Sikaflex Question

[TCONROY]

I've read a lot about Sikaflex and it looks like the way to go on our tip-up RV-7 canopy. One question while we're still working on the fuselage kit. The canopy roll-bar frame (F-631A) gets drilled all along the outer flange for the plexi rivets. Do I forgo drilling those holes since the rear canopy will be "glued" down or ???

 

[flyvans.com]

Hi Trevor,

now i get the chance to help you out for once, not always the other way ;-)

we sikaflexed the complete tipup canopy without a single hole in the canopy material...

yes forgo these holes.

have you built the rollover bar yet?
we built both the canopy frame (width) and the rollbar (width and height) a tiny bit undersize, so that there is a small gap between plexi and frame in the end (which is being filled by the sikaflex)
sikaflex requires a minimum thickness of its layer to form a strong bond (check the spec sheets). if the frames are built per plans and the plexi is not spaced, the sikaflex can not use the generous available area of overlap for the primary bond. chances are it would still hold great via the fillets in the corners, however, if you can account for it from the beginning, why not do it.

rgds, bernie

 

[DGlaeser]

No holes!

Do a search on this site and you'll find what mods a number of folks (including me) have done to provide the gaps suggested for using Sika to bond the canopy in place.
Like Bernie, I did not put a single hole in my canopy.