The 'What did you do in your workshop tonight?' thread

[stangflyer]

Well I ran into a bit of a snafu this evening with the canopy replacement on the big Yak. After getting everything ready for the replacement canopy to be installed, I fully looked over the canopy and noticed far too many blemishes and imperfections. Also, the overall size of the canopy is bigger than the original. I am wondering if it was designed as such so that it could be trimmed to fit. Which I would probably be okay with if it weren't for so many imperfections. Right on top of the canopy in front of one of the cross braces, it looks as though the plastic has a deformity in it. Kind of like a bulge. Also, the paint lines are not perfectly straight and there are like tiny "dots" under the black paint on the top cross brace. If it were just one small imperfection, I would probably go with it, however there are just too many for me to be satisfied with. I have emailed Tony at Pilot RC with the photos and information. Hopefully they will get back to me soon. For the time being, I am not going to complete the canopy install at this time. I am hoping Tony and his team will get me the correct fitting canopy with no imperfections sent out soon. I did however get the rear canopy support glued in. Now it will be a waiting game.



Here are just a couple of photos of the imperfections.



I will keep you all posted on the outcome of this minor setback.

 

[Snoopy1]

Well yesterday my switch showed up for the Edge 540. I went ahead and got it installed today. I went with the Booma RC hidden switch. I decided to go with dual batteries as I was going to use a single 2100mah but found two 1100mah that together saved a tiny amount of weight. I really like the way this switch installs and the safety features it provides.

Yes like the booma switch have several and have never had a problem. They make a good product.

 

[Snoopy1]

Well I ran into a bit of a snafu this evening with the canopy replacement on the big Yak. After getting everything ready for the replacement canopy to be installed, I fully looked over the canopy and noticed far too many blemishes and imperfections. Also, the overall size of the canopy is bigger than the original. I am wondering if it was designed as such so that it could be trimmed to fit. Which I would probably be okay with if it weren't for so many imperfections. Right on top of the canopy in front of one of the cross braces, it looks as though the plastic has a deformity in it. Kind of like a bulge. Also, the paint lines are not perfectly straight and there are like tiny "dots" under the black paint on the top cross brace. If it were just one small imperfection, I would probably go with it, however there are just too many for me to be satisfied with. I have emailed Tony at Pilot RC with the photos and information. Hopefully they will get back to me soon. For the time being, I am not going to complete the canopy install at this time. I am hoping Tony and his team will get me the correct fitting canopy with no imperfections sent out soon. I did however get the rear canopy support glued in. Now it will be a waiting game.

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Here are just a couple of photos of the imperfections.

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I will keep you all posted on the outcome of this minor setback.

Stared at this tonight trying to figure how to mount it for a test run for my buddy. He's in to warbirds now......

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See the muffler and it looks complicated, and cannot even figur how it works.

 

[Snoopy1]

Wow, this is turning into more of a task than I first imagined. I am making progress though. Here are some photos and a simple explanation to each photo as I have been proceeding. First, the tools! A couple of dental picks, a fresh #11 blade in the xacto knife, trim tool and my sealing iron. I used my sealing iron set at just below medium heat to warm the covering on top of the front lip of the canopy. Just enough to warm the adhesive so that I could gently and ever so carefully lift the covering from the canopy lip. Then, using the trim tool, (also set to low heat) I seated the covering on the hatch around the parameter of the lip of the canopy. Gently pull it back to get it out of the way and wahlaa....

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Once the forward edge of the covering was lifted from the lip of the canopy, I used my sealing iron to warm the exterior edges of the canopy where it is glued to the hatch frame. Inserting and sliding my xacto along the frame of the hatch made it really easy to lift the original canopy from the hatch.


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I am now ready to remove the broken rear canopy support and clean that mating surface up. Then on to building the new support.

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As mentioned earlier, I wanted to cut some clear plastic to fit over the instrument cluster. In hopes of giving the gauges a more defined look with more depth. I really don't think it makes much of a difference. What do you guys think? You can see the forward panel, (the one with 3w on it) is bare with no clear lens. The rear panel has the clear lens temporarily setting against it. Not too much of a difference. Can any of you see much of a difference?

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Ok, now I have the rear support removed from the hatch frame. Time to build the new support.

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Before going further, I wanted to iron back down the covering that lays on top of the canopy frame. It was showing some heat wrinkles. Figured now is a really good time to get that taken care of.

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Now the parts fit and building. Not too much to this. Trial fit, glue, trim, sand. That is about it. I had to put a 45 degree angle on the bottom of the support to give it the right angle once glued into place.

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And finished. The rear canopy support is now built, sanded and covered and ready to install.

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Next, I will lay wax paper over the fuse and place the canopy into position, insert the canopy locks to hold it into place then install the support and tack glue it into place. After that, I should be ready to install the canopy and tape it to hold it while the RC 56 glue canopy glue cures. By the way, does anyone know if canopy glue goes bad? I have not used mine for some time...well, since the Jtec Pitts build. (Last winter) I hope it is still useable. More of the Behemoth Yak (2) canopy replace to come.

Very hard to tell if the glass cover over the panel looks any different from the photos. If you do it make sure it does not come off from the sun and vibration it would be real pain to fix once the put the canopy back on. Just have to comment on that Pilot boy does he look good.

 

[Jetpainter]

Stared at this tonight trying to figure how to mount it for a test run for my buddy. He's in to warbirds now......

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That looks like a Byron "Purr'n Power mount that they had for their Corsair.

 

[stangflyer]

Very hard to tell if the glass cover over the panel looks any different from the photos. If you do it make sure it does not come off from the sun and vibration it would be real pain to fix once the put the canopy back on. Just have to comment on that Pilot boy does he look good.

Thanks Snoop... he definately adds to the look of the plane. Decided against the clear gauge covers. I think they will offer no advantage or added benefits.

 

[stangflyer]

That looks like a Byron "Purr'n Power mount that they had for their Corsair.

That is what I was thinking.

 

[49dimes]

See the muffler and it looks complicated, and cannot even figur how it works.

That looks like a Byron "Purr'n Power mount that they had for their Corsair.

That is what I was thinking.
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We have a winner of a chicken dinner . Sorry Snoop.... "No Soup for you" . Rob gets what's behind curtain number 3 .HeHe

Close Doug . It is actually the Purr'n Power mount/mustang 50 combo. Will be going in a Byron P-47.


I just got to jig it up for a test run. Needs to be mounted in the plane to determine where to cut (if necessary) the muffler inlet header so the exhaust adapter fitting can be welded in place. For the bench test just going to "shove it" together. It is in really good shape and engine looks to be very low time. The owner just wants to make sure it starts and runs.

 

[Jetpainter]

We have a winner of a chicken dinner . Sorry Snoop.... "No Soup for you" . Rob gets what's behind curtain number 3 .HeHe

Close Doug . It is actually the Purr'n Power mount/mustang 50 combo. Will be going in a Byron P-47.


I just got to jig it up for a test run. Needs to be mounted in the plane to determine where to cut (if necessary) the muffler inlet header so the exhaust adapter fitting can be welded in place. For the bench test just going to "shove it" together. It is in really good shape and engine looks to be very low time. The owner just wants to make sure it starts and runs.

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It looked familiar because I built a Byron Corsair with one running a Quadra 50 in 1994. Unfortunately I never got to hear it run or see it fly since the guy I built it for was from Mexico. He didn't want me to test run it because he was afraid the gas smell would cause problems in customs.

 

[Xpress]

Did you guys see this?

Another airplane I need!!