Canopy trimming

A forum in which to discuss topics specific to the assembly of the RV 8/8A
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jetjoc
Class G
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Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:29 pm
Location: Lexington, Kentucky

Canopy trimming

Post by jetjoc »

Does anybody have pictures/procedures for trimmint the FRONT of the canopy to fit the fuselage contour?
Thanks

weezbad
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Post by weezbad »

sorry i jumped the gun on this i didnt realize it was an 8 :(
moderators delete at will please.


well i got some pics but they may not be what you are looking for. i cut mine where the canopy transitions from near vertical to flat. then worked back from there. i ended up cutting about an inch up the vertical face to attempt to get the canopy to touch the roll bar. i wouldnt do too much of that however it can lead to not having enough plexi to get under the rear skin. in the end the canopy laid down perfectly flat on the skin and the sides trimmed up very nice.
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william....don't let it beat you down, you are stronger than you think.

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Brantel
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Post by Brantel »

I trimmed to the vertical transition area from the flat in the front and that pretty much did it. That part is molded pretty close to the shape it must be to fit the top skin.

In my case before drilling, the canopy fit the front skin perfectly but after drilling I saw a few little spaces 1/32 around the corners and then once the edges were finished, the holes countersunk and the holes enlarged, I had a larger gap. Some of this will go away once I put the screws in to pull the glass back into the same position as when just clecoed with 1/8" holes. The oversize holes with the 1/8" clecos allow the canopy to float up a bit which translates into a gap at the front.
Brantel (Brian Chesteen),
RV12-IS, #121606, N912BC - Building Now!
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Brantel
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Post by Brantel »

Hey William,

Nice looking fit of the top sin. Did you have any problems with the canopy skin at the corners being a gap above the front top skin and if so, what did you do to fix it?

Also, I notice something down at front bottom sides of the canopy skin, did you do something here to minimize the gap everyone seems to have here?

At the front of this area, mine has a gap but as you get closer to the side rails, it moves inboard of the fuse. I have been slowly pulling this out at the side rails to get this to fit nice with the side of the fuse but I have no idea what to do with the front lower corners to get that gap out.
Brantel (Brian Chesteen),
RV12-IS, #121606, N912BC - Building Now!
RV10, #41942, N????? - Project Sold
RV-7/TU, #72823, N159SB - SOLD

Spike
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Post by Spike »

Wicked stick had a thread around here concerning his 8 canopy.
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Speed3Guy
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Post by Speed3Guy »

Here's a few photos, I may have more on my computer at home. http://websites.expercraft.com/geprevo/ ... g_id=27716. I set the canopy in place, and used a 1/2" spacer to trace a line from the fuse onto the canopy. When the 1/2" spacer became too much, I just used the sharpie by itself to get a line about 3/16" above the deck.

Guy
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Wicked Stick
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Post by Wicked Stick »

Speed3Guy wrote:Here's a few photos, I may have more on my computer at home. http://websites.expercraft.com/geprevo/ ... g_id=27716. I set the canopy in place, and used a 1/2" spacer to trace a line from the fuse onto the canopy. When the 1/2" spacer became too much, I just used the sharpie by itself to get a line about 3/16" above the deck.

Guy
Guy's technique is a good way to do it. (I did mine the same)
Most of the trimming will be at the front. Try not to take too much off from the back initially. Once you get the front about a 1/4" to a 1/2" above the roll bar, it's about time to cut it in half. Check for previous posts as I do remember posting some stuff on it.
Dave "WS" Rogers
RV-8 (125 hrs & counting)
N173DR

jetjoc
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Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:29 pm
Location: Lexington, Kentucky

Post by jetjoc »

Ill look for some older posts.
So, I guess I just trace the contour of the fuselage onto the canopy, and keep doing it little at a time untilits close to the roll Bar?
Thanks

weezbad
Class C
Posts: 528
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:00 pm
Location: darlington s.c.

Post by weezbad »

brantel, i joggled the sides to overlap where the side skins butt up to the front canopy skin. other than that, i didnt do any thing different except bend the skin sides diagonally on the sides. i had a gap between the left side near the front and the longeron. it probally looks better in the pics than it actually is i settled for it mostly because i was tired of messing with it. :oops: at the front edge where it meets the front top skin, i kind of edge rolled a tiny bit, so it aint perfect there either.
oh yeah once you think its perfect and settle that it is good be ready to love it after installing all fasteners and glassing it or sika. becuase it seems to do its own thing then. :roll:
Brantel wrote:Hey William,

Nice looking fit of the top sin. Did you have any problems with the canopy skin at the corners being a gap above the front top skin and if so, what did you do to fix it?

Also, I notice something down at front bottom sides of the canopy skin, did you do something here to minimize the gap everyone seems to have here?

At the front of this area, mine has a gap but as you get closer to the side rails, it moves inboard of the fuse. I have been slowly pulling this out at the side rails to get this to fit nice with the side of the fuse but I have no idea what to do with the front lower corners to get that gap out.
william....don't let it beat you down, you are stronger than you think.

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