Message-ID: <001f01c036a7$095e7ec0$a6c21c18@cox.rr.com>
From: "Richard Helms" <rhelms@cox.rr.com>
To: <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
References: <20001015045413.AAA15232@ns1.olsusa.com>
Subject: Re: LNC2 Canopy Trimming
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2000 08:54:20 -0400
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Mime-Version: 1.0

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   I did not trim anything from my SFB kit canopy frame.  I had some thin
edges which had become a little ragged and I did straighten those up by
cutting back a little but it was probably 1/8th inch at the most.   I did
trim two to three inches from the Plexiglas at the back edge and a little
around the sides as I recall.  It looked to me like the frame was perfect
and the glass was the oversized part.  I have not noticed a problem with the
view.
   If I ran into difficulty with the canopy it was getting the glass and
frame to match up as perfectly as possible.  I did that by cutting out 1
inch by 1 inch, sometimes longer/larger, strips of AL 1/8th inch think to
act as braces to force the glass up against the frame.  (You drill holes in
the frame at the edge of the plexiglass and cleco the plexiglass in place.
Do not drill the plexiglass!!!  Essentially these AL strips were cleco
holders (#40 holes drilled in them)  and were used to encourage the
plexiglass and fiberglass to take the right shape.  I think mine looks
great.
   Also remember to roughen up the area of the plexiglass which is going to
be getting the hysol and smooth out all cut plexiglass edges so you don't
develop any stress cracks.  If I had it to do over again I would probably
angle the inside edge of the glass a little more.   You can easily fill with
mirco before adding the bid edge, however.
   One last suggestion.  When you get the glass in place with Hysol make
sure you have a nice cure edge running all around the outside.   You don't
want a lot of excess hysol up on any of the tape (I used a good quality
electrical tape) to cure there.  Get the tape as close to the
plexiglass/fiberglass edge as you can...shoot for 1/8th inch.  Get as much
Hysol off as you can and still have the nice edge.  If you need larger
pieces of AL to brace that edge so you do not have a gap, make them up to
fit the spot.  You can pull the electrical tape off when the Hysol is in the
slightly wet of green state.  Pull it back against itself and away from the
glass.  You now have exposed glass so keep away from it until it cures and
when it does, get a new piece of tape on it before you do anything else.
Also, monitor the condition of the good quality electrical tape.  If you
quality is not so good, you manage to bake it on, or leave it too long, it
will dry out and become nasty to remove.  Replace before it gets that way.

Hollis Helms
Vienna, VA
LNC2

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