May 02, 2024     Bonded foam block - (1.5 hours)       Category: Canopy

I've looked at a few projects and finished RV12s to get a better idea of what Van's has in mind with this process (in addition to reading the directions, of course) and the new epoxy pumps arrived from Aircraft Spruce this week, so I went ahead and bonded the foam blocks to the canopy frame with epoxy. I laid a couple of 2x4s against the to exert a slight pressure to be sure they bonded well. Not sure when I'll get back out there to start sanding them into shape.

  Apr 27, 2024     Cut foam blocks       Category: Canopy

The band saw was fine for cutting the foam blocks. A hacksaw blade also would have done the trick. I fit the block into appropriate space, and cut the 7/8" hole for access to the frame attach bolts and drew a line to mirror the contor of the forward fuselage skin. But I can't bond it yet because I don't have pumps for the West System epoxy ingredients (I must have thrown the old ones out), so I ordered new ones from Aircraft Spruce and threw in an order for those canopy block screws while I was at it.

There's a gap between the block and the skin and I've read ahead and found nothing about molding some clay and putting it in there but that seems like that would be appropriate, but I don't know. We'll see. I asked one of the Facebook groups for advice.

So now I'll wait for the AS order. Maybe it's time to finish polishing the VS and rudder and getting those put on.

  Apr 26, 2024     Prepped for canopy fairing work - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

The screw on the right side is interfering with the guide block so I chamfered the outside bottom edge as instructed. But the struts aren't installed and there's really no way to do this right. So I think I'll wait until those are reinstalled. Meanwhile, I dug out the seal spacer and adjusted it so it lays pretty flat along the aft edge of the forward skin. Then I wrapped it in .05 width duct tape, and added enough to make the width about .075 and secured it in place. I have some concerns about the effect of duct tape on the nice panel blank but we'll just have to see.

I got some masking tape and paper and masked off the instrument panel and the interior against dripping epoxy.

I have concerns about the outside ends of the forward part of the canopy which sit below the front skin. That's quite a gap. I would think some modeling clay in there would make the fiberglass strips sit better. We'll see. I don't think that's in the instructions.

I added strips of duct tape along the edges of the forward skin as directed. I added 10 strips each on the first 30 inches along the upper fuselage skin, and I drew a 2 1/2" reference line from the canopy skirt along that edge.

I got the foam blocks out and marked how they are to be cut but decided not to do that today. Not exactly sure what the best way to cut should be.

  Apr 22, 2024     Canopy guide blocks installed - (1.5 hours)       Category: Canopy

Another small order from Van's came in so I attached those rears screws and nuts on the side of the canopy and cut off some threads. The one on the left may need more trimming. Then measured out the first hole for the canopy guide blocks and tapped it, then marked the second hole, drilled, and tapped that. Of course, I came up one AN5098R16 short.

  Apr 15, 2024     Removed struts - (.5 hour)       Category: Canopy

Phil Martineau stopped by to help me take the canopy off (and deliver some -06 metal locking nuts) but by then I realized it was possible to remove that screw that holds the front of the strut without taking the canopy all the way off. Here's the process.

1) Remove the connecting hardware for the strut attachment to the fuselage (aka, the connection at the rear of the strut). This is done with the canopy open.
2) Lower the canopy, placing pillows or blankets or something (I use old, cut -up, camper mattress foam) underneath both side of the canopy frame at the midpoint.
3) Detach the two bolts (one on each side) holding the canopy/frame to the fuselage.
4) GENTLY pull the canopy/frame forward as it ride on the foam (or blankets or pillows, until you can lift one side high enough to get a screwdriver on that screw, then remove the locking nut and assorted hardware and remove the strut. Repeat for the other side.
5) GENTLY work the canopy/frame back until the frame-to-fuselage hole (aka, the most forward hole), lines up and reinstall the bolt and hardware.

Simple, no?

The one thing I noticed putting those two bolts back in, however, is the bushing callout. Now, I don't know if the canopy frame came without a bushing in the holes or whether that's where I pressed those bushings in. Or is the drawing referring to a bushing used as a spacer. It was five years ago. I vaguely recall using a socket set to press a bushing in place but I don't know if it was on this part or not. I ordered a couple of bushings anyway and I'll wait until I get this mystery solved before continuing.

It would help to take a look at an RV-12.

  Apr 15, 2024     Started on SB0000-88 - (1.5 hours)       Category: Canopy

Apparently there's been a problem with the cowling rubbing the radiator on startup with RV-12's, which cause the radiators to leak and need replacement. A fix increases the gap between the radiator and cowling. But it requires you to take the radiator off, cut off a couple of flanges and/or ears, and rivet on a new bracket. So I was able to get the radiator off. But using a cutoff wheel to cut stuff off filled me with some concern. Any slip cuts into the fins. So I put some .063 over the coolng fins and duct taped it down. I was able to cut the flange off, and then I cut the "ears" ALMOST off and then just wiggled them until they snapped off. Looking at the SB instructions suggested that's what Van's did, too, as you can see a little "point" there. You have to do that because otherwise you're almost certainly going to cut into the fins.

  Apr 13, 2024     Riveted front of canopy - (1.3 hours)       Category: Canopy

I riveted the front line of rivets. One is sitting rather proud. I don't know if I just didn't push it in far enough or maybe I forgot to countersink that one. I don't know. Another hole had a small chip on the edge of the countersink. . That'll crack eventually so I'll just have to keep an eye out for it so I can drill a stop hole at that time.

I believe these are all going to be buried in fiberglass.

I also assembled the lock handle.

  Apr 12, 2024     Ran out of screws - (2.5 hours)       Category: Canopy

One of the problems about getting near the end of the project, is you start running out of parts. A screw falls here, a nut falls there over the course of 7 or 8 years and the next thing you know you're submitting a $3 order to Van's with the $10 shipping charge.

I'm 3 screws short on the sides of the canopy along with two nuts. That's my order.

  Apr 11, 2024     Resumed work on canopy - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

The temperature is warming up enough where I think I can start working on the canopy again. I was able to get the hangar up close to 80 with the kerosene heaters and I started polishing that scratch on one side that's been bugging me. I used NOVUS 3 (no idea where 1 and 2 went) and got it better.

I wasn't happy last fall with the screwing on of the rear canopy to the frame so I took those screws out and drilled out the holes in the frame to a #27. I added a few new scratches taking the canopy off so I'll have to polish those out now. But the screws (except for the ones right on the curves) sit in there a little better now.

I also fit and match drilled the two canopy lift attaches and somehow all of that took four hours.
The next step will be to rivet on the skirts and front of the canopy and start on the foam blocks and then the fiberglass skirts in the front.
Once I get that done I can get inside to finish up control attachments etc.

  Aug 09, 2023     Added canopy blocks - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

The replacement canopy blocks showed up so I went back to the hangar one final time before shutting it down for the summer. They installed fine. Then I riveted on the guide that goes into the slots. I didn't bother adding the blocks to the rollbar yet (Van's acknowledged that they should be drilled #27, btw). In some of these shots you can see a problem. The edge distance on the canopy skirt-to-attach angle i miniscule. This is only on the pilot side. I'm dumbfounded as to why this would be since there's really only one way for the skirts to fit, especially with the cardboard spacers in place.

I clecoed on the canopy and then put screws/nuts in place along the rear bow. What I found is, despite the clecoes being staight as I drilled, the holes, while perpendicular to the plexi, are not PERFECTLY lined up with the hole in the canopy frame. And how could they be since the method of drilling is to eyeball the underlying frame hole. This as a little easier to cover on the RV-7A since we were dealing with flush screws; not so on the RV-12.

I remain concerned about the canopy edge slightly resting against the frame near the forward corner cutouts. Van's tech support didn't seem particularly concerned in this location, but I am.

  Aug 08, 2023     Canopy latch odds and ends - (1 hour)       Category: Canopy

My email to Van's support was returned and was underwhelming. There are new support people there and it's tough to get a straight answer. The only answer I got to the question of whether the callout for a #19 hole when it's to be tapped to 8-32 was "best to use the instructions for the parts you have" when I'd asked if that callout was correct and had been corrected in a subsequent revision before the plans and part numbers changed?

Anyway, a new bushing for the canopy latch arrived (couldn't find the original one) which meant a $3 part with $5 shipping) and I had to file it out to get it to fit over the canopy handle. I beveled the inside of the lower edge so it would fit lower on the handle as instructed. And I painted the handle (I knew the old engine mount would be good for something).

I also made the lifting latches out of 3/4x3/4/x.063 (after a search located the angle), and then put the parts aside for the spring as I'm about to leave for Boston.

So the canopy is sitting on the frame, unclecoed and we'll get back to it when I return from the East.

  Aug 05, 2023     Guide block nonsense - (1 hour)       Category: Canopy

Parts and instructions have changed since the finishing kit was delivered years ago and sometimes that can bite you in the tush. So can just being dumb. I pulled out the plastic blocks that go along with the guide plate. Instructions say to tap the holes 8-32 and countersink for a #8 screw, so I drilled the holes to #19. Why? Because the canopy latch instructions have you do the same thing. But #19, at least for the canopy block, is too large a hole for an 8-32 tap. So I had to reorder the block and they're stupid expensive ($12 apiece. For plastic). Not sure how that latch is going to work out but I guess we'll find out later.

I also pulled the guide blocks. These parts have changed since my finishing kit arrived. These instructions also say to drill #19 and tap. Nope. Not gonna do it. I sent a note to Van's asking if that's correct.

I put the canopy back on the frame without clecoing it down and I think that's where I'll keep it through the winter as I'm soon to leave for back East.

Airplane construction is likely over for this year.

  Aug 03, 2023     Painted skirts - (.5 hour) Category: Canopy

Not much to do at the hangar so primed and painted (rattle can; hammered finish) the interior side off the canopy skirts.

  Aug 02, 2023     Canopy work - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

It was another warm day in the Twin Cities, perfect for drilling plexiglass, so "H", our longtime family friend agreed again to be the hobbit who got inside to hold the wood block against the canopy skirts. She did a fine job but when done, I noticed the edge distance on the left side was quite small. How is this possible? The canopy skirts are predrilled, the canopy was closed in its normal position; everything was as directed. No clue, and I'm not going to worry about it.

I had someone coming for a camper rental demonstration hours later so I decided to just stay at the hangar and work.

I deburred the new holes in the canopy, then drilled all the holes out to #27 and deburred them again. Then I countersunk all the holes in the canopy along the front bow.

I drilled the canopy latch mechanism as intructed. I'll need to prime and paint the latch. And I drilled the canopy guide and countersunk it to fit a #8 screw. I'd done pretty much the same thing to the canopy latch after drilling out to a #19 as instructed. So I did the same thing to the blocks. That was stupid. First, an 8-32 tap takes a #27 hole, not a #19. So I ordered new blocks. They're backordered. So I think that pretty much concludes the canopy work for this year.

  Jul 27, 2023     Drilled canopy skirts - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

Another hot day in the Twin Cities so it was back to work on the canopy. I put it back on the canopy frame but the sides still don't tuck into place so it was a lot of sanding and fitting and finally got them to sit flush against the canopy attach angle. Once that was done, I taped up the canopy skirts and then drilled and clecoed them to the canopy frame on both sides. Then dimpled the forward five holes on each and countersunk the corresponding holes on the frame and bent the forward part so they sit up against the canopy. Then I removed everything and deburred all holes on the frame, canopy, and skirts and trimmed the aft end of the skirts to allow a 1/16" clearance to the tailcone skin.

Next step is to put it back on after having a volunteer, probably Heather, get inside and then drill the skirts to the canopy and attach angles.

Everything is looking good so far.

  Jul 27, 2023     Drilled front and rear bows - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

The temperature in the hangar yesterday hit a balmy 101 degrees and I didn't want to miss out on perfect conditions for drilling acrylic plastic so I went to the hangar and drilled the canopy to the front and rear bows of the canopy frame.

Before I did, however, I sought information from Van's Aircraft's technical department regarding instructions to "pull down" the sides of the canopy and duct tape them down, knowing that doing so would eliminate the near perfect fit of the sides of the canopy against the canopy frame angles (these and the side skirts still to be drilled will "sandwich" the edges of the canopy in place).

The response :
//Hi Bob,

//Yes, what you are doing is acceptable. The plexiglass will flex a bit. It is best to fit first and trim second. As long as you are getting good contact over the front bow, you will what to avoid filing. This may cause a weak point.

//Thanks!

//Tom

I had also asked about that point where the canopy edge goes over the canopy frame near the notch cutout. They didn't seem concerned about that.

And so I did as instructed and drilled the canopy to the frame front and back, using the deburring tool on each hole in the canopy before clecoing it into place.

After doing so, I found that there's NOT flex in the canopy to move those sides back into position after removing the duct tape, so I marked them and after taking off the canopy, sanded the sides to near the line to see if they'll fit better. I didn't sand them all the way to the line but pretty close. I'll do more after I pick up some 100 grit sandpaper. I polished the edges to 225, 400, and 600 grit just to be safe.

I also deburred the underside of the holes in the canopy and all the holes on the front and rear bow.

I guess I was supposed to drill the side skirts to the canopy frame (not through the plexi) before taking the canopy off the frame but, of course, until the sides fit back in their appointed spot, I can't really do that. Once they do, I'll have a helper next week hold a wood block against the frame as I drill the side skirts though the canopy.

I'll probably have to wait until spring to do the fiberglass work in the front of the canopy as I'm moving back East for three months but getting this part done now puts me back on track to maybe get this thing in the air next year. Whether I'm flying it is still to be determined.

By the way, looking back at the instructions (where I date everything), I found it was FOUR YEARS AGO when I first pulled the canopy out of the shipping box and set it on the canopy frame.

  Jul 25, 2023     Drilled front frame - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Fit the canopy again and sanded edges . Then did the tape trick to indicate where the canopy meets frame. Removed canopy and drilled #40 pilot holes. Will drill tomorrow.

Not quite sure about instruction to duct tape sides and pull down but we'll see.

  Jul 24, 2023     Fit canopy - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

It's the hottest week of the year so far and I've finished building a shed for Sean (except for painting) and I'm thinking MAYBE I can get the canopy fitted and drilled before I have to move to Massachuetts for three months to take care of my sister, who is battling leukemia and just had a stem cell transplant. So I pulled the very dusty canopy out. And it fits great with the rear window. I didn't realize I wouldn't have to be doing a lot of slicing like when I built the RV-7A canopy many years ago.

I'm stuck, however on some dimensions Van's calls out in the plans for the forward corners. There are reference lines on the plans but they don't seem to point to anything. I'll do some more research.

  May 06, 2023     Painted canopy frame - (.5 hour)       Category: Canopy

Slowly -- too slowly -- it's warming up outside and soon it will be warm enough to start drilling some acrylic plastic. I noticed over the winter I hadn't painted the canopy frame so now that the hangar is dried out and warmed up a bit, I grabbed a can of hammered finish rattle can paint and did the job. Looks acceptable.

Other than that, not much more I can do until that rear window is drilled and installed. I did buy a battery charger for the EarthX battery and took care of that, though.

  Sep 12, 2019     Canopy prep - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

It got up to near 70 outside so I turned on the kerosene heaters and got the hangar up to near 90 degrees, enough so I felt comfortable pulling the canopy out of the rate, where it has sat for more than a year.

I then started getting it ready for fitting, pulling the plastic protective covering up about 3" along its edges and then taping them down with painters tape to keep it from unfurling during the various ons-and-offs that will, no doubt, by required the rest of the way.

Will I be able to get to it this year before things turn cold? Not sure. It's supposed to bein the 80s next week, but I have Twins games to work for their final homestand and, more important, Carolie's mom, Oralie, isn't expected to live much longer at the memory care center. I might just wait.

Update: Found out I really can't do this until the tail is attached. Put it back in the crate and will do it next summer.

  Sep 08, 2019     Riveted side arms on canopy frame - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

It was really stupid using the summer months to work on the fairings just because the section on them in the instructions came before the section on the canopy.

It's September now and getting cool fast, too cool to be drilling into PlexiGlas. Maybe there'll be a heat wave and I can dedicate a few days. Or maybe I'll just wait until next summer (which was the plan at this time last year).

Anyway, I riveted on those side things. Once thing I noticed is the clamps pulling the hammered finished paint off the rollbar. That sucks. I'll have to repaint or otherwise touch it up at some point.

  Sep 07, 2019     Fluted canopy frame brackets - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

I decided to try to regain my working days routine where Saturday morning was building time, ignoring things like Lyft driving to try to make a little money in retirement. I'm retired, for crying out loud. Enjoy it.

So I worked in earnest on the canopy frame, and since I'd lost two of the spacing blocks, fixed the bandsaw (bought a new blade to replace the broken one) and cut new blocks then put them in place and clamped with "pony" clamps.

Although I have put the 1/8" spacer cardboard on the canopy rails, the frame does not sit entirely on them. Experience with the RV-7A tells me that the weight of the canopy will take care of this, but I changed a pony clamp to a C-clamp to keep the frame properly in place AND to get the proper 1 7/32" spacing between the front of the rollbar and the aft end of the frame, or something like that anyway.

Then I fluted the -- I don't know what you call them so I'm calling them brackets -- that sit on top of the rails to get them to follow flush the inside curve of the side rails, which probably also isn't the right word but I know what I mean even if nobody else does.

  Aug 31, 2019     Mounted canopy frame - (1 hour)       Category: Canopy

I mounted the canopy frame to the fuselage. It fits OK, not so great in the back where the rollbar hits the frame, but I'm sure that will be worked out.

I taped the cardboard along the canopy rails as instructed in order to give the proper distance between the rails and the frame. There's really not a lot you can do to adjust things too much as it's angle and welds along most of the frame. I did make a very slight adjustment to the forward bar to achieve the -- roughly -- 7/16" gap between the skin and the frame.

  Aug 28, 2019     Gas struts to canopy frame - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Having drilled the holes in the gas struts to full size, I attached them to the canopy frame using the hardware in the callout, and beveled the inside edge of the forward part of the canopy on both sides.

Then I aligned the canopy latch tap to the center rear part of the frame, drilled to #30 and, after priming the location, riveted it to the frame with LP4-3 rivets.

  Aug 21, 2019     Started on canopy frame - (1 hour)       Category: Canopy

Enlarged the holes in the gas struts as directed, match drilled pieces to the side rails that were already tack welded in place, filed down the forward center weld where the plexiglass will meet the frame.

Had a question about the instruction to bevel the angle of the side rails which didn't make sense to me, but got clarificatioin from Van's that it applies only to the most forward section of the side rail (presumably to make skin fit.