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Cracked canopy! WTB a new one.

ronschreck

Well Known Member
Looks like I'll be down for awhile. Is there a source for tinted RV-8 canopies? Or does someone have one I can purchase?

Don't know why this happened. The canopy has served me well for 2150 hours and all kinds of abuse. It cracked on a 75-degree day. Go figure!


Canopy Crack by Ron Schreck, on Flickr
 
Fix it NOW!
1) Use a cut off wheel to extend the crack all the way to the other side (so it doesn't go off in some other crazy direction).
2) Cover it with Sikaflex and an aluminum Targa stripe.
-Roll the aluminum strip in a slip roller to get the perfect cone shape and curve. Once you get it where it will lay in place, tape the SIKA boundary.
- apply the Sika & Targa strip. Push the Targa strip down into place until the SIKA is coming out the edges with no voids, and the join is slim.
-Then pull the tape with the pushed out Sika on it.
Looks good, lasts a long time.
https://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch-shear-press-brake-and-slip-roll-5907.html (the top part)
http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/sr-2024m-24-x-20-gauge-bench-model-slip-roll/756020 (better graphic)
That will buy you time. You can still fly while you gather parts and get ready.
Mine cracked in the same spot, I did the Targa, and it looks good enough to keep.
I saw it first on an RV-4, they crack in the same spot.
 
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Patch job

Assume you had a safe uneventful flight home. Did the patch job hold up adequately?
If you find a tented one let me know as I'm on the lookout for one as well.
Hopefully will see you up here next year.
 
Assume you had a safe uneventful flight home. Did the patch job hold up adequately?
If you find a tented one let me know as I'm on the lookout for one as well.
Hopefully will see you up here next year.

Morgan, thanks for the help. The patch held up nicely.

Scott, I have decided to take this opportunity to replace the canopy, rebuild the engine which has 2150 hours on it and repaint the whole airplane. It will be a long winter!
 
I sometimes wonder why guys who are unfortunate to crack canopies don't turn to the vintage and antique fellas for help.

Most of the warbird community have canopies and plexi repaired, filled and polished clear all the time. I remember seeing a plexi dome on a bomber being restored - it was in 5 or 6 pieces. After a couple of weeks work, you could not tell it was anything other than new.

We are tending to lose the old skills and methodology - my first thought with most things in maintenance is how do I repair it, not how do I replace it.

Obviously, there are caveats to all things, but it would be worth us as a community exploring repairs as they will always keep cropping up.

Dan H - any thoughts from you as a composite guru ?
 
I sometimes wonder why guys who are unfortunate to crack canopies don't turn to the vintage and antique fellas for help.

Most of the warbird community have canopies and plexi repaired, filled and polished clear all the time. I remember seeing a plexi dome on a bomber being restored - it was in 5 or 6 pieces. After a couple of weeks work, you could not tell it was anything other than new.

We are tending to lose the old skills and methodology - my first thought with most things in maintenance is how do I repair it, not how do I replace it.

Obviously, there are caveats to all things, but it would be worth us as a community exploring repairs as they will always keep cropping up.

Dan H - any thoughts from you as a composite guru ?

Appreciate your comments but I fear mine is beyond repair. It's really a nasty crack. I'm going to take this opportunity to ground the plane for the winter, install ADS-B Out, refurbish the interior, rebuild the 2150 hour engine and repaint the airplane. I would like to find a tinted canopy for the plane. Does anyone have contact info for Todd's Canopies? Are they still in business?
 
Appreciate your comments but I fear mine is beyond repair. It's really a nasty crack. I'm going to take this opportunity to ground the plane for the winter, install ADS-B Out, refurbish the interior, rebuild the 2150 hour engine and repaint the airplane. I would like to find a tinted canopy for the plane. Does anyone have contact info for Todd's Canopies? Are they still in business?


I actually disagree. You could fix this easily and fly another 2150 hours with it.

Yours looks MUCH better then that:

https://www.polyvance.com/pfxcanopy.php-1

grind out in a V shape, fill, polish done. Won't be "invisible" if you know what you are looking for but will be as strong as before and it's not in anybodies field of vision.

I do get the sensation though that you want to overhaul your RV a bit and this is just a trigger... . Good luck!

Oliver
p.s. Was nice meeting you again. Sorry you couldn't finish the contest. I enjoyed watching you fly the intermediate routine. Amazing all the things you can do with an RV.
 
I actually disagree. You could fix this easily and fly another 2150 hours with it.

Yours looks MUCH better then that:

https://www.polyvance.com/pfxcanopy.php-1

grind out in a V shape, fill, polish done. Won't be "invisible" if you know what you are looking for but will be as strong as before and it's not in anybodies field of vision.

I do get the sensation though that you want to overhaul your RV a bit and this is just a trigger... . Good luck!

Oliver
p.s. Was nice meeting you again. Sorry you couldn't finish the contest. I enjoyed watching you fly the intermediate routine. Amazing all the things you can do with an RV.

Oliver,

Yes, this is a trigger for a major overhaul and I want a tinted canopy with no imperfections. I'll be ready to compete next year. You won't recognize the airplane!
 
Are you considering any other changes, like a 'tip over' canopy for improved visibility and ease of bailing out?
 
Eyeup oow much ?

" my first thought with most things in maintenance is how do I repair it, not how do I replace it."

Spoken like a true Yorkshireman Mike.
 
Free canopy! (remove and ship at your expense)

Here's the other side. Guys, it's not a clean crack. Had to stop drill it in several places to get it home without losing the whole canopy! I suppose I could fix it... and it would look like a repair. Sorry, it's my airplane and I want it to look pristine. I will give the canopy to anyone who wants to repair it and put it on your new airplane. Come and get it!


 
Canopy

Call the source. Very nice people. They make the canopys for Vans.
Ask for samples. Personally, I picked SC-15. Highest UV rating.
Airplane Plastics
[email protected]
937-669-2677 (Becky and Jeff).
 
Nope! You are talking about a MAJOR re-design. I'm talking about remodeling.

Call the source. Very nice people. They make the canopys for Vans.
Ask for samples. Personally, I picked SC-15. Highest UV rating.
Airplane Plastics
[email protected]
937-669-2677 (Becky and Jeff).

I'll contact them tomorrow. Thanks.

I hear the guy moving in across the street from you next month knows a little bit about building RVs and has an RV-8 under construction. He may be able to help you when you need an extra sent of hands with the canopy in trade for when he needs help riveting the top skin on the right wing of his RV-8. I also hear he has been to the Lycoming Engine school and has a lot of the tools to take apart / put together a Lycoming with lots of spare engine parts / gaskets.
 
I hear the guy moving in across the street from you next month knows a little bit about building RVs and has an RV-8 under construction. He may be able to help you when you need an extra sent of hands with the canopy in trade for when he needs help riveting the top skin on the right wing of his RV-8. I also hear he has been to the Lycoming Engine school and has a lot of the tools to take apart / put together a Lycoming with lots of spare engine parts / gaskets.

I hope that guy gets here in a hurry. Sure will be nice to have an active builder right across the street. I hear his mom is a hoot as well. :p
 
Hope you will glue the new one on :D

PM me with an email and I will send you snaps of my 7 and 8 install with Sika - really straightforward.
 
Canopy Available

Search "RV8 Canopy" on Barnstormers and you will find what you are looking for.
 
WOW! - Now that's what I call a crack! That would go in my trash bin for sure.

Here's the other side. Guys, it's not a clean crack. Had to stop drill it in several places to get it home without losing the whole canopy! I suppose I could fix it... and it would look like a repair. Sorry, it's my airplane and I want it to look pristine. I will give the canopy to anyone who wants to repair it and put it on your new airplane. Come and get it!


 
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