Miscellaneous Canopy Work

Last evening, as I was  finishing up I discovered I was missing a small phenolic  plastic block that should have been with the kit.  There are supposed to be 2-each  ½ x ¾ x 2" blocks to be attached to the canopy roll bar to help guide the canopy as it closes.  I could only find one block.  I checked on the VAN's website and it will cost $3.50 plus postage and several days to get a 2nd block.  I decided to see if I could get a piece of material from Regional Supply.  They have this kind of plastic in stock so I drove up to their warehouse after work.  They gave me a piece of material ½" thick.  It is about 8" square so there is plenty of material to make a whole bunch of blocks.   

 

 

The edges of the blocks are supposed to be radiused.  I clamped the piece of material to the vise and used my router with a 1/8" round-over bit to radius the edges.  I drew a line at ¾" and cut off a ½" x ¾" strip.   

I cut 2-each 2" pieces from the strip.  I used the router to radius the final edges.  I now have 2-each guide blocks.  I marked the bottom of the blocks and drilled #19 holes.  They are ready to be installed onthe roll bar after the Plexiglas bubble has been reinstalled on the canopy frame.

 

Next I prepared the canopy deck guide blocks by countersinking them for #8 flat head screws.  I then used the 8-32 taps to cut threads in the holes.  I installed them on each side of the fuselage.

I clamped the canopy guide plates to the canopy frame and final drilled them for installation.  After that I prepped the guide plates and primed them. 

 I riveted the guide plates to the canopy frame.  One on each side.  They slide into the canopy deck guide blocks.

I ended the evening by putting new paper on top of my little work tables.  

 

 I placed a moving pad over the tables and placed the bubble canopy on the tables.  I used a #27 Plexiglas drill and final drilled all of the holes previously drilled in the edges of the canopy bubble.  I then used the micro-stop countersink tool to counter sink the attachment holes along the forward roll bar.

Canopy, Canopy Latch, Attach Angles

I started the evening by priming the canopy skirts.  They are ready to be finish painted along with the canopy frame when it is far enough along.  I also removed all of the clecoes on the canopy and removed the canopy from the frame.  I put the canopy bubble on a work table and installed the seats in the airplane.  I lifted the canopy frame to remove the corrugated cardboard strips from the longerons.  As I lifted the canopy frame it caught on the upper fuselage skin on the right side.  It looks like I will need to install a washer on this side to hold the frame out just enough to clear the skin.  I put a washer on the left side but I thought the right side had enough clearance.  It appears I was wrong.  I had Arlene play the role of the non-claustrophobic helper and climb into the cockpit.  I clecoed the canopy back in place.

 

As Arlene held a 2x4 block against the canopy attach angles I match drilled the holes along the top of the skirts through the Plexiglas bubble and through the attach angles.  It worked really well and I was able to drill the holes in short order.  After clecoing, drilling and removing the clecoes and the canopy bubble she was only trapped for about 10 minutes.  It was a pretty hot 10 minutes though.  As a reward for her help I got her a large diet coke.

After drilling the canopy and removing the same to free Arlene, I put the canopy back on the frame.  I did not install the clecoes this time.  I will need to remove the canopy soon enough so I left the clecoes out.  I turned my attention to the canopy latch that I started to work on Saturday.  I used my newly purchased 8-32 tap to cut threads into the body of the exterior handle.  I used the band saw to cut the corners at the front of the handle and used the Scotch Brite wheel to start rounding and shaping the edges.

After a lot of sanding, filing and polishing with the Scotch Brite wheel I have an acceptable exterior handle for the canopy latch.

Canopy Skirts and Latch

 

This evening I removed the canopy skirts from the sides of the canopy.  I removed the blue vinyl film and deburred the holes and prepped them with a Scotch Brite pad.  I also deburred the holes on the canopy frame.  After prepping the skirts I dimpled the first 5-holes on each side per the instructions.  I also countersunk the first 5-holes on each side of the canopy frame.

 

 

Next I curved the forward upper edge of each skirt to match the shape of the fuselage profile and the canopy bubble.  I reclecoed them in place to make sure the profile was acceptable.

 

 

 

I made a small fixture to drill the canopy latch exterior handle and the latch tube.  I glued and screwed a piece of 1x4 to the edge of a 2x4.  I used my square to mark a line on the fixture so I could mount the exterior handle vertically on the drill press table.  I clamped the handle to the fixture and drilled a #30 hole through the upper part of the handle.  I then inserted the latch handle tube into the hole on the exterior handle and drilled through the tube.  I then removed the tube and drilled an additional ¾" into the body of the handle.

 

I final drilled a #19 hole in the upper part of the exterior handle and the latch handle tube.  I also put a countersink in the exterior handle for a #8 screw.  I now need to tape the hole in the body of the exterior handle with an 8-32 tap.  If I have one I cannot find it so I will need to buy a new tape.