Status Brantel #72823

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:26 am

Brantel wrote:I think I like the idea of sikaflexing the rear on as well because it gives a natural seal and there are no screws to deal with. I just don't know a good way to hold it up there till the glue sets and to keep even pressure on it.

Here's a couple of pics of how these Swiss builders did it...

Their website is really good for canopy frame and canopy info...

http://www.flyvans.com/index.asp

Post by **bullojm1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:40 am

Man, looking at all that sticky stuff, I am glad I used screws! How much more time are you guys estimating gluin' your canopy is going to add to the build?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:42 am

Makes no difference whatsoever to me. However long it takes, is how long it takes man. It's never been about time to build for me...

...as it has been build it how I want to build it.

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:59 am

bullojm1 wrote:Man, looking at all that sticky stuff, I am glad I used screws! How much more time are you guys estimating gluin' your canopy is going to add to the build?

Not sure. Cure time is where the most extra time comes in. It is a hurry up and wait type of thing, kinda like building tanks.

I really did not have that big of an issue with tank building so I don't think I will have a problem with this. Like Chad, I am in no major rush because for me, the big ticket items have no funding at this time

Just wait till they show pics of that canopy with all the protection peeled off, they look great! The black covers all the sub structure from the inside and their will be nice factory looking fillets around everything.

Not 100% I am sikaflexing yet but really close to it. I am waiting to see how well Chad does with it first

he is my guinea pig.

weezbad · Post by **weezbad** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:02 am

cjensen wrote:Makes no difference whatsoever to me. However long it takes, is how long it takes man. It's never been about time to build for me... ...as it has been build it how I want to build it.

man i wish i could think that way. chad obviously doesnt have kids yet.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:22 am

Brantel wrote:Like Chad, I am in no major rush because for me, the big ticket items have no funding at this time

Same boat for me man...

Brantel wrote:Not 100% I am sikaflexing yet but really close to it. I am waiting to see how well Chad does with it first he is my guinea pig.

Great...guinea pig again...

Post by **bullojm1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:22 am

See, I have an engine waiting to be put on, a FWF kit on its way and pretty much everything except the EFIS sitting at my house. I am on a mad mission to get the engine on by the end of June.

It makes total sense for you guys who are on a slower build rate to do the sika, since it doesn't really cost that much more. And I will totally agree, it does look better!

My recommendation for you guys who are going the sikaflex route is to really think about how you are going to deal with the gap between the rear window and the canopy. The rear window will move around on ya a little until it is securely clamped/bonded to the rollbar AND the aft skin. Don't think you can trim it to fit before it is secured (I tried this). So, your only option is to contour the aft end of the forward canopy to the rear window. Just something to think about.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:23 am

weezbad wrote:
cjensen wrote:Makes no difference whatsoever to me. However long it takes, is how long it takes man. It's never been about time to build for me... ...as it has been build it how I want to build it.
man i wish i could think that way. chad obviously doesnt have kids yet.

NOPE! And we don't plan to!

Post by **Spike** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:03 am

cjensen wrote: NOPE! And we don't plan to!

That might change .... trust me.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:03 am

bullojm1 wrote:My recommendation for you guys who are going the sikaflex route is to really think about how you are going to deal with the gap between the rear window and the canopy. The rear window will move around on ya a little until it is securely clamped/bonded to the rollbar AND the aft skin. Don't think you can trim it to fit before it is secured (I tried this). So, your only option is to contour the aft end of the forward canopy to the rear window. Just something to think about.

I've been thinking about this this morning since the issue of riveting the foward-aft skin was brought up...

I'm wondering (and I have no idea what the window to skin relationship is yet) if it would be possible to get the rear window trimmed to fit the canopy (after the canopy is already done and cured), then glue it to the roll bar only with the skin cleco'd in position and the window braced up to it. Then, after the Sika is cured on the roll bar, remove the skin, go thru the Sika process along the window to skin line, 100% cleco the skin on, let the Sika cure, then rivet the skin on.

???Would that work???

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:05 am

Spike wrote:
cjensen wrote: NOPE! And we don't plan to!
That might change .... trust me.

Said in my best Tim Allen grunt...Uuuhhh? You got news??? Or did I miss or forget something...

Post by **bullojm1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:18 am

cjensen wrote: I'm wondering (and I have no idea what the window to skin relationship is yet) if it would be possible to get the rear window trimmed to fit the canopy (after the canopy is already done and cured), then glue it to the roll bar only with the skin cleco'd in position and the window braced up to it. Then, after the Sika is cured on the roll bar, remove the skin, go thru the Sika process along the window to skin line, 100% cleco the skin on, let the Sika cure, then rivet the skin on.

???Would that work???

Chad-

I am sure you can get it to work if you can come up with some way to push the rear window against the aft skin from the inside. If you think about it, you would need to do that anyways to apply an outward force to hold the window against the skin while the sikaflex is setting. Since I was going the screw route, I didn't put much thought into making this jig.

Back to your question, why would you want to do this? Why not just sika the rollbar and skin at the same time to the window?

Post by **Spike** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:13 pm

cjensen wrote: Said in my best Tim Allen grunt...Uuuhhh? You got news??? Or did I miss or forget something...

No, you didn't miss anything. I was just commenting that Patti and I were "no kids!" when we were married and younger. As you age that very well may change. It is something we have talked about.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:33 pm

bullojm1 wrote:Back to your question, why would you want to do this? Why not just sika the rollbar and skin at the same time to the window?

Maybe I misunderstood what you said originally about the gap between the rear window and the canopy. You said the window will move until it's securely clamped to the rollbar and the aft skin.

My thought is, that if I can get the gap just how I want it, set it in place with the window to roll bar joint, then glue the window to the skin wherever it ends up...

We need a new thread for this since this is Brian's status thread...

Brantel · Post by **Brantel** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:03 pm

cjensen wrote: We need a new thread for this since this is Brian's status thread...

Don't worry, I am going for the record longest thread

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:12 pm

I think you are succeeding!

Post by **bullojm1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:06 pm

cjensen wrote:
Maybe I misunderstood what you said originally about the gap between the rear window and the canopy. You said the window will move until it's securely clamped to the rollbar and the aft skin.

My thought is, that if I can get the gap just how I want it, set it in place with the window to roll bar joint, then glue the window to the skin wherever it ends up...

My fear in gluing it to the rollbar first is it might be misaligned with the rear window and you wouldn't catch it. If you had some way to push the aft window outwards against the skin, you wouldn't have a problem sika'ing it all at one time and knowing your alignment on the rollbar was dead on.

Man, I think i spent longer writing that response than I did drilling my window

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:24 pm

Fear not Mr. Bullock...I highly doubt missing something that important.

The skin would be in position and and the window braced...it would make no sense at all if it wasn't...

Did you see the brace in the picture I posted above?

They braced it each way, and vertically...the reason I posted the picture was the brace.

TomC · Post by **TomC** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:05 pm

I am sure you can get it to work if you can come up with some way to push the rear window against the aft skin from the inside.

What about this. Get all the sticky stuff in place, place a self inflating life raft in the baggage area, then pull the cord. Yeah! That's the ticket!

Post by **bullojm1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:45 pm

Ah, I see the brace now....Sik-On!