Ron - The lay-up process is standard composite practice. I worked directly on the closed canopy, bridging all gaps with plastic packing tape. The main difference with what you see on the videos is that I left all aluminium and acrylic surfaces shiny smooth and applied wax and PVA to ensure that I could separate the newly made windscreen surround from the aircraft. Be sure to protect all surfaces that you don't want resin touching. Once it was layed-up I removed it and marked/trimmed to final shape (Mark 1 eyeball and tongue sticking out to one side to judge this!).
I then repositioned the trimmed part and clecoed in place (you can just see the holes in the photo and no, don't drill into the acrylic, just the aluminium). Filled, faired etc. and again removed for a final spray coat of Duratec. This is the layer that is finally sanded for painting and I found it was easier to do this part while at the bench.
Lot of dry fitting and sharpie marks to ensure correct positioning. I used a combination of cheap cargo straps, wedges of various shapes and sizes, and clecos through strips of angled aluminium to make sure everything was sitting properly. Make sure the prep work for the Sikaflex is done properly. I tend to get a bit carried away and use lots of fine-line masking tape to get a nice smooth bead at the joins.
Much as I would like to sell various bits and pieces to the Vans community, unfortunately I live on the wrong side of the Pacific Ocean. Freight costs kill it for me. I have already tried with the plenum but it was just getting too expensive. I even tried giving away the pattern for the plenum, hoping someone in the USA would take it on, but sadly no.
Visit to Vans and Boeing is on the bucket list...maybe next year.
Cheers
Clive