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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: petermick on October 18, 2016, 12:52:41 PM

Title: Canopy flashing
Post by: petermick on October 18, 2016, 12:52:41 PM: Hi All,

This issue has always been a pain in the butt for me. What is the best/simplest way to remove the excess material from a molded store bought plastic canopy? I can never get a straight cut using a sissors.

Thanks

Peter Mick
AMA 9581
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach on October 18, 2016, 01:33:24 PM: You and me both! I have tried knives, scissors, hot knife, nothing seems to work for me. I have just started trimming it large, then trimming slowly with a new #11 blade. That's the only way I seem to get it close.
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Randy Powell on October 18, 2016, 01:56:58 PM: I use a template and mark the canopy. then cut it with scissors. I have some curved ones like Ty notes, but I got them for a sewing store.
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Mark Scarborough on October 18, 2016, 02:22:48 PM: Quote from: Ty Marcucci on October 18, 2016, 01:36:29 PM
I have two small curved blade scissors just for that purpose. I think I got them from the local hobby shop, they may have been a Top Flight product long with their panel lines kit.. They are about 5 inches long and work perfect for canopies. D>K
there is a set of scissors, they are made for cutting Lexan RC car bodies. Tower has them as do most hobbie shops that deal with RC car stuff.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEVT3&P=7

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEVT2&P=7
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: RandySmith on October 18, 2016, 02:25:42 PM: They sale canopy scissors, first mark the canopy for the cut you want and then trim it with canopy scissors

Randy
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Mike Haverly on October 18, 2016, 06:49:50 PM: Just call me crude but I use my belt sander and get pretty darn close and finish with a Dremel 1/2" drum sander. It's pretty fast too! I'm not very good with scissors no matter how small.
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: David Hoover on October 18, 2016, 06:54:49 PM: Using a belt sander on a canopy, Mike? Red Green would love it! I'll have to try that.
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Steve Helmick on October 18, 2016, 07:13:25 PM: Mike uses a lot of duct tape, too! VD~ Steve
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Mike Haverly on October 18, 2016, 08:27:55 PM: Not duct tape, blue masking tape. I cover the canopy with tape, mark the rough dimensions with a Sharpie and start whackin' away. Obviously some discretion is needed. I can have one trimmed in about five minutes.
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: Trostle on October 19, 2016, 09:07:28 AM: Get a rough fit of the canopy to the fuselage mate using whatever combination of tools it takes - sissors, knives, or whatedver. Then take a sheet of 220 sandpaper draped over the top of the fuselage and start the final fit of the canopy by pressing/sanding the edges of the canopy down over the sandpaper. Takes a while and might wear out a sheet or two of 220 paper but it works.

Keith
Title: Re: Canopy flashing
Post by: wwwarbird on October 19, 2016, 07:01:30 PM: Just cut it close to where you want it and then work it down further with a sanding block and or sandpaper. Be patient, it can take a while, and be careful not to slip and accidentally nick it somewhere with the sandpaper where you don't want to. From there, fit it to the fuse like Keith describes above.