Made the Big Cut today! Decided it wasn't gonna get done just staring at it week after week. Thanks to all who have gone before for the advice, it really helped. The best advice by a number of people in my opinion? It's not that bad and to just go for it! In the end I used my Dremel tool with the plastic cut-off wheel. Practiced on the molding flanges first using 2 and 3 passes to make the cuts. However, when it came to the actual Big Cut I found that my skill had increased where I felt comfortable making the cut in one pass. As others would say, your mileage may vary. Now I hope everything lines up and fits later on...
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The Big Cut! Woohoo!!!
- Thread starter BruceP
- Start date
Jeff R
Well Known Member
I have said many times that sometimes you just have to go do it. Like many things, once you do it you will find out it wasn't so bad. I also have said many times, if you don't know how to do something, go do it and then you will know. Unfortunately, sometimes in learning how to do something, you find you have to do it a second (or third) time to do it right.
But, congrats. I found the canopy work to be the most challenging of all, though I am still not finished with mine.
But, congrats. I found the canopy work to be the most challenging of all, though I am still not finished with mine.
SIKA'd the Canopy
Are you going slider or Tip-up? If slider, what are you using for spacers?
Thanks.
Doug Lomheim
90116 / Canopy / FWF
Are you going slider or Tip-up? If slider, what are you using for spacers?
Thanks.
Doug Lomheim
90116 / Canopy / FWF
IowaRV9Dreamer
Well Known Member
I Sika'd my slider 2 weeks ago. I used 3/4" pieces of window screen spline. You can buy it in different sizes and adjust for any remaining mismatch between frame and fuselage. I glued it lenghwise to the frame with black 3M weatherstrip adhesive. They become embedded / covered in the Sika joint. I didn't have to pull them out and add Sika - you'd never know they were in there. Of course you lose a little bond area but not much.
Bugsy
Well Known Member
Clear poly hose
Im building a tip-up. I got a short piece of clear poly hose from lowes that was 1/8" thick and cut small 1/4" sqaures of it as spacers. I think the key whatever you use as a spacer is to super glue the spacers to the frame so that you arent messing with spacers when you need to concentrate on canopy placement with wet Sika. We also put the sika just on the frame and pressed the canopy onto it which worked great. I clecoed while my helpers lined it up. Of course the canopy was primed prior. 1/8" is enough space for me because I used fasteners per plans as well.
Im building a tip-up. I got a short piece of clear poly hose from lowes that was 1/8" thick and cut small 1/4" sqaures of it as spacers. I think the key whatever you use as a spacer is to super glue the spacers to the frame so that you arent messing with spacers when you need to concentrate on canopy placement with wet Sika. We also put the sika just on the frame and pressed the canopy onto it which worked great. I clecoed while my helpers lined it up. Of course the canopy was primed prior. 1/8" is enough space for me because I used fasteners per plans as well.
I made the cut almost two weeks ago now. It was a piece o' cake in comparison to all the trimming cuts I made in preparation. With a regular die grinder and cutoff wheel you have a favorable position of hands to make the cut, and there's no corners to make. All that dread leading up to it, and it was the easiest cut on the whole canopy.
Glued up the canopy yesterday.
I used 1/8" clear tubing. Started with strips and ended up with small squares, maybe 3/16" on a side. Stick em on the frame just after you paint on the Sika primer and they'll stay on. I waited till the primer was dry, and I was worried they'd fall off, but it all worked out. But I wish I'd made them all small squares.
Glued up the canopy yesterday.
I used 1/8" clear tubing. Started with strips and ended up with small squares, maybe 3/16" on a side. Stick em on the frame just after you paint on the Sika primer and they'll stay on. I waited till the primer was dry, and I was worried they'd fall off, but it all worked out. But I wish I'd made them all small squares.
