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.