Cool Products

   Free Software

  F1 Canopy Covers
  
        Cosmic
      Rocket Stuff

   Heater control Module
    Homemade EFIS
   HID Landing Light
  Equipment cooling
   Pitch Control Module
   External Power unit
  Painting it!
   Electrical
   Alternator
   LED NAV Lights  

Regular Rocket stuff

  Baffles    
   Balancing
    Cables/Throttle
    Canopy
    Control Stick
    Cowl
    Engine OH
    Firewall
    Paint
    Soon...
    Soon...

Please send your Accolades/Flames to:

Email Me

Copyright © 2002, 2003 by
R. Gross
Rocketboy Aircraft Products Inc.

Canopy and Windshield

The last thing is the fiberglass tapes that attach and fair the windshield in. The windshield has been fitted, you can even see the black carpeting oozing out below the edge. The is about 1/4" gap between the bottom edge of the windshield and aluminum, though some places it touches. On the inside of the canopy, the lower 1" of plastic was painted black. This is to hide the fiberglass tapes from being visible to the pilot. not really needed, but a nice finishing touch.. On the outside of the plastic, an very important line is drawn with high quality 3M electrical tape.
DO NOT USE CRAPPY TAPE HERE... ASK ME HOW I KNOW!
This line will become the finished edge, see forever. Using 2" fiberglass tape, I went one inch above and below the center of the gap. Not much worry about the bottom edge as it will be sanded and blended into the aluminum.
Despite my Herculean efforts to get the canopy frame and windshield bow to align properly, there still was a bit of mis-alignment. Looking carefully at this picture, you can see where I had to grind the left aft edge of the windshield thinner to get a nicer alignment. The technique worked well and even after painting, it's completely invisible.

Time to sand 80 grit paper all over the aluminum and exposed plastic!

TAPES ON!

The specified number of tape layers are applied using West System epoxy. In the morning, it will be ready to GRIND!

Grind off the high spots with 80 grit paper, then apply the first of many (2-3) layers of epoxy/microballoons. I tried other fillers and had to grind them out later. Don't waste time with anything but West System epoxy and microballoons. It works. Everything else is crap. NOW that's an OPINION.

I used sanding blocks made from different diameter PVC pipes with 80 grit PSA sandpaper stuck to them. This worked well. Then a few coats of K36 primer and its done. The first time I did this job it took many days. The second time, it took 7 hours. Nothing like a little experience huh? Don't forget to extend the tapes down the sides of the fuselage a bit as shown. Later this are will be sanded to a nice termination.

Below, the tapes have been filled with the first layer of microballoons.

Next comes some filling primer, and ready for paint. Time for a vacation, the hardest part is OVER!

Remember, West System Epoxy and microballoons, and 3M electrical tape. All else is rubbish.

"Sadly, artificial intelligence will probably never be a match for natural stupidity."
- Rocketboy