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Starting Canopy

Dayton Murdock

Well Known Member
Hi Guys

This weekend I have started my canopy (Yea!). The first operation that I completed was to fit the piano hinge to the side rail and the canopy frame. The canopy frame requires some racking to align it. Is this normal? . I also had to sand and grind areas on the frame around the roll bar. Today?s task is to rivet the hinge to the side rail and install the locking mechanism. If any one has some wisdom on installing the canopy please respond in the forums.

Dayton
 
RV-4 Canopy installation

Hi Dayton;
You are at the point where you can decide if you want to follow Van's plans and have the canopy lock to pull BACK to lock : or like everything else in aviation - all forward to go.
I built mine to push forward to lock. That is pretty well the standard configureation for all other aircraft, IMHO.
I could email pix of mine if you are interested.

Bob Olds RV-4 , N1191X
A&P , EAA tech counselor
Charleston,Arkansas
 
oldsfolks said:
Hi Dayton;
You are at the point where you can decide if you want to follow Van's plans and have the canopy lock to pull BACK to lock : or like everything else in aviation - all forward to go.
I built mine to push forward to lock. That is pretty well the standard configureation for all other aircraft, IMHO.
I could email pix of mine if you are interested.

Bob Olds RV-4 , N1191X
A&P , EAA tech counselor
Charleston,Arkansas

Thanks Bob I would love to get some pixs of a finished canopy. I didn?t think of having the lever engage forward .That is a good idea.
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Dayton
 
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Fitting caopy frame

Hi Guys

What is the best proceedure to transfer the radius of the insturment panel to the canopy frame? Bend to frame to conform? Fill any void between the skin and the frame? :confused:

Dayton
 
Canopy frame

Dayton..
I remember that I had to cut the frame (front center) and add a piece then weld it all back together, to get it to fit the contour of the panel. The back bow had to be cut and rewelded too...All in all it won't take too long if you have a buddy with a tig welder :rolleyes: ....the good part about doing it this way was there was no big gaps to fill later (as I have seen on other 4's).....the side skins sit flat on the frame.....hope this helps a bit.

Marc
 
Cutting Canopy

Hi Guys

I cut my canopy from the flange today with an air drill and an abrasive wheel. The whole process went very well. :) On initial fit the canopy seem to be too tall and contacting on the forward and rear edges. I trimmed both ends about ??. I believe that I will need to move the bubble forward and allow the rear to rise up on the tube. Then I can trim about 1? from the forward bubble to cover the side tubes and come close to having 21? to the top of the canopy over the side rails. Has any one used the same process?
 
Canopy Lock

oldsfolks said:
Hi Dayton;
You are at the point where you can decide if you want to follow Van's plans and have the canopy lock to pull BACK to lock : or like everything else in aviation - all forward to go.
I built mine to push forward to lock. That is pretty well the standard configureation for all other aircraft, IMHO.
I could email pix of mine if you are interested.

Bob Olds RV-4 , N1191X
A&P , EAA tech counselor
Charleston,Arkansas

Bob,

I elected to do the same. However, I didn't have the roll bar installed at the time and I now have an interference between the lock tube and the roll bar. Would appreciate any pictures.

Thanks,

Wally Hunt
RV-4 Finishing Kit
 
Dayton;
I still have not found those color slides and now I can't find the pix of fuselage jig and construction of our feselage on our last plane. They just HAVE to be here somewhere, I hope I can find them before you finish your plane !!
I'm sorry about this - I've never been in such a mess.

Bob Olds
 
Broke Canopy frame

Hi Guys

Last night I was adjusting the tail end of my canopy frame trying to bend the small radius( Bad Idea! :( )and I broke it right at the apex of the radius. I think it can be repaired with a money gun. Please send one soon! Has any other builder experance the same mishap. please respond
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Dayton
 
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Canopy Skin

Hi Guys
I am working on fitting the right canopy skin. What is the method of fitting the upper forward corner? Does the flange against the canopy need to be stretched? Do I drill a hole and split the flange from the skin about 4? back from the butt joint with the forward skin?
What methods have worked for other builders?
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Dayton
 
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Finishing Canopy Skirt

Hi Guys

What is the process fo finishing the very rear of the RV4 skirt?
Do a lap joint? Do a butt joint with a splice plate on top?
This detail is not coverd in the builder manual :confused:

Dayton
 
Canopy Fairing

Hi Guys
Under the fiberglass fairing (forward edge of canopy) there are soft pop rivets. I drilled the canopy hole to 3/16? at those locations and put a large 100 deg chamfer. If I use the pop rivets with out any support under them I am afraid the canopy will crack or the rivet will pull through the canopy. How did you solve this issue? :confused:
 
Progress Report on my Canopy

I clecoed the sides and canopy this morning and after putting aside my fear of cracking the plexi with the first rivet, I started. I was surprised at how well the whole process went. The first twenty or so rivets went so well, I decided I needed a cokeyness break, so I took a couple of hours off to allow my ego to come down nice and slow. By the end of the day I had all my rivets done and I must say they look pretty good and I'm still married.

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The aft was a challenge to obtain a good fit

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And the finish product after 2 months and only one scrapped side skin.

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Dayton
 
Faring Blend

Hi Guys
I am starting the fairing this morning and after riveting the side skin in the forward area the edge pulled away from the canopy.
Is the fix for this to drill out a few of the side skin rivets and re-bend the skin? Build the fairing with the misalign skin then build up the fairing to push the skin down?
How well do the canopy rivets drill out?

Dayton
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Finishing the Fairing

This is my progress on the Fairing. I did manage to get some epoxy resin on the canopy that I will polish off later. :eek:
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Dayton
 
Hi Dayton

Doesn't seem to be many replies to you messages on the canopy. I thought I would say that from the photo's you seem to be doing fine. I like your rounded trailing edge, I made mine a bit sharper, and it is rubbing on the turtle deck skin and damaging it. It needs to be filed to releve the stress.

You appear to have got the sides behind the cockpit opening laying down very well.

you will love your 4.

Joe
C-FYTQ
 
Canopy Finished !

:) I finished my canopy last nite. Thanks for the help from every one. Here are the latest photos

Dayton Murdock
N359DM
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canopy taxi position

Dayton, get as many pictures of taxi position locks as you can, and then pick what will work best for you. Don't commit to one until you've seen a bunch. Some are really trick, some are pathetic. You'll know a good one when you see it. BTW, get the canopy plexi as warm as possible before cutting, drilling, etc.

Jeff
 
Canopy skirts

I am working on the rear canopy skirt at present. When I close the canopy the skirts spread slightly when contacting the fuselage topskin. This gives a nice tight fit now, but is clearly going to result in scratched paint later on. How have others dealt with this?

Nigel Marshall
RV-4
Chevreuse, France
 
Rear Canopy Skirt

Hi Nigel

When I was at the same building phase as you are I called Van?s and inquired about this issue. They suggested after my aircraft is painted to install the Clear UHMW tape in the area of the canopy skirt to prevent scratching

Dayton
 
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