Finish Kit

Canopy Frame Assembly ( 3 hrs )

Assembly of LH to RH Fwd Canopy Frames went well per Steps 6-9, Sect 38-09.  Not necessary to do any fluting adjustments since fit was excellent.  (note: in pictures, there are black lines along some flanges that are "sharpie" marks used to identify area to dimple on Skin - they are not shadows from poor fitting flanges).  Spent extra time leveling table both directions (used digital level accurate to 0.1 deg) and confirming flat.  Then added two 2x4s (also confirmed straight !) so I could cleco 2 Fixture channels onto bottom of Frame Assembly.   Also works in next stage when I invert Canopy Frame.   Completed Steps 1-2, Sect 38-10 deburring and dimpling Close Out panel.

adding Fixture channels

Skin fit really well

View "under the hood".   Prime later...

Other direction "under the hood"

close out panel.   gently curved now to match

Finish Kit

Canopy frame assembly  ( 3 hrs )

Today I ordered the bundled Lycoming IO-390 (w/ E-Mag option) plus the Hartzell 74" Blended Airfoil propellor via Van's ...just ahead of the Sept 1 deadline to gain the $1000 discount.    In the shop, continued Sect 38-09 Steps 1-5.  Required using both rivet gun/bucking bar and the "Main Squeeze" to get these rivets done - and one joint required blind rivets.   Ready to add Splice plates joining LH to RH frames.

 

holding during riveting is critical.

ready to add center Splice plates joining LH to RH frames

Finish Kit

Deburring and Priming for Canopy (3 hrs )

Completed fluting and "clecoing" canopy parts per Sect 38-08.   Confirmed with Sterling at Van's product support I was doing these steps correctly.   Didn't require as much fluting as instructions seemed to indicate.   Deburred holes and edges remaining parts for Sect 38-09.  Primed all parts from pages -08 and -09.

buffed, ready to prime

freshly primed ! (NAPA 7220)

primed & ready to assemble

Finish Kit

Canopy Skin Assembly ( 3 hrs )

Finished dimpling Canopy Skin (Sect 38-07) and deburred edges.  Deburred holes and edges of 4 Support Flanges.  Started assembly via Steps 1-3 Sect 38-08.   Requires considerable fluting of flanges, cleco to check,  re-flute...cleco.   Instructions state this is critical to create right shape.   I may consult with Vans product support to clarify.

convenient location to lay canopy skin...sort fits already.

Support Flanges deburred

preliminary fit while fluting....

Finish Kit

Canopy Skin Dimpling ( 2 hrs )

Worked Sect 38-07 Step 3 re: Canopy Skin Dimpling.   First deburred all holes, and the many small "slots" for the defrost fan/avionics cooling fan outlets.   Took more time than the dimpling.  Started Support Flanges on 38-08.

time consuming to deburr these edges

 

Finish Kit

Fwd Canopy Rails, etc  ( 2 hrs )

At Sect 38-07 Steps 1 & 2 separated & deburred Fwd Canopy Rails, Support Flanges, , & Splice.   Then at Sect 38-08 did same for Fwd Canopy Rail Bases & Flange Splices.   Lots of bandsaw work this time on preformed (curved) Rails.

 

these, and a few other parts deburred

Finish Kit

Canopy Hinge Assly  ( 1.5 hrs )

Riveted LH and RH Canopy Hinge Assemblies after deburr, dimple, and prime.  Sect 38-06 Steps 8 & 9.   Seemed shame to prime the hinges, since nice machined surfaces...but had to anyway.

Finish Kit

Canopy Latch System  ( 3 hrs )

Completed Canopy Latch System per Sect 38-05 & -06 through Step 7.   Works smoothly.   Lots of small Links and cotter pins.  Used Handee Clamp (see in pic) to add nuts to bearing block bolts in hard to reach location under Roll Bar (sure glad I bought this a few months ago).  Note:  Torque Tube  ( C-01438 ) was 1/8" too long (measured 42 7/8"), so removed 1/16" from each end.  Otherwise bearing blocks ( C-01420 - L & -R) didn't line up with mounting holes, and interfered with Fuse longeron.  At 42 3/4" fit perfectly.

prior shortening Torque Tube 1/16" each end, bearing 
block interfered with longeron, and bolts didn't align

Handee Clamp, and Washer Wrench...essential !

extended pin for canopy retention

extended

retracted

now w/ Pushrod

 

Finish Kit

Canopy Latch assembly  ( 2.5 hrs )

Assembling Canopy Latch mechanism Steps 9-11 per Sect 38-05.  Built Pushrod, prepped Torque Tube,   Installed Bellcrank Angles (see pic).   Deburred, primed and painted the 2 Latch Bellcranks that I forgot to do yesterday, Sect 38-06.

Finish Kit

Window "edge" painted ( 4 hrs )

Sprayed interior color onto misc. parts for Sect 38-04 & -05 (primed yesterday).   Removed Window, prepared by lightly sanding masked area w/ 400 grit to help paint adhere.  Painted masked off area that will hide sealant when installed.   Riveted Skin Stiffeners to Fuse Skin and Roll Bar.  Nancy was huge help pulling skin back so I could use Main Squeeze.   Then she riveted while I bucked last 2 rivets each side for Fuse Skin.   Touched up Roll Bar w/ interior paint.

after masking removed

Window back to basement storage for now

safely stored

2 blind rivets into Roll Bar for Stiffener

3 rivets into Stiffener, then final 2 for Skin

Finish Kit

Canopy Latch Assembly ( 4 hrs )

Completed Sect 38-04 Steps 1 & 2  Stiffener Angles at Roll Bar (to Fuse Skin).   Needed to trim Stiffeners to clear bottom edge of plexiglass.  Worked on Latch Bellcrank Angles, Latch Links, Latch Pushrod,  Latch Handle, and Canopy Latch per Sect 38-04 and -05.   Dimpled, deburred and primed.   Decided to leave Latch Handle and Canopy handle unpainted, so spent some extra time buffing.    Trial fit Latch handles  - works great and looks good.   Will need to slightly trim Handle so flush with outside Fuse skin surface.  

Added electrical tape to edge of plexiglass  ...ready to paint
 plexiglass when removed again,  to hide sealant.

Latch parts ready to prime

trial fit...

marked edge of handle to trim so flush when latched

close up showing Canopy Latch & Handle interaction

Finish Kit

Window install  ( 4 hrs )

Finished Machine C'sinking holes along Fwd edge (at Roll Bar), and sanding same edge with 220 then 400 grit.  Worked very carefully, so consumed a lot of time.   I decided to hand file a chamfer on trailing edge of window shim on Roll Bar.   The Roll Bar ( essentially a rectangular tube) does not twist as it goes from top surface to vertical surface.  Consequently, the window shim surface doesn't align w/ plexiglass by about 5 degrees.  Tightening the screws holding the plexiglass will put a bend in the first 1/2"...so I've attempted to minimize that stress.     Test fit -- overall, looks great ...and very pleased NO cracks...Yahoo!  It's been a tense week working on the Window...so glad done with Sect 38-03.

shiny surface is new "chamfer" on window
shim.  Needed some touch up paint anyway.

close up of fit

 

Finish Kit

Rear Window  ( 5 hrs )

Completed enlarging holes to #27 size in plexiglass.  Also drilled #27 holes in Fuse Skins, deburred, "broke" edges, then dimpled.  Sanded edges of plexiglass along aft edge with 220, then 400 grit per Step 11 & 12 in Sect 38-03.    Machine C'sunk Window for .025" dimpled skin (slightly deeper req'd vs screw head only).

To dimple skin above Roll Bar Brace,  needed to use parts from C-frame.

Access hole in Brace allowed access from underneath -  my Main Squeeze

 from Cleaveland Tools would not work there

Edge sanded smooth, and Mach C'sunk for dimpled skin...

Finish Kit

Rear Window drilling, etc ( 5 hrs )

Completed Step 4 in Sect 38-03 by tapping for 6-32 screws in Roll Bar.  First drilled #36 holes through plexiglass and Roll Bar.  Vans instructs to tap next, but I removed the plexiglass (after trying one).   Since plexiglass gets drilled w/ larger #27 drill immediately as clearance hole, seems risky to tap the plexiglass.    Had no trouble aligning the tap without plexiglass.   Used Boelube on tap.   Drilled remaining holes w/ #36 bit (dulled for plastic) - and deburred/chamfered each hole at top and bottom (advice on VAF forums to reduce cracking risk).   Kept plexiglass warm with halogen lights, a few degrees above 83 deg shop temp.   Then proceeded with Step 8 final drill w/ #27 bit (screw clearance holes).   No cracks.   Still have about 24 holes to final drill...then machine countersink for flat head screws or dimpled skins.

tapping w/o plexiglass window

close up of tapped hole on Roll Bar

warming plexiglass during final drilling to #27 size

example hole chamfered.  Next add
machine countersink for flat head screw

Finish Kit

Window drilling  ( 3 hrs )

Cont'd drilling per sequence #1 thru #10 for LH and RH sides.   Finished all #40 holes except final 2 holes each side.  No cracks so far !  Garage around 83 degrees is helping.   Nancy again crawled back into baggage area to hold wood block supporting plexiglass as I drilled.   This time I snapped a pic.

 

No clamps needed now.