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Author Topic: Home brew canopy for profile?  (Read 6637 times)

Offline Tim Wescott

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Home brew canopy for profile?
« on: September 30, 2018, 07:19:59 PM »
Looking for suggestions & advise.  I'm trying to decide between vacuum-forming a canopy or painting one on.  It's for a profile scale Ercoupe.  Pdf attached.  It'll be about 11 inches long, 3 1/2 inches tall, and just 3/4 inch thick -- is this possible?  Reasonable for Beginner's First Vacuum Form? Or is such a deep, narrow vacuum form going to be impossible?

Alternately -- can it be done by shrinking a bottle over a form?  I've seen this done elsewhere, and tried it once or twice without huge success -- but as far as this particular building technique goes, I put the "rank" in "rank beginner".

Dunno if the attached PDF will clarify or obfuscate -- but here it is.
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Online Howard Rush

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2018, 09:10:04 PM »
Paint it on and make TUTs.
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Offline Mike Haverly

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2018, 09:53:38 PM »
Howard could print one for you!
Mike

Offline Curare

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2018, 10:23:05 PM »
I think you'll struggle to get that to happen with an conventional vacuum former - the draw is quite deep, and I dare say you'll get a lot of webbing (where the plastic doesn't conform to shape and sticks to itself) because of it.

Paint would probaby be easier, or perhaps two parts?
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Offline Trostle

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2018, 12:47:20 PM »

(Clip)

Alternately -- can it be done by shrinking a bottle over a form?  I've seen this done elsewhere, and tried it once or twice without huge success -- but as far as this particular building technique goes, I put the "rank" in "rank beginner".

(Clip)


I have  had success using the process to shrink a plastic bottle over a form.  My experience suggests that you would have a problem using this method for the canopy you want.  The main problem is the length.  Your state your dimensions are 11" long, 3 1/2" tall and 3/4" wide.  You would need to find a bottle long enough to contain the 11" long form after you have removed the bottom section of the bottle. 

I have only worked with 32 oz or 1 liter bottles. The longest form that I think can be used with one of these bottles is maybe 7" or 8" long.  Maybe you can find some larger containers that would work.

An alternative would be to do a forward section and an aft section of your canopy.  Then bond them together with a thin metal strip (like 1/8" wide brass, something around .010" thick or thinner) to strengthen the joint.

Another problem is the height of the form.  Again, a larger bottle than the 32 oz size may be needed to accomplish this.  The problem will be compounded by the narrow width.  It will be difficult to get a satisfactory canopy without getting some signs of creases or lines in the final shape that would really make it unsatisfactory.  However, with a much larger bottle, you might be able to get something, but you will be asking for a lot of shrinkage and there is a limit to how much this material will conform to the form.  Would be an interesting exercise though.  If it works, it would impressive.  One thing about the material used in these bottles is that it is fuel proof, will not distort when exposed to heat/sunlight, and you can simulate a canopy frame by building up epoxy over the canopy after the clear sections have been masked off.  They are really more durable than the typical vacuum formed plastic canopies.

Keith

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2018, 01:48:35 PM »
<snip>

I have only worked with 32 oz or 1 liter bottles. The longest form that I think can be used with one of these bottles is maybe 7" or 8" long.  Maybe you can find some larger containers that would work.

<snip>

The last time I was in a store looking for water there were some 1-liter containers of fancy water that were tall, skinny, and smooth.  I may be misremembering just how tall -- I noticed them before I got this urge to put a clear canopy on the plane -- but if they're as tall as I remember they'll do a good job.

I like your idea of a two-piece canopy.  That would play well with your suggestion of painting on a canopy frame, and with the contour of the Ercoupe canopy -- I could bond the halves together and then paint over the joint, and the transition from the fixed to the moving section of the Ercoupe canopy has a distinct step.
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The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2018, 09:12:30 PM »
Tim,

The biggest profile canopy I have managed using either the 1.25 or the 2 liter soda bottles is 8" long by 1-5/8" tall. My form is actually 8-1/2" long, but I could not work out the last of the wrinkles at the back end. So I just trimmed the canopy once off the form. The shape is the standard looking WWII bubble canopy with flat windscreen. I used beech for the form and when stuffed into the 2-L, I used a 2-1/2" filler board under it that looked like I had added a section of fuselage to the form. Something I did not do, but would try next time is to get the form into the bottle and then use 3 or 4 sheet metal screws thru the opposite side of the bottle into the bottom of the filler. It would make things much more manageable.

The bottles have at most about 8 - 9 inches of usable height. If you find a better bottle, I'd sure like to know about it!

I agree with Keith--the stuff is really rugged after you have it formed.

Good luck with your project,

Dave

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2018, 03:02:27 PM »
Aren't you supposed to be building a killer PA plane to thump us all with?
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Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2018, 03:06:09 PM »
Aren't you supposed to be building a killer PA plane to thump us all with?

And getting a TUT done that does data recording, yes.  I actually am working on the Legacy: here's the logic:

  • I plan on putting the data recording TUT into the Legacy, so construction is on hold until I get that software written
  • While that was happening, my shoulder went out.  In despair, I started working on a CL scale Ercoupe, because I can fly the weenie Scale maneuvers left-handed (duck and cover, Tim!!)
  • I have a personal rule about putting projects aside, so dammit, I'm finishing the Ercoupe.  Besides, I'm going to use it for a practice piece on nice dope finishes -- so it's really part of getting the Legacy done

So, as you see, it's perfectly logical that making a canopy for a profile scale model is actually working on getting a CLPA stunt plane done.
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The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2018, 03:09:37 PM »
A nice a piece of convoluted logic as I've seen in awhile. Good job.
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Offline Gerald Arana

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2018, 03:27:37 PM »
And getting a TUT done that does data recording, yes.  I actually am working on the Legacy: here's the logic:

  • I plan on putting the data recording TUT into the Legacy, so construction is on hold until I get that software written
  • While that was happening, my shoulder went out.  In despair, I started working on a CL scale Ercoupe, because I can fly the weenie Scale maneuvers left-handed (duck and cover, Tim!!)
  • I have a personal rule about putting projects aside, so dammit, I'm finishing the Ercoupe.  Besides, I'm going to use it for a practice piece on nice dope finishes -- so it's really part of getting the Legacy done

So, as you see, it's perfectly logical that making a canopy for a profile scale model is actually working on getting a CLPA stunt plane done.

Tim,

Go to Costco and get a (pumpkin-my favorite!) pie, enjoy it and use the cover for your canopy. It measures 12" square and so what if you screw it up? You get to eat pie and you can always get another one!

Jerry

Offline Trostle

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2018, 03:32:22 PM »
The last time I was in a store looking for water there were some 1-liter containers of fancy water that were tall, skinny, and smooth.  I may be misremembering just how tall -- I noticed them before I got this urge to put a clear canopy on the plane -- but if they're as tall as I remember they'll do a good job.

I like your idea of a two-piece canopy.  That would play well with your suggestion of painting on a canopy frame, and with the contour of the Ercoupe canopy -- I could bond the halves together and then paint over the joint, and the transition from the fixed to the moving section of the Ercoupe canopy has a distinct step.

Your comment above got me thinking.  (I do try to think sometimes, though nothing much ever seems to happen.)  My thought would be to join the two halves together where the surface would be flush.  (I have done this with two halves made from the soda bottles by backing the joint with a thin strip of metal, then using epoxy, build up the canopy frame which the joint is a part of.)

I think you are taking it a step further by overlapping the two halves and still use this joint as part of the simulated canopy frame.  This would be much more durable and easier to accomplish and in the end would still look really good.  Good idea.  I wish I had thought of that.

Keith

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #12 on: October 02, 2018, 04:42:36 PM »
I think you are taking it a step further by overlapping the two halves and still use this joint as part of the simulated canopy frame.

Yup.  But it would only work on some airplanes.
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The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline billbyles

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #13 on: October 02, 2018, 04:46:03 PM »
Looking for suggestions & advise.  I'm trying to decide between vacuum-forming a canopy or painting one on.  It's for a profile scale Ercoupe.  Pdf attached.  It'll be about 11 inches long, 3 1/2 inches tall, and just 3/4 inch thick -- is this possible?  Reasonable for Beginner's First Vacuum Form? Or is such a deep, narrow vacuum form going to be impossible?

Alternately -- can it be done by shrinking a bottle over a form?  I've seen this done elsewhere, and tried it once or twice without huge success -- but as far as this particular building technique goes, I put the "rank" in "rank beginner".

Dunno if the attached PDF will clarify or obfuscate -- but here it is.

3.4482???  As a mechanical engineer I have frequently gone to 4 decimals for machining parts from various metals but for a canopy?  (Just kidding, I know you are an engineer also so I know where you are coming from...)
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Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2018, 05:05:29 PM »
3.4482???  As a mechanical engineer I have frequently gone to 4 decimals for machining parts from various metals but for a canopy?  (Just kidding, I know you are an engineer also so I know where you are coming from...)

It's just what dropped out of LibreCad -- you mean I can't get that much precision from something bent out of a used soda bottle  ???
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline MikeyPratt

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2018, 06:05:05 PM »
Hi Tim,
While working for Sig I made about a dozen profile canopies using the best equipment and plastics that were availed.  Each one was really tough to get just right because the draft angle is so steep to be able to pull the plastic over the mold that far (2-1/2” in height is close to the max).  Now try to pull more than just one at a time and the plastic forms web's over all of the molds.  I was trying to make molded canopies for the Twister during production runs, what a pain in the butt.  I built six (aluminum filled epoxy) hollow canopies molds (exactly the same) and we could only get three canopies (reliable) per pull that were usable.  I also tried to produce a molded canopies for my Force when building the prototype, same thing happened.

I'm my opinion, it would be best to make them in two or three separate parts and glue them together and fill & paint the seams just like molding ABS cowls.

Later,
Mikey

Offline Will Hinton

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2018, 11:38:45 AM »
Whatever you decide, Tim, don't give up on the canopy idea from a bottle.  Do a search  for my SBC 3 Helldiver build on here and look at the profile canopy I got from a one liter bottle.  It's roughly 8 inches long with a very deep draft on the sides.  It went really well and the end result was from the very first one.
You might find a 2 liter bottle of your favorite poison (pop) and try for a one piece from that.  You really need to block it tight on the interior to win the battle, but it's worth a try.
Of course, Keith's solution and yours sound good also.  Just don't give up on it, pleeeeeeeeaaaze. S?P
John 5:24   www.fcmodelers.com

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #17 on: October 03, 2018, 02:35:00 PM »
I didn't know the LibreOffice folks had a CAD component. Now I'll have to go look.

Thanks, Tim.
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Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #18 on: October 03, 2018, 04:06:02 PM »
I didn't know the LibreOffice folks had a CAD component. Now I'll have to go look.

I think it's a separate effort.  It's an OK CAD system, although it is clunky around the edges.  Save your work often -- one of the "clunks" is that it occasionally crashes for no reason, usually when you're trying to do something Really Impressive.
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Online Steve Helmick

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #19 on: October 04, 2018, 12:28:19 AM »
Tim needs to visit a set of Barnstormer plans.  y1 Steve



"The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #20 on: October 04, 2018, 08:36:40 AM »
Tim needs to visit a set of Barnstormer plans.  y1 Steve

I'm not sure how the shoelaces would fly with the judges, though.
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #21 on: October 04, 2018, 01:26:47 PM »
I checked. It seems to be part of the LibreOffice system. The interface is similar. And you're right, it's not ready for prime time yet. Hasn't crashed on me but I'm using it on a linux system so the unix version may be more stable. Or not.
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Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #22 on: October 04, 2018, 02:51:43 PM »
I checked. It seems to be part of the LibreOffice system. The interface is similar. And you're right, it's not ready for prime time yet. Hasn't crashed on me but I'm using it on a linux system so the unix version may be more stable. Or not.

My experience is entirely with using it under Linux.
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Online Steve Helmick

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #23 on: October 04, 2018, 06:21:00 PM »
I'm not sure how the shoelaces would fly with the judges, though.


It's a PROFILE, so no appearance points. Alternatively, you might mold each side and the top "flange". Join the two parts together by overlapping the top flanges, maybe, with "clear glue". The Gorilla has a "clear glue" that they're advertising on the TeeVee a lot. Two flat sides connected with a strip of clear plastic might also be viable, if it doesn't come apart in the air. With the three slabs of plastic suitably buried in the fuselage, it shouldn't be a problem.

Even just a single slab of 1/8" Acrylic or Polycarbonate would be ok and not terribly heavy. Since you have the drawing in CAD, you could find the area and then derive the weight, and make it thinner if deemed necessary. This version would make a dandy skid for inverted "landings", just in case. :P Steve
"The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #24 on: October 04, 2018, 10:10:18 PM »

It's a PROFILE, so no appearance points.

It's profile SCALE, so appearance points.
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Online Steve Helmick

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #25 on: October 05, 2018, 12:22:17 PM »
It's profile SCALE, so appearance points.

Oh, so it is. Well, then make it out of balsa and paint it with transparent paint, except for the roof and framework. Alternatively, plead with Mrs. Wescott to knit one from clear yarn.  y1 Steve
"The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #26 on: October 05, 2018, 04:44:58 PM »
I've done two profile canopies using water bottles. Granted, mine are smaller given they are 24"-27" WS models.

Both planes "landed" inverted a couple of times each...or you could say I ran out of headspace and timing, so the canopies made great friction brakes. The glue (E6000) never let go. My youngest boy's Scientific Typhoon needed some engine work. E6000 held the cowl on. I destroyed the cowl removing it.

I just wanted to add that E6000 is clear, and glues the soda bottle plastic to the fuselage just fine. I also agree for the larger plane, go in pieces. E6000 will be your friend!

Online Steve Helmick

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #27 on: October 06, 2018, 09:02:57 PM »
Why didn't we think of having Howard or Mike print one from clear plastic?  D>K Steve
"The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #28 on: October 29, 2018, 11:53:12 PM »
Just made up another canopy on my profile form. Good over the 8" length. Using the sheet metal screws into the form before shrinking helped anchor the bottle "blank."  Had a bit of trouble with a wrinkle near the front. If I can make that go away, I think I can routinely get almost 9" out of a 2-liter bottle. I also made up a wider wedge which helped, too.

Dave

Offline Trostle

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #29 on: October 30, 2018, 08:31:26 AM »
Using the sheet metal screws into the form before shrinking helped anchor the bottle "blank." 

Dave

Using at least two good sized clamps from the hardware store also works to stabilize the bottle around the form during the shrinking process. 

Keiith

Offline Paul Smith

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #30 on: October 30, 2018, 11:40:16 AM »
I was able to vacuum form a canopy for my profile scale Bearcat.  Note the wrap-around picture frame.  A key element in the process.

As mentioned by others, you need to start thick because it draws down thin.

But it pays off in the end.  Judges that know their business will give more points for actual cockpit detail than a painted-on canopy.
Paul Smith

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #31 on: October 30, 2018, 07:30:29 PM »
I have used C-clamps in previous iterations. They definitely help. Where do you put them, Keith?

This time, I found it was helpful to put one screw thru the bottle and into the form backer right on the centerline (below where the windscreen ends up) right at the bottle neck. I could not get clamps up there. The advantage is that with that point anchored and the back end too, the rest of the blank will pull, such that all of the shrinkage at the front (with the highest curvature) does not all have to happen locally. Hopefully that makes sense. Since I had the box of screws out, I used them instead of clamps this time to pull in the plastic at the open end (tail of the canopy). They work ok there, but no real advantage over the clamps except the thing is less bulky and easier to work with. That matters only in that I like to hold the assembly up to the overhead lights so I can see from the reflections. When the material is starting to shrink I can stop when I see the ripples disappear. And it gives a good indication before you melt thru anywhere...which is also important.

As a side note, the MonoKote heat gun was sufficient for most of the shrinking and I never worried about melting the canopy. I had to work the center a little harder, and used a shop-type heat gun. Much hotter, and it helped with the last little bit of wrinkle. But be aware it definitely will melt thru the bottle material if held in one spot too long.

I believe that the bottle method actually increases the material thickness in most--if not all--the places compared to the original bottle. I wondered about that, but didn't make measurements last night. Tonight I will try to get a few. As Paul points out "pulling" a canopy in a vacuum forming operation does make the material thinner.

I can see where starting with a flat sheet and vacuum-forming avoids some limitations that bottles have. But when I need a canopy, there is usually a bottle in the trash. And you can have a pretty good canopy for 5 cents worth of a very rugged recycled material.

Dave


Addendum:

I just measured what I could of the unused portion of the bottle. All the measurements were between .008 to .009" thick.  The sides and edges of the formed canopy are between .013 and .016" thick. I don't have a large ball micrometer to measure the thickness at the top of the canopy, but I believe it would measure thicker than .008, not thinner. (I watched it shrink up to the mold, so logic tells me it has to be thicker....)
« Last Edit: October 30, 2018, 08:02:01 PM by Dave Hull »

Offline Trostle

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #32 on: October 31, 2018, 12:03:49 AM »

I have used C-clamps in previous iterations. They definitely help. Where do you put them, Keith?

Dave


The canopy form is glued to a plywood base.  Of course, the plywood base is more narrow than any portion of the canopy.  The plywood base is "deep" enough so that it starts to need to be "jammed" into the bottle.  Then I use shims of different shapes to further "jam" the form into the bottle.  Then, use the C-clamps to hold the sides of the bottle very tightly against the plywood base.  These clamps help with the shrinking process and also become useful handles when you are using the heat gun over the form.  Hope this makes sense.   It really works.

Keith

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #33 on: October 31, 2018, 03:17:42 PM »
Thanks, Keith. I'm doing pretty much the same thing.

I agree it works.

Dave

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #34 on: December 02, 2018, 02:19:11 PM »
I read in this scale column that Zirolli models will pull canopies.  I'm going to give them a try -- they can always say no.  If they don't want to give it a whirl, or if they try and can't do it, then it'll be down to finding just the right soda bottle and trying that.

Mike Pratt -- I am listening to you!  But where you see getting three successes out of six tries as a failure, I see it as "woo hoo!  One canopy for one model, and two spares!!"  I figure that the Zirolli people will know if it can be done on their equipment.

Here's the plug.  It's currently untapered width-wise -- I'm assuming that it can still be convinced to come out of a part because of the fore-and-aft draft (and I may redo that back section if the Zirolli people say "yes, send in your plug").
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #35 on: December 02, 2018, 06:20:54 PM »
It will come out if they can pull it.

Dave

Offline MikeyPratt

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #36 on: December 03, 2018, 12:50:30 PM »
Hi Tim,
The sides of the canopy need draft as well, the for & aft draft is just fine.  I was pulling the canopy from .030 PPG plastic 20” square, six molds at a time.  A production run of 500 kits =30 sheets of plastic (without errors) so all canopies have to come out of the former in perfect shape.  Getting three per pull wasn't an option, what we were trying to do, improve and lower the cost of the kit.  I'm sure they could get a single pull out of a single sheet of plastic.

As a side note, apply finishing epoxy to your mold (when cured) and sand in the draft on the sides of the canopy.  Carefully check the amount of draft as you sand.  Apply more epoxy if needed and carry on until perfect.  Dust the mold with talcum powder before molding the plastic to help release the molds.  Sometimes a quick shot of compressed air can help the release the molds from the plastic.

Later,
Mikey

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #37 on: February 01, 2019, 08:54:13 PM »
So, bottom line: I'm bad at following advise.  Because I'd seen similar parts pull nicely out of molds back when I worked in a fiberglass shop, I left the thing constant-thickness up & down, but I put in lots of draft at the front and back.  This would probably have been a disaster if you were trying to make more than one at once, but for a onsie, when you pull the sides out at the base it squeezes the thing fore and aft and pops it out of the mold.

At least, that's what I think happened -- I just got three canopies from Nick Ziroli Plans, one marginal, one nice, and one excellent.  So we know the plug came out.  All of them faithfully reproduce every flaw in the plug that I sent, but we all know whose responsibility that is.

AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #38 on: February 01, 2019, 10:40:08 PM »
Tim,

Glad you got past that little adventure ok.  Flexing the sides out will definitely pop it up if the front and rear tapers have as much slope as you showed. But they may have had to trim the waste flange to get it to pop, right? I think that is what Mikey was trying to avoid. In production, it means that the guy pulling plastic has to stop and trim each time to retrieve the pattern. That is no way to make money....

How thick did you end up going with the material?

Coincidentally, I just shrunk up a bubble canopy for a B-TR tonight. The results were pretty marginal. The bubble had a steep slope on the front, and I got it too close to the neck of the bottle. I should have installed the pattern at a bigger tilt angle inside the bottle. Since the whole deal was oversize, I was able to "cut the spigot" out of the windscreen area. The bottles I could get had a molding ridge that did not go away when heated. So it has a bit of a line in it. I'll have to drink a bunch more soda and give it another try. This one is good enough to use...but everyone will notice the thickness variation at the seam. But...the plane won't be a beauty queen anyway.

I used a piece of really fine, interlocking grain hardwood from somewhere in Asia. A lot like basswood in color and tight grain, but it seems harder. Wish I knew what it was because I'd like some more. (It was dunnage.)  Sanded to 320 grit. No grain imprinting on the plastic that I could see. I think the polyethylene is really forgiving, and it helps if you are not pulling a vacuum.

Now if I could find a better bottle, preferably smoke-colored....

Thanks for the tip on the Ziroli capability.

Dave

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #39 on: February 02, 2019, 05:32:37 AM »
I understand Rit Dye (for cloth, like clothing) works on soda bottle plastic.

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #40 on: February 03, 2019, 01:04:23 PM »
Porsche_Jim,

The Rit dye worked great on the acetate canopies. I liked using blue. Have you tried Rit on the polyethylene soda bottles? I have some mixed up I can use, but before I make a mess, it would be nice to know....

Dave


Edit--Just stuck the canopy in the dye. We'll find out in a couple of hours if it penetrates.....

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #41 on: February 03, 2019, 01:07:26 PM »
Thanks for the tip on the Ziroli capability.

It came to me from Orin Humphries in this column on Flying Lines.
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #42 on: February 03, 2019, 03:36:29 PM »
Thanks, Tim. Good read.

As far a tinting, it's been an hour and a half submerged at room temp and there is no darkening on my soda bottle canopy using Rit dye. I may have to try heat, too.

Dave

Offline Larry Renger

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #43 on: February 04, 2019, 09:03:20 AM »
Try adding vinegar. I recall that was recommended to improve penetration of the dye.
Think S.M.A.L.L. y'all and, it's all good, CL, FF and RC!

DesignMan
 BTW, Dracula Sucks!  A closed mouth gathers no feet!

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #44 on: February 04, 2019, 12:44:56 PM »
Results so far:

Something like 6 hours at room temp and only the barest suggestion of a tint using heavy concentration of navy blue all purpose liquid Rit dye. You have to put the part side by side with cutoff material from the bottle to convince yourself there is any tint at all.

Next try was an hour or so at maybe 120F-140F. This left a tiny bit of tint. Not much, but enough to take away the stark clear look. Might try to go hotter, but don't want to melt the baggie holding my dye. Will have to test the bag (without the dye) in a hotter pot. The tint at this point does not seem to be affected by cleaning with Windex.

After going thru Rit's website, I see that they now have a product called DyeMore. It is intended for synthetic fabrics, including polyester, which makes it sound promising. They also say that to dye these fabrics, you need to achieve "...an almost boiling temperature..." of the dye bath. That perhaps explains why I didn't really get any tint until I heated the dye a bit. But I also do not have the newer dye they recommend for synthetics.

In comparison, an acetate canopy would be nearly opaque by now. (I did that to an Aquila canopy years ago, thinking it was going to be hard to dye. It wasn't.)

So next I will get ready to "almost boil it" using scraps. If that works, then I'll do the canopy.

If I was serious about a dark tint, I'd definitely go buy the synthetic DyeMore variety. They have a bunch of great colors that would likely look good on a canopy. It costs about $6 around here. Since I am rebuilding/completing an OPP, this material is not worth the $6 and trip in the pouring rain to me.

If the heated dye bath doesn't help any, I may dump some vinegar into the mix, as Larry suggests. Not sure what kind of alchemy he is getting me mixed up with. I will draw the line somewhere after the eye of newt and tail of lizard.

Divot

https://www.ritdye.com/products/sapphire-blue/

Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #45 on: February 04, 2019, 01:03:08 PM »
I read about all sorts of stuff for amusement, including dying (I'd like to do an old-time stunt plane in tie-dyed silk -- should be fun).  Changing the pH of the dye vat is a pretty common thing, as is doing the first rinse in a "mordant" to set the dye in the fibers (or in this case, in the surface of the material).

You definitely want to test your process on scraps -- I'd be worried about getting the temperature high enough that your nice shapely canopy either shrinks outright, or at least softens & warps.
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline bob whitney

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #46 on: February 04, 2019, 01:12:40 PM »


 has anyone taken a look at the clear cover on the M/D's Pancake big meal looks penty big enough to work with
rad racer

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #47 on: February 04, 2019, 02:34:29 PM »
What's the flapjack lid made out of, RAD?

Divot

Offline bob whitney

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #48 on: February 04, 2019, 04:38:38 PM »
some kind of clear plastic
rad racer

Offline Dave Hull

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Re: Home brew canopy for profile?
« Reply #49 on: February 04, 2019, 10:37:40 PM »
Bob,

It has to have a recycling symbol on it. That will tell you the type of plastic. For example, the cup lids out here are 6 PS (the 6 is in a triangle) which means it is polystyrene and would outgas badly if heated. (And it isn't clear. But it should be heat moldable, if you wanted to make some delicate scale details. Thinking about it, it looks just like some of the plastic cowlings in the Guillows kits. Which reminds me I should get back to work on the P-40.

The soda bottles I have seen are all PET, a thermoplastic, so they shrink really well. They don't mark the number on them, but they would be recyclable group #1.

I don't think Dick Monald's uses plastic food containers here in California, so I can't help, beyond pointing out how to ID your recyclables. But it might be a good excuse to go get some pancakes tomorrow and check in person to be absolutely sure. I don't think I've had any of theirs since racing with Les in Tucson....

Still setting up to the "almost boiling" tint testing.

Update: after 30 minutes in the hot bath, it has a light tint. Won't seem to pick up any more. The navy blue dye gives it a purple tint. It is dark enough for my purposes, so I'm calling it done. The almost boiling bath did not distort the canopy at all. Probably because I had already gone to much higher temps to shrink it over the mold. Again, the DyeMore synthetic product may work better, but I tested what I had.

Update II: it stopped raining, and in the bright sunshine outside, the tint is just perfect for what I'm doing.


Divot McSlow
(Formerly of the Canned Ham Racing Team, the Canadian Bacon of control line racing in America)

http://naturalsociety.com/recycling-symbols-numbers-plastic-bottles-meaning/
« Last Edit: February 05, 2019, 01:52:06 PM by Dave Hull »


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