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Finishing External Window Edges

AviatorJ

Well Known Member
I plan to have Grady at GLO Customs paint the 10 sometime after I complete Phase 1. Last I talked to him he was a good year out on scheduling so will all depend on openings. So it's feasible that I'll be flying around a good half year before getting in there.

Last I talked to him he suggested I finish the transparencies edges with glass and micro over to try and prevent cracking down the line. I did that but not overly excited about the way the edges turned out. Here's an example-



Is this something that will get 'fixed' in paint with some primer and top coat, or will I end up with the same look just painted.

I had an EAA Tech Counselor visit on Friday and one of them (A&P/IA) who works on big planes said they have some pneumatic tool that can apply a 1/2 or so strip of proseal. The idea would be to go about 1/4" up I suppose on the windscreen and have a clean line showing and then paint over that.

Ideas? Thanks!
 
I think you want to put down a layer of plastic electrical tape on the plexi, snug against the fiber glass. Then sand the fiberglass edge until flush with the tape. Apply a layer of thinned epoxy to make it all smooth, sand again. Remove the tape. Your painter should be happy with that.
 
Get some "pipe tape" at your local big box home improvement center store. It is a bit thicker (20 mils) than electrical tape and you can sand right down on top of it with no problem to get a nice edge.

IMG_2574-M.jpg


My painter (after painting the canopy frame) used some black silicon sealant as a fillet along the edges of the fiberglass where it meets the plexiglass. It is probably around 1/16" wide at most, but it looks great and keeps the edge of the paint from chipping.
 
I retaped the windows around the plane and used some thin epoxy and just went around all the edges with a spreader. I didn't thin it with Acetone, instead I used some really hot water and dipped my mix cup in there which seemed to thin it out fairly well. When it cures I'll sand it and remove the tape.

Thanks for the advice!
 
I used Proseal

I work in the "big plane" industry, and as another post mentioned, I used Proseal..my favorite stuff for everything. It will adhere to anything, is flexible, and paintable. I applied it around my -4 canopy by using fineline tape and masking out about 1/16" from the aluminum edge ( I assembled my canopy with Proseal between metal and Plexi) , then brushed a thin line of Proseal along the masked area, and wiped smooth with my finger wetted with Acetone.
 
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