Dope under canopy

[Richard Koehler]

I wonder if dope can be used under a canopy?  Since dope continues to off gas for quite a while this may not be a good idea.  Anyone have any experience they'ld like to share

[Steve Helmick]

It's been done for years. It's the first part of the finish that's done, long before the canopy is attached. Nothin's changed.

I would ask if anybody vents the canopy with an air filter to keep sawdust out, yet allow fog to evaporate away.  Steve

[Derek Barry]

It's been done for years. It's the first part of the finish that's done, long before the canopy is attached. Nothin's changed.

I would ask if anybody vents the canopy with an air filter to keep sawdust out, yet allow fog to evaporate away.  Steve

I use dope in all my canopies. I do not put a vent in them and they do fog up some times but that goes away. I have thought about putting a vent in but I never have. Make sure all the dust is out before you glue the canopy on!!!!!! And I put the fillet around the canopy as soon as the epoxy that I applied it with dries. I made the mistake of not doing this once and sanding dust from other parts of the plane (that were finished after the canopy) got into the cockpit area and it was there forever. It likes to stick to the plastic so everyone can see it too. I wrote an entire article on cockpit detail, maybe one day I will send it to Hunt to get it published.

Derek

[Randy Ryan]

I do vent my canopies. I started so they would not fog up but later found another reason when I forgot to vent the canopy on my Jetco Saber Stunt. I had it at its first contest and is was a hot sunny day. I had apparently sealed it very well and it inflated from expansion and tore away from the fuselage along the left side making a huge mar in the best finish I had done to date. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[john e. holliday]

If I didn't or forgot to ut a vent in the cockpit area, I would put a little pin hole at the aft end.

[Randy Ryan]

If I didn't or forgot to ut a vent in the cockpit area, I would put a little pin hole at the aft end.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention I vent them by drilling a tiny hole at the rear end then I tape over it during finishing.

[john e. holliday]

Now I have heard most of the stories.   You blame the poor spider for your flying prowess?

[FLOYD CARTER]

I found A spider web inside my Hurricane canopy.  Must have been born in there, because I don't think there were any openings!  I had to drill a hole and use a cotton swab on the end of a wire to get it clean.

Floyd

[Dave_Trible]

I use dope in all my canopies. I do not put a vent in them and they do fog up some times but that goes away. I have thought about putting a vent in but I never have. Make sure all the dust is out before you glue the canopy on!!!!!! And I put the fillet around the canopy as soon as the epoxy that I applied it with dries. I made the mistake of not doing this once and sanding dust from other parts of the plane (that were finished after the canopy) got into the cockpit area and it was there forever. It likes to stick to the plastic so everyone can see it too. I wrote an entire article on cockpit detail, maybe one day I will send it to Hunt to get it published.

Derek

Dag nabit!!!!  Sure nuff I forgot to seal off on opening beside the seat back and found 'crumbs' when I peeled the masking off the canopy!  Molded new canopies this morning and will tear out and fix it tomorrow. 

Dave