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Sikaflex...my canopy is cursed

ColoRv

ColoRv

Well Known Member
So, the canopy is cut and I get it all set to put the sikaflex to work. Tape the frame and canopy, sand the glued areas, cleaner, primer dried, put canopy in position...puncture the 295uv tube and it's WHITE. They sent the wrong flippin color. White, just isn't going to get it when I had my frame and rollover bar powder coated black...you know, for the black sikaflex and primer. :(

So, my question for those who know more about this sikaflex than I can find online is...what now? The primer will have been on at least 48 hours by the time I can get new 295uv here...do I clean the primer with the cleaner and reprime the frame and canopy? Sand it all off? I thought I read somewhere that this stuff can't be double coated. Do I need to pull all the tape off?

If you heard a loud noise from the east side of Denver a few minutes ago..it was me going a bit ballistic. I'm better now.....no I'm not. Dammit!

The airplane factory is temporarily closed...but the bar just opened! Cheers! :)
 
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I'm no expert, but I've Sika'd my canopy and windscreen. I wouldn't worry about the primer being on more than 48 hours. You can always wipe a thin coat on before you apply the Sika.

Sorry this happened, but you'll be past it soon. Don't go ballistic!
 
Good for a week

I spoke with a tech rep at Jamestown who said the use-by window is more a practical than chemical consideration - they don't want boat builders leaving the stuff on for a week while it gets dusty and contaminated before putting on windows. I was told that if you keep the primer clean and dust-free, it should be good for a week. I did my canopy in stages and the last stage ended up with a 1-week wait between application of primer and application of sika. Looks great and bond is strong. Check other threads - I believe some people mentioned doing a second coat but if it's clean it should not be necessary. PM me if you want the name and phone number of the tech rep.
Eric
 
Stewie said:
I spoke with a tech rep at Jamestown who said the use-by window is more a practical than chemical consideration - they don't want boat builders leaving the stuff on for a week while it gets dusty and contaminated before putting on windows. I was told that if you keep the primer clean and dust-free, it should be good for a week. I did my canopy in stages and the last stage ended up with a 1-week wait between application of primer and application of sika. Looks great and bond is strong. Check other threads - I believe some people mentioned doing a second coat but if it's clean it should not be necessary. PM me if you want the name and phone number of the tech rep.
Eric
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I owe you a beer. That's a load off my mind! Thanks a lot Eric.
 
It is

gasman said:
I guess my question is..... The color is not marked on the container?
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But it is not super conspicious. (thats my claim and I am sticking to it.) I can't say they sent me the wrong tubes...cos I grabbed the things out of the display myself. I had 2 black and one white, but did not notice it till I did the exact same thing, I pricked a hole in the end...white... However I used it as a final bead around the outside of the canopy which blended exactly with the white side skirt.
 
It is indeed marked on the side in very small writing and in several languages. I take my due share of the blame for not checking it closer. I did look when I opened the box, but I saw what I expected to see rather than what was actually there and blanco must have translated to black in my head. There is a word for that phenomenon. In the Marines we call it being a dumba**. :)

As long as I don't have to strip the primer (or prime a stripper), I'll just chalk this one up to mad cow disease, Alzheimer's or dumb luck.

Aye, building on....
 
Bill, Im in Glenwood Springs and I thought that was just a sonic boom. I had no idea it was you. Thinking back on it, I never heard a sonic boom that sounded like I was with a bunch of junior high kids!

Good luck with your canopy. Im sure it will be perfect when you are done!
 
Agree with other posters...I believe the literature says you can "reactivate" it after 48 hrs...I think you'll be fine.
 
rockwoodrv9 said:
Bill, Im in Glenwood Springs and I thought that was just a sonic boom. I had no idea it was you. Thinking back on it, I never heard a sonic boom that sounded like I was with a bunch of junior high kids!

Good luck with your canopy. Im sure it will be perfect when you are done!
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There isn't a high school kid alive that can toss obscenities like a marine who knows full well he should have caught the shipper's mistake before priming etc. I assume it's the same with all men, but I'm most upset when part or all of the blame is mine. I find it easier to take things in stride if others are completely to blame. When I walked up from the basement, the wife asked if the canopy had cracked (wives do pick up on our worst fears don't they?)....I guess she could hear my....uh....dismay upstairs.

Have you or Ron found any local places to buy sikaflex? Waiting for another east coast order is doable but...... West Marine just came to mind, and I'll try them when they open (what kind of business opens at 11am? Boat people...pfft). I checked all the typical Sika dealers in town before I ordered the first time, but none of them carry that line of goods as there isn't much need for boat window repair here in Denver. :eek:
 
Bill,

Just read your sikaflex white vrs black story and feel the pain.

I am about take on the canopy and wonder if you could post a shot of what your canopy and frame look like with the tape in place. I am just getting educated on the glue process and am not sure what gets masked and how much surface is exposed.

Thanks.

dd
 
Sika Primer re-do

Definitely clean and re-apply the primer. It is essential to develop full strength in the bond.

If you search enough in the archives, you will find that the first builder to try Sika did a bunch of testing, and delaying the bond past the recommended 2 hour window showed a significant decrease in strength. I think his test was a 24 hour delay. It was the primary reason that Van didn't lend his seal of approval to this method (too much variability based on builder technique). But re-applying the primer is the answer.

It just so happens that a former Sika tech rep must live in my area (or did anyway) because he brought his kids to one of our chapter Young Eagle events a couple of years ago. He noticed my canopy was bonded and we had a nice discussion. He had counseled a number of builders (for their 'off road vehicles', aviation use is not a supported application).

The 'reduced strength' may well be plenty strong (don't remember what data was made available), but re-applying the primer is pretty easy and straight forward since you have it all prepared.

Build on!
 
When I made that mistake, I just used the white SIKAFLEX.
I got over it. If I want it black, I'll paint it or put a skim coat of black SIKA over it later.
I keep my 8 in a hangar, and so will you. UV isn't going to melt your white SIKA, and you can get a good bond with the white you have, right now.
Play through, you'll be fine.
 
ColoRv said:
Have you or Ron found any local places to buy sikaflex? Waiting for another east coast order is doable but...... West Marine just came to mind, and I'll try them when they open (what kind of business opens at 11am? Boat people...pfft). I checked all the typical Sika dealers in town before I ordered the first time, but none of them carry that line of goods as there isn't much need for boat window repair here in Denver. :eek:
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I do get fiberglass supplies from West Marine...but it seems to me I checked with them about Sika and didnt find it there? (but dont quote me on that). I ended up ordering mine online.
 
I have purchased quite a bit of West Systems and other fiberglass - plastic things from http://www.plasticareinc.com/

They are just of S Santa Fe and the guys are pretty sharp there.
4211 South Natches Court, Unit K , Englewood, Colorado 80110 303- 781-1171

Maybe they have it?
 
Billiam,
I'm starting to get concerned about your upcoming move to the hanger. It appears you airplane should be named Christine (ala Stephen King). Be afraid.... be very afraid.

Is it a good thing when you make the front page of VAF or not?........ just saying
 
bobmarkert said:
Billiam,
I'm starting to get concerned about your upcoming move to the hanger. It appears you airplane should be named Christine (ala Stephen King). Be afraid.... be very afraid.

Is it a good thing when you make the front page of VAF or not?........ just saying
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It's the "How NOT to finish your plane page".

Hey, aren't you supposed to be scaring the **** out of passengers on their way to Australia? Folks, your pilot is surfing the net....BUCKLE UP!
 
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DGlaeser said:
Definitely clean and re-apply the primer. It is essential to develop full strength in the bond.

If you search enough in the archives, you will find that the first builder to try Sika did a bunch of testing, and delaying the bond past the recommended 2 hour window showed a significant decrease in strength. I think his test was a 24 hour delay. It was the primary reason that Van didn't lend his seal of approval to this method (too much variability based on builder technique). But re-applying the primer is the answer.

It just so happens that a former Sika tech rep must live in my area (or did anyway) because he brought his kids to one of our chapter Young Eagle events a couple of years ago. He noticed my canopy was bonded and we had a nice discussion. He had counseled a number of builders (for their 'off road vehicles', aviation use is not a supported application).

The 'reduced strength' may well be plenty strong (don't remember what data was made available), but re-applying the primer is pretty easy and straight forward since you have it all prepared.

Build on!
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Are you saying wipe with cleaner and reprime or sand it all off wipe and reprime?

David, I'll try to take some pictures when I pull the canopy off the frame after the new sika arrives, though there is NO reason to assume I'm doing it right. The problem is, I used black electrical tape, the frame and the primer are black....so I'm not sure the camera will pick it up very well. Basically, I put the canopy in place and ran a sharpie down the inside of the frame such that it made a mark an eighth inch or so below the frame edge. Then I pulled the canopy and taped so that the line wasnt covered. The cleaner removed the line prior to scuff up. The frame tape mirrors that. Pretty easy really. The rear gets a bit trickier as the canopy sits on top rather than alongside but it's the same idea just twists a bit.

My thoughts are apply the sika so that it just touches the tape, wipe with a soapy finger so that it barely touches the tape and then pull the tape. I have no idea if this really works yet. I'm also contemplating a second layer of tape a sixteenth or so in from the fist line...so that I can wipe, pull first layer, wipe and pull final. Advice much appreciated.
 
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ColoRv said:
Are you saying wipe with cleaner and reprime or sand it all off wipe and reprime?

David, I'll try to take some pictures when I pull the canopy off the frame after the new sika arrives, though there is NO reason to assume I'm doing it right. The problem is, I used black electrical tape, the frame and the primer are black....so I'm not sure the camera will pick it up very well. Basically, I put the canopy in place and ran a sharpie down the inside of the frame such that it made a mark an eighth inch or so below the frame edge. Then I pulled the canopy and taped so that the line wasnt covered. The cleaner removed the line prior to scuff up. The frame tape mirrors that. Pretty easy really. The rear gets a bit trickier as the canopy sits on top rather than alongside but it's the same idea just twists a bit.

My thoughts are apply the sika so that it just touches the tape, wipe with a soapy finger so that it barely touches the tape and then pull the tape. I have no idea if this really works yet. I'm also contemplating a second layer of tape a sixteenth or so in from the fist line...so that I can wipe, pull first layer, wipe and pull final. Advice much appreciated.
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Thanks for the info, Bill.

I just unpacked and inventoried the finish kit yesterday so there is plenty of time to get the act together.

If you have time, let us know how this all works out.
 
Sorry I caught this so late.

I am a certified auto glass installer who owns his own glass shop. I only use sikaflex urethane and primer. Just wipe it clean with a glass cleaner, then re-apply your primer. No need to sand it off. It'll do it's duty perfectly.

Hope this helps!
 
David Paule said:
Don't think that you would want to use glass cleaner on your acrylic....

Dave
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Glass cleaner won't hurt the acrylic at all. If it did, then just about EVERY acrylic canopy in the United States military fleet would be ruined. When we don't use glass cleaner we use a rubbing alcohol/water mix. You can try that as well. The important part is DON'T sand it.

You'll be fine man. Wipe clean, re-prime and you'll be set.
 
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