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Another canopy question

M

mattsmith

Well Known Member
O.K. I?ve been to a lot of builder sites and did a couple of searches here and still don?t have an answer for my question. I started trimming the canopy 1" bellow the red line in the front and rear of the canopy, but the red line also was in the angle were the flange and canopy meet. When I cut the flange off the closest I could get was about a 1/4" above the red line running along the sides.
I have the front about where I like it and the finished edge is 1/2" bellow the red line at the crown at on the front skin.
First question did I make a mistake on the first cut on the sides when I cut 1/4" above the red line, it doesn?t look like the canopy will be long enough on the sides, the back and the front have plenty of length.
Second question should I make the big cut now or keep trimming the front to try and get the sides to come down on the frame more?
As always any help is greatly aprecheated.
 
more info

The canopy is touching the roll bar and the front bow of the canopy frame with the finished edge of the canopy on the 3 1/4" mark back from the aft storage compartment bulkhead. no adjustment was needed with the canopy frame rollers so the canopy would touch both at the same time.

for those who have gone before, how much did you cut off the sides of the canopy to get the proper edge distance with the canopy and canopy frame? Again any help would be appreciated.
 
Pictures would help Matt! it's been a long time since I trimmed an RV-8 canopy, but what I do remember is that I suffered through the decision on when to make the "big cut", and finally did it - and then realized that everything started to fit much better. The important thing that I learned was that once the canopy and windshield separate, they each start to take on a slightly different shape as required for their respective frames, and all was well. Oh - If you think that you have trimmed too much, STOP TRIMMING! :)

If I understand you correctly, you are probably close to making the cut, but as I said, it is tough to say without seeing it.

Paul
 
Agree a picture would be great help.

This is one of those agonizing steps that turn out to be more "fear of the mistake" . Once you make the "big cut" all is well and you wonder what the fuss was about. As Paul said, if in doubt stop.

In our case we trimmed to get the best overall fit, it doesn't seem like you are doing it right as one trim makes one side better and another changes. Once we had a good front and back fit, we made the cut. That changes everything and the canopy relaxes and sits right down. Then it is an easy trim as needed for final fit. Don't worry about getting the sides trimmed more than very roughly until after the big cut.

Good Luck.
 
pics

rv8canopy006.jpg
 
Thanks everyone for the reply

Bob,
thinks for the link to your build site, yours is one i have not seen yet and it did answer a lot of questions I THINK.
as soon as the front of the canopy touched the roll bar did you make the big cut? looking at the picture from 7/510 it looks like you did and then pulled the canopy forward, is this rite?
This is what I am thanking of doing. the aft part of the canopy fits the frame much better when pulled forward.

I have spent most of the afternoon trying to post pics and getting very frustrated, i will try to get some better pics but rite now I need a drink.
 
Matt

I THINK as soon as the front of the canopy touched the roll bar did you make the big cut?
Click to expand...
That is correct.

looking at the picture from 7/510 it looks like you did and then pulled the canopy forward, is this rite?
Click to expand...
Yep

It worked out so much more easier than I thought but that was a lot to do with having my inspector (EAA Tech Counsellor?) guide me through the process and having the info from this forum too.

Believe me banging **** out of that stupid elevator trim tab was much much worse!

Bob
 
todds?

looks like you have a todds canopy? I just finished installing mine, just a few notes. The canopy was to long to give the best fit, i use spacers just like you but when i got it to fit the best when i could slide it back and it fit the front, then slide it to the front and it fit the back but was too close to the forward door i left it there and made my cut. This let the canopy fit the rear frame the best. Once the cut was made the canopy droped down all the way around the roll bar. I have pre installed the skirts and i had made the right choice, they fit great! When the front windscreen gets installed it will need to be trimed shorter to get a little extra room in front of the forward door, but i have found that todds canopy is a little more pointed in front than vans, so a little less room when installed this way. Also , i did not trim any of the lower sides intill last, glad i did, only about 3/8 was left to cut. If you send me your e-mail i san send you a few pictures.
 
MATT,

Make sure you do not cut to much off of the back until last. Someone on the forum made me aware for this and I almost still cut mine to short. AS the front comes down to roll bar the back tends to what to creep forward so leave plenty on the back you can go back and cut this later. Mine was a todds canopy so not sure about a vans.
 
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