Landing light lens RV-12

[Rayh]

I have a cracked landing light lens so I ordered a new part number W-00014 to make a new one.
I don't remember when I originally built in 2015 that the lens from VANS is so big. Did they change the lens size to make it bigger so it can be used on the 10, 12, and 14?
My memory is a little foggy, so I need to pose this question, because the plans I have dated 7-12-11 page 40-03, say to place the lens in the wing light hole and trace out the cutout of the wing onto the lens then remove and trim lens to size.
Am I missing something here?

 

[FlyingDiver]

Yeah, that's still how you do it. In your case, I would remove the old lens and use that to size the replacement. Then install it.

 

[Bob Y]

And it may be obvious to you, but cut all the material from one end of the lens blank. I have no idea why the KAIs have you center it in the opening then cut material from both ends vs. leaving one of the factory-cut ends???

 

[Rayh]

Thanks for the input guys.
I also called builder support to make sure the lens they sent was the correct one, being that it is about 2-3 inches bigger on top and bottom and 1 1/5 inches wider than the wing cutout. They said that they are making the same stock lens for the 10, 12, and 14 now and all of the extra will have to be cut off for the 12.
I will make my own paper template, so I get close to final size with the cut, then finish it by sanding.

 

[DHeal]

...and like working with any form of plexiglas; do it on a hot day, smooth all the cut edges, and oversize the mounting holes with a special plexiglas drill bit, Unibit, or otherwise properly prepared bit.

When I built my RV-12 ULS wing back in 2013 or so the lens came oversize and needed to be trimmed to fit in the wing cutout.

 

[DaveWelch]

+1 for using the old lense as a pattern and starting from the edge of the new blank. Otherwise, in a moment of distraction, it would be easy to cut the new lense to fit the hole itself and not allow for edge distance for the fasteners. Yipes! Can you say "reorder"?

 

[sc_pilot]

I just did the landing light lense in my 12iS… I’d say trim off the bulk of the material before tracing and cutting to final size. I placed the whole lens in there, traced the shape, cut and reinstalled and found the extra material pushed the skin in weird ways causing the final piece to not conform to the leading edge like you once thought. I was able to fix it with a heat gun and rebending the lens. But I’m going to take a different approach for the second landing light. - Jacob

 

[Ralph Inkster]

And it may be obvious to you, but cut all the material from one end of the lens blank. I have no idea why the KAIs have you center it in the opening then cut material from both ends vs. leaving one of the factory-cut ends???

The factory forming process may leave the blank lense edges slightly wavy. For best fit to the leading edge, it is recommended to center the lens on the opening & trim all the way around as needed.

 

[Bob Y]

I guess it would have been obvious then, but all my factory edges were perfect, even on the one I got to replace the one I accidentally crushed.