Canopy Issues

[Shane Grieve]

My canopy was cracked when a line boy retraced the gear on the ramp instead of deploying the spolilers, the FBO offered to take care of the repairs and had the canpoy for several months during the off season. The repair involved bakeing the canopy in an oven after injecting resin and several rounds of polishing. This weekend I get the canopy back and am can't wait to fly my glider after a long down time to discover the canopy has some how shrunk in the process and now has a 1/2 inch gap at the rear the front still seems to fit fine. Does anyone have any experience in getting a replacment canopy frame? or know how to get a tweaked one back in shape?

Thanks
Shane
 

[Pete]

I guess is the canopy frame is fine.  Without the canopy bubble epoxied to the frame to make it ridged, the frame is very flexible.  It sounds like the bubble changed shape slightly during the heating process, it wouldnt take much.  IMHO, you have two options
1.  Replace the canopy bubble - this is probably a big problem since it is becoming hard to get a replacement.  THis has to be done by someone that knows what they are doing.
2.  Does the rear hook on the canopy still engage the fuseslage safely?  If so,  you might be able to get a shop to build up the frame to engage the fusalage groove as it should.  THe frame is built from wood and a light weight, high strength epoxy filler.

good luck!
Pete

[DirkW]

Shane,

the glass is streched when blown and tends to take its former (smaller) shape when reheated, hence your gaps. Once you remove the glass from the frame the latter will fit again. If not you can heat the frame veeeery carefully and bend it back into its former shape. If that doesn´t work you can V-cut it, bend it back and repair it the classic way (chamfer and glass layup). Lots of fun than is but still ways easier than building a new frame from scratch. Btw: Schleicher DOES NOT have the frame mold anymore, so whatever you do to or with your frame - take it easy.

I have a cracked bubble on my 15B and am looking for a replacement since a while. Mecaplex is still asking rediculous money (on top of the currenty even more rediculous exchange rate) , so I´d been getting Weiss Plastik from Hofolding agree to making one. Only thing missing is the plug, which they gave me instructions for on how to make one.

Suggestions any? 

Cheers,
Dirk

[Shane Grieve]

I have ordered the plexi glass from Todd's Canopies I sent him pictures and measurements and he seems to thing the ASW-20 bubble will work. It should be here in a week or so I will let you know how it works out but so far so good.

Thanks
Shane

[Rick Barber]

Thanks for the update. Would you also let us know how much it costs to install the glass to the frame.

[Shane Grieve]

Quick update the new canopy arrived today I have removed most of the old plexiglass from the frame using a angle grinder. Once the old glass was removed the frame went back to the correct shape next task is to finish cleaning up the frame, rough trim the new plexi and install in frame. So far I am doing all the work myself.

Thanks
Shane

[Rick Barber]

Very interesting. Keep the updates coming!

[Shane Grieve]

So far so good I cut the canopy and left a extra inch around the frame. Right now I am in the process of glueing the plexi to the frame. Todd recommend 3M 5200 to attach the plexi to the frame it takes 7 days to properly cure right now I am not 100% convinced this was the right glue to use but we will see soon I guess.

Fit and shape look really good so far. Next steps will be to let the glue fully cure then use a belt sander to remove the excess plexi. After that I have to work out cutting the opening for the window but may wait on that. 

[Rick Barber]

Shane, I may be interested in trying to replace my canopy myself as well. It sounds like the plexi extends all the way down to the bottom of the frame instead of having the frame notched out for the plexi as I thought. Is this the case? Did the plexi come with a window cut out or is that something you will also have to do. I would love to hear how difficult you think this job is and any hints or ideas you have as you go along. If you have taken any pictures, they would be appreciated too! I'm rooting for you!

Thanks for the updates,
Rick

[Shane Grieve]

Rick,
        You are correct there was a very small lip on the frame where the old plexi did not extend all the way down. I removed the lip so that the new plexi will extend all the way to the bottom. The window cut out I will have to do myself I am planing cutting the window section from the old canopy and using that as a temple and a Deremel tool to cut the opening. I have some pictures I will upload as soon as I can.

Thanks
Shane
 

[Rick Barber]

Thanks Shane! I will be watching for your updates.

Rick

[Shane Grieve]

The canopy is complete I flew it for the first time today. So much quieter with out a huge gap at the back.

I ended up making to attempts at attaching the glass the first time looked good but the frame is very flexible and when I went to fit it to the glider it wasn't right. so started again this time by putting the frame on the glider then attaching the glass with the frame on the glider then wrapping the whole thing in tape until the glue set. To get this to work properly I had to cut the glass a little smaller than the frame then to fix the gap I put plastic wrap around the glider where the frame sits and then used fiberglass filler around the frame this also got the lip between the glass and the frame back it also made the fit very tight.

I still have to cut the opening for the window but I am going to wait till it gets a little warmer.

 

[Rick Barber]

Shane,

Congratulations on completing your canopy and thanks for the pictures. I was wondering how you would get the canopy on and off without a window but I see your trick with the rope tied to the release. I have a few questions. How did you get the plexi back off the frame so you could reattach it? How did the 3M 5200 work and why didn't you use the quick set version?

Thanks,
Rick

[Flammer]

Lucky you, to be able to fly in january!  Here, our runway is deep under snow..... 

[Shane Grieve]

I was able to get a thin blade between the frame a plexi and cut the glue then I just cleaned up the frame. Todd from Todd's canopies did not recommend the quick set not sure why. On the second try I also used a thin bead of epoxy around the inside of the frame in addition to the 3M 5200. So far I have had 2 flights and it seems to be working great.