After looking through the forum enough to fill a book, I couldn't find anything about where the canopy and windshield come together for my -8. The instructions clearly show a gap between the windshield and the canopy with the fiberglass over the top. Is there really a gap? Even if there isn't a gap, it looks to me like there would need to be some sort of weather stripping to keep rain from dripping in when the plane is sitting on the ground. Do you make a seal with silicone or some other type of weather stripping to seal between the canopy and windshield? Thanks
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Canopy & windshield interface
- Thread starter LyleM
- Start date
Veetail88
Well Known Member
I have a gap and other than the fiberglass over the top I've done nothing to make the seal.
I keep the airplane hangared and have never left it stand outside in heavy rain so I don't know if rain would run in or not. I do know that in flight, I've flown through some pretty heavy rain and none came in there. Now water coming in from the poorly sealed rear skirt, yeah, I get that.
I keep the airplane hangared and have never left it stand outside in heavy rain so I don't know if rain would run in or not. I do know that in flight, I've flown through some pretty heavy rain and none came in there. Now water coming in from the poorly sealed rear skirt, yeah, I get that.
Just the overlap keeps the rain out on mine - never saw any rain come in there in over ten years of flying.
Now how do you keep the back of the pilot's neck dry when flying in the rain? Simple - put a passenger in the back seat, and let THEIR neck get wet....
Now how do you keep the back of the pilot's neck dry when flying in the rain? Simple - put a passenger in the back seat, and let THEIR neck get wet....
Robert Anglin
Well Known Member
electrical tape
We have found that when you get ready to make the over-lay of glass from the front wind screen over the top of the canopy, we use some electrical tape on the canopy side. Tape it down two three rows wide then put some past-wax on the tape so it will not stick to the tape. After you have the lay-up made, open the canopy, clean all the tape and wax off. Then I put a fresh peace of electrical tape over that leading edge of the canopy that closes under the over-lap. That's all the seal that is needed with that close fit. I have had it out on the wash rack and really hit it hard with a lot of water from a hose. No big or bad leaks. If you don't silicone the skirt at the bottom of the canopy it will leak in tell you do and yes the others are correct, the rear of the canopy were it presses down to the upper skin will get you a cold neck and a wet one if it rains on your fun. Hope this helps. Yours, R.E.A. III #80888
We have found that when you get ready to make the over-lay of glass from the front wind screen over the top of the canopy, we use some electrical tape on the canopy side. Tape it down two three rows wide then put some past-wax on the tape so it will not stick to the tape. After you have the lay-up made, open the canopy, clean all the tape and wax off. Then I put a fresh peace of electrical tape over that leading edge of the canopy that closes under the over-lap. That's all the seal that is needed with that close fit. I have had it out on the wash rack and really hit it hard with a lot of water from a hose. No big or bad leaks. If you don't silicone the skirt at the bottom of the canopy it will leak in tell you do and yes the others are correct, the rear of the canopy were it presses down to the upper skin will get you a cold neck and a wet one if it rains on your fun. Hope this helps. Yours, R.E.A. III #80888
FYI when you do the fiberglass overlay from the windscreen to the slider portion after its all dry, it may be hard to slide the canopy back the first time until it releases. I tied a rope to each front corner of the slider portion and fed it out through the tail section that way you can pull it back evenly without distortion while it releases.
How many layers of cloth should be used for the bow? What kind for cloth. I have some ACS 7781-60 but it is pretty heavy. 8.95oz.
Do you have any problem with epoxy flowing through the first layer of fiberglass in between the canopy and windscreen gap of less than 1/8"? I keep envisioning a river of epoxy gluing the canopy on with a puddle of dried epoxy in the floor.
Do you have any problem with epoxy flowing through the first layer of fiberglass in between the canopy and windscreen gap of less than 1/8"? I keep envisioning a river of epoxy gluing the canopy on with a puddle of dried epoxy in the floor.
rightrudder
Well Known Member
9 oz. cloth is pretty common for this application, so what you've got is fine.
To temporarily seal that gap to prevent epoxy drips, use modeling clay. Roll it between your hands to form a "rope," then cram it into the gap. Definitely put an old towel down beneath to catch any epoxy that might get through.
To temporarily seal that gap to prevent epoxy drips, use modeling clay. Roll it between your hands to form a "rope," then cram it into the gap. Definitely put an old towel down beneath to catch any epoxy that might get through.
Robert Anglin
Well Known Member
Your call.
This is kind of a personal thing, but I like to use 3- 4 once "S" cloth. I like to use the West systems epoxy with the tropical hardener, I think the number is 207 for that hardener. It has a "U.V." filter and sets up a little slower that the standard hardener. If you keep the layers tight and work the reason out, you may end up with 5 to 8 layers. But with the thin cloth this should give you the 1/8th.to 3/16th of an inch that I like for thickness. You can sand the leading and trailing edges to taper them in as you wish and just put a gel coat over your build-up after it is sanded down to it's final shape.
It never hurts to get over on the bench and do some test runs before you do the canopy it's self. Hope this helps. R.E.A. III #80888
This is kind of a personal thing, but I like to use 3- 4 once "S" cloth. I like to use the West systems epoxy with the tropical hardener, I think the number is 207 for that hardener. It has a "U.V." filter and sets up a little slower that the standard hardener. If you keep the layers tight and work the reason out, you may end up with 5 to 8 layers. But with the thin cloth this should give you the 1/8th.to 3/16th of an inch that I like for thickness. You can sand the leading and trailing edges to taper them in as you wish and just put a gel coat over your build-up after it is sanded down to it's final shape.
It never hurts to get over on the bench and do some test runs before you do the canopy it's self. Hope this helps. R.E.A. III #80888
