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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Randy Powell on August 17, 2011, 10:41:16 AM

Title: canopy material
Post by: Randy Powell on August 17, 2011, 10:41:16 AM
Can anyone suggest a source for canopy making material? PET or PETG in sheets? Looks like I'm going to have to make the canopy for the next plane since Great Planes stopped making the 17" streamlined canopy (or do a simulated canopy and I really don't want to do that for a classic plane).

Thanks.
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Peter Nevai on August 17, 2011, 11:16:30 AM
Check with Eric Rule at RSM perhaps one of the canopies he includes with his kits will work for you. The one that comes with the Pathfinder LE  sounds right up your alley. I can measure it and take a pic when I get home tonight.
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Bill Little on August 17, 2011, 01:59:56 PM
Hey, Randy!  Let me know the dimensions of the canopy you need.  Due to the recent medical problems I have had, I haven't gotten into full swing with the canopies, but there are several already made up in the batch of stuff I got.  There are some long, streamlined ones........

Bill
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Randy Powell on August 17, 2011, 05:01:43 PM
Bill,

I'm just starting a Don Shultz Avenger for VSC next year. It originally took a well cut down DuBro canopy (original canopy maybe 15" long, cut down to about 11"). I need something that is fairly long and narrow so I can get the right curve then cut it down. Let me know what you have. I was really depressed that Great Planes stopped making the 17" streamlined job as you could usually find somewhere along the curse that fit a plan.
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: phil c on August 17, 2011, 08:53:32 PM
you can carve a mold and heat shrink a 1 or 2 liter soda bottle over it with a heat gun. 
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Peter Nevai on August 18, 2011, 09:46:24 AM
Photos of the Pathfinder LE canopy. See if this would work.
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Steve Helmick on August 18, 2011, 03:54:17 PM
Randy...You might call Precision Plastics in Kent. They're just North of the olde Boeing Space Center in one of those business parks. I bought some Delrin and later, some Acetel from them (supposedly the Generic equivalent...NOT!), and I bet they'd have PET, or where you can get sum.  I don't know what thickness you'd want, but .030" to .040" sounds about right to me, so 1/32" or 1mm.   H^^ Steve
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Bill Little on August 20, 2011, 12:14:08 PM
Bill,

I'm just starting a Don Shultz Avenger for VSC next year. It originally took a well cut down DuBro canopy (original canopy maybe 15" long, cut down to about 11"). I need something that is fairly long and narrow so I can get the right curve then cut it down. Let me know what you have. I was really depressed that Great Planes stopped making the 17" streamlined job as you could usually find somewhere along the curse that fit a plan.

HI Randy,

I have the Warden Continental canopy, the Norm Whittle Playboy canopy, and a couple others that are not identified.  All are fairly long.  A couple were said to be for sailplanes. (??)

Give me a length that the finished canopy will be and I can go from there.

Bill
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Randy Powell on August 21, 2011, 06:16:39 PM
Bill,

12" finished length. cut for a longer one I'm told.
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: Bill Little on August 21, 2011, 08:26:08 PM
Bill,

12" finished length. cut for a longer one I'm told.

Hi Randy,

I'll check what's here.  Not sure if I have a canopy that is over 12" long, though.....

Bill
Title: Re: canopy material
Post by: M Spencer on August 22, 2011, 05:12:00 AM
Building supplies carry .040 clear stuff for tomatoes , and green houses . Had some ancient clouded stuff that came clear treated with amourall , left over from the first war .
They generally carry it in a few weights , about $ 10 a square metre in Aus .or 15  ;D . Moulds easy over the gas barbeque , Wear Gloves . H^^