Finish Kit

Painting Canopy Frame ( 4 hrs )

With decent weather today ( sunny, 65 deg F) vs forecast for 40's for next several days, I worked quickly to be able to paint outdoors.  Otherwise, I'd need to set up my temporary paint booth, and the
Frame would be a tight fit.  I prepped the Frame by scuffing followed by cleaning with acetone, then sprayed the acid etching Napa 7720 Primer as usual.  While drying, I dimpled the Canopy attach holes in C01419 L & R Side Skins.   I primed these, and the shims for the Canopy Rails.   Next, sprayed Rustoleum Professional "aluminum" (same as cockpit interior).  Then masked off so I could spray Glare Shield with Rustoleum Satin Black.  Determined too shiny, so I made final pass with Flat Black.   Success !  Ready to re-assembly Canopy onto Frame.

scuffed portions not yet primed.  Glare shield on other side, too

Primer applied.   

Primer, before adding interior final color

Final interior color applied.

Simple...  seems to be working well.

Glare shield in flat black.   

Finish Kit

Canopy  ( 3 hrs )

Completed Steps 8 & 13 sanding and filing edge of Canopy beyond point S, and 100% sanding/scuff aluminum in fairing area.   Started 38-26, removing Canopy to deburr all holes.  Chamfered (deburr ) inside Canopy at all holes, then deburred all aluminum new holes on Frame.

Finish Kit

Marking Fairing Lines on Canopy ( 5 hrs )

Finished drilling holes in Canopy.  Amen.   Marked glare shield area (paint flat black soon).   Per Steps 1-13 Sect 38-25, marked Aft Fairing Line and Fwd Fairing Line.  Positioned corner templates also.  Then laid down double layer of 3M electrical (vinyl) tape.  Ready to scuff/sand Canopy Skin and sand/file edge of Canopy past point S, to create smooth transition for fairing around the "corners".   Vans provides 4 "how to" videos for next steps.  Here's first: Canopy Fairing

Finish Kit

Drill Canopy  ( 3 hrs )

Completed Step 4 (initial #40 size holes along Rail), then completed most of Steps 1-5 Sect 38-24 to Final Drill all holes to larger #27 size in Canopy.   Chamfered holes fist to minimize cracking/chipping in plexiglass with larger drill size.   So far...A-OK.

completed all holes at #40 size

increased to #27 size

more to do, but almost done...

Finish Kit

More Drilling Canopy ( 1 hr )

More Canopy drilling completing Step 3, and about half of Step 4 per Sect 38-23.   "Plastic" drill is so dull (by intention for drilling plexiglass) in order to complete holes through aluminum Rail Ass'ly, I've been switching to std #40 bit after drilling through canopy.  Also, at each hole along Aft edge, I'm chamfering each hole to minimize cracking now and when enlarged soon (per advice on VAF forums).

approx 10 remain each side

inside view from approx pilot's eyes (if tall like I am ! )

inside view for much shorter pilot (if at center, too)

Finish Kit

Drilling Canopy ( 4 hrs )

Ready to drill Canopy per Step 9 at 38-22.  Weighted w/ stacks of magazines from recycle pile (cheap, "soft" - just tape around a bundle ) instead of lead or steel weights.   Also used ratchet strap per instructions to initially hold Canopy in position (not very tight so not distorting shape).  Also edges along sides were under minimum of 4.3mm, so added provided shim along Rail.  Prior to locking down final time, I determined I still needed to remove more from rear edge to provide at least 0.8mm spacing to window shim.  Lots of sanding (again!), but finally got it done.
I later came back into shop and drilled "Step 2" #40 size holes starting at top, center along aft edge.  First 14 done.  Yay!

Finish Kit

Canopy Trim to Fit ( 4 hrs )

At Sect 38-21, Steps 8 & 9 marked then chamfered edge of Canopy along 3 inches at "point Oscar" in detail drawing.  Then used fabricated 0.040" thick feeler gauge to locate additional areas along edge to trim/chamfer per Steps 1-4 at Sect 38-22.   Many iterations of mounting Canopy on Frame, then marking again, and filing/sanding some more.  Each time Nancy helped lift Canopy into position.  Eventually achieved good fit along entire front edge and skin.

rotary drum sander works really well for initial passes