Author Topic: Idiots guide to making canopies (Read 4390 times)

steven yampolsky · « **on:** May 22, 2012, 09:06:55 PM »

I am completely lost as to what it takes to make a canopy. I did some searching and people talk about PTG, acetate, ovens, vacuum, molds, master molds, little green men. Can someone give an intro to making canopies with pictures so that someone with my IQ can understand.

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #1 on:** May 22, 2012, 10:22:30 PM »

yep - easy

make a mould that fits your airframe

get a 2 litre coke bottle - but the bottom off it

put the mould in there

pack it so its tight

use a heat gun to shrink the bottle over the mould

mark the bottom of the mould on the outside of the bottle to give you your cut line

cut the bottle off the mould

trim canopy to line

DONE

I've posted this before somewhere - once I find the link I'll put it here

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2012, 03:13:53 PM »

Pics

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2012, 03:19:41 PM »

more pics

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2012, 03:20:52 PM »

and more

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2012, 03:21:43 PM »

last ones

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #6 on:** May 23, 2012, 04:04:26 PM »

I've tried doing that with Coke bottle material before, but not just by jamming a bunch of stuff in and heat-shrinking. This looks like it'll actually work, it's easy, and the bottles should be easy enough to find.

Thanks!

Howard Rush · « **Reply #7 on:** May 23, 2012, 04:28:05 PM »

Quote from: Wynn Robins on May 22, 2012, 10:22:30 PM

get a 2 litre coke bottle - but the bottom off it

Good instructions, but there's a typo. It should be:

get a 2-litre coke bottle - bite the bottom off it

Hope this helps.

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #8 on:** May 23, 2012, 04:34:30 PM »

or cut.......can't sneak any errors in here can I?

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #9 on:** May 23, 2012, 04:38:27 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on May 23, 2012, 04:04:26 PM

I've tried doing that with Coke bottle material before, but not just by jamming a bunch of stuff in and heat-shrinking. This looks like it'll actually work, it's easy, and the bottles should be easy enough to find.

Thanks!

its super easy - the PET they make the bottles out of can shrink up to 30% so you can get some good shrinkage - and some ratehr tight curves if you need to....

one thing I didn't mention on the Talon Canopy pictured - the top of the bottle where the cap goes was used to pull the wrinkles out of the front that you can see in one of the pics - USE A GLOVE to hold it if you have to do that - it gets HOT.....ask me how I know!

Howard Rush · « **Reply #10 on:** May 23, 2012, 07:42:09 PM »

Quote from: Wynn Robins on May 23, 2012, 04:34:30 PM

or cut.......can't sneak any errors in here can I?

Oh. Never mind.

louie klein · « **Reply #11 on:** May 24, 2012, 08:00:33 AM »

Not for nutt'n, but there are some brown plastic beer bottles float'n around out there and a lot of planes will have brown canopies ( HIC!)---LOUIE

Avaiojet · « **Reply #12 on:** May 24, 2012, 09:39:33 AM »

Wynn,

I'm impressed. Kudos!

Charles

Bill Heher · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2012, 06:46:38 AM »

Great looking canopy, simple and available to everybody, and cheap - I like it!

I wonder if you could wedge the form in place with a heavy duty balloon or maybe an old blood pressure cuff, or bike inner tube?

proparc · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2012, 07:37:54 AM »

Not to hijack the thread but Wynn,what plane are you making? Looks like nice work so far.

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #15 on:** May 31, 2012, 02:21:49 PM »

That was my Talon - built a few years ago now....

this one.

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #16 on:** May 31, 2012, 02:22:42 PM »

Quote from: Bill Heher on May 31, 2012, 06:46:38 AM

Great looking canopy, simple and available to everybody, and cheap - I like it!

I wonder if you could wedge the form in place with a heavy duty balloon or maybe an old blood pressure cuff, or bike inner tube?

the PET gets VERY hot when you shrink it - you might pop a balloon or cuff.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #17 on:** May 31, 2012, 04:26:03 PM »

Wynn, THANK YOU for the great step by step! You've cleared up my failures and pointed me toward success!! (I think.) If I don't succeed now I'll know I'm destined to buy standard canopies and not use unique shaped ones. Thanks again!!!

L0U CRANE · « **Reply #18 on:** June 06, 2012, 01:50:38 PM »

Did anyone else notice that the red tape strips formed canopy framing into the finished piece?

Very nice!

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #19 on:** June 06, 2012, 02:24:05 PM »

Quote from: L0U CRANE on June 06, 2012, 01:50:38 PM

Did anyone else notice that the red tape strips formed canopy framing into the finished piece?

Very nice!

thanks Lou. It worked a treat too.... I was a little dubious about the heat affecting the tape - but it was fine and make the framework just as I wanted i (apart from the very sharp angle of the front piece) I couldnt get the tape to go around a curve that small

Mike Lauerman · « **Reply #20 on:** February 08, 2013, 04:17:15 PM »

Quote from: Wynn Robins on May 31, 2012, 02:22:42 PM

the PET gets VERY hot when you shrink it - you might pop a balloon or cuff.

Wynn, what does PET mean? (exact abbreviation, please?)

MarcusCordeiro · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2013, 07:47:39 PM »

Poly Ethylene Terephthalate

I found this video, sorry for the language, but the images are very self-explaining, after all, 1 image = 1000 words

Marcus

john e. holliday · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2013, 09:51:32 AM »

Wish I had seen this video when I was trying to do the canopy for the P-47. Went thru a few bottles of different sizes before I called it quits with the one on the plane.

Author Topic: Idiots guide to making canopies (Read 4390 times)

steven yampolsky