 
Common Thread

It would help those yet to cut and drill their canopy if a common thread was found for those who suffered cracks. Or is it just good luck for those of us who did not.

Maybe those who suffered cracks (those who did NOT suffer cracks) might list the following:
How hot was the workshop.
What sort of drill bits were used.
Was EVERY hole clecod after it was drill.
Were the 'ears' in the front skin enlarged to ensure no pressure was applied where the canopy passed through the skin.

The answers for mine (no cracks) are:
32?C
Unibit
Yes.
Yes.

Pete.
 
Canopy

As I understand it, the reason Todd (or anyone else, for that matter) isn't making the side-by-side is that the top rear portion is reflexed, making it impossible to make other than in a mold. Van's owns the mold and making a copy from something made from that mold would be stealing intelectual property. Van would have every right to complain! Making a new canopy would entail making a new mold, which isn't a bad idea, considering how "oversized" the canopy is now.

I can't comment on drilling the canopy as I used the Gamut carbon fiber canopy which doesn't have a single hole drilled in it. No surprises!

Bob Kelly
 
Todd Canopies?

Anyone been in contact with TC recently? I've sent a couple of emails but had no reply. Not sure if they never got there or what (AOL has some aggressive anti-spam techniques that seem to constantly attempt to thwart NZ email senders).
Cheers,
 
TC reply's

I sent an e mail late yesterday afterneoon and had a response 5 am this morning.
I'm impressed since its been taking Van's weeks to reply.
 
Hi guys, I really do not understand why anyone would STILL try and drill all those holes. Use Sikaflex products and bond it. It is easy to work with and the end result is very satisfying. Specially considering the fact that there is NO RISK!
 
Cracks from pop rivets

Just curious... has anybody heard of a canopy cracking when the pop rivets are put into place, or do cracks seem to happen just during drilling?
 
gluing canopy

"Hi guys, I really do not understand why anyone would STILL try and drill all those holes. Use Sikaflex products and bond it. It is easy to work with and the end result is very satisfying. Specially considering the fact that there is NO RISK!"

i'm interested in learning more.....
anyone know of where i can find info on this process? website with pictures and basic instructions would be great.

thanks
 
Sticky

'cos I always get stuck when working with glue! :p
I'll do some heavy research when I come to that stage of the project, but in the end I will simply go with whatever approach I feel most comfortable with tackling...
Cheers,
 
gluing canopy

[ there are a few articles on gluing your canopy.If you visit www.rvclubsa.com, under contents is a heading articles/technical is a bit written by chaulkie Stobbart. We had the privilege to chaulkies technical knowledge and help. Once we are through with our approving flights with our rv7A we will write a article on our technique and tips. On our website
www.tilt-tech.co.za/rv7a.htm you will find a few photos of our canopy
 
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