Yep, I cracked my canopy...you read that right, its not a typo and your eyes aren't deceiving you. I danced through the 'big cut', laughing it off as being a piece of cake, only to crack the canopy later! Ironic isn't it?? This actually happened about a month ago, before my Mexico trip and I'm just now getting around to posting about it.
When I started this blog, I told myself, as bad as it is to be in the spotlight...I wanted full disclosure about the build process...including my knucklehead mistakes. I know there will be readers that rightfully so, say, "what an idiot"...but that's ok, I can take the heat. I figure, if my posting about it here helps someone coming behind me to avoid this, its worth it to me. I like to "pay it forward"...like all the guys (Dan Checkoway, Bruce Swayze, Chad Jensen, Jason Beaver) who went before me and helped me get to this point. And to those builders out there that make no mistakes...good for you, you are far superior to me because I make plenty. There is no way you get through one of these builds without some frustrations...some bumps in the road, this just happens to be one of them for me.
So, when I first saw this crack, I thought it was just the black SikaFlex primer that had somehow managed to get under my tape so I was trying to clean it off...that's why the area is scuffed up. Upon further inspection with better lighting, it was pretty apparent that sure enough, it was cracked, but good! The feeling of dread cant be described in words...I felt like I had been gut punched and all the air had been knocked out of me. I was so proud of my new glued in place rear canopy only to find this...it was a long emotional fall.
What happened, from what I can tell, is this. I had used Popsicle sticks as my spacers for the SikaFlex like many builders do. I then used several clamps, with rubber boots mind you, to secure the plexi to the roll bar over the spacers. I think, on this particular one, I didn't get the Popsicle stick inserted far enough so the edge of the stick caused a pressure point when I clamped it. The plexi didn't like that pressure point...and bam, crack! My advice...make sure you insert it far enough in or do like some builders and use 'O-rings' as your spacers which I would do if I did another one.
After gathering my composure, I did what any good builder or pilot does. Remove the emotion from the equation, take a deep breath, assess the situation and consider my alternatives. First thought was of course, its ruined and cant be fixed...I'm fu#$%ed! Which turned to, great...you cant just buy the rear half, so all of the work done on the canopy (like the big cut and all the trimming) so far would be out the window if I ordered another one. Beyond the fact that it would cost in excess of $1200 to replace it. This idea was making me rather nauseous, so I immediately changed my thought process. Yes, I was in denial. :)
Ok, what else can I do?? There had to be a way around this without starting over? Right? Paul Dye, who is a NASA flight director, RV8 owner/builder, KitPlanes contributor and VAF stalwart said something in one of his VAF posts that I really liked. He said, and I'm going on memory... part of the build process, part of becoming a skilled builder is learning how to overcome your mistakes...sometimes buying a new part is just not going to happen, and you're not going to throw away the entire airplane and start over. You have to find a solution. It reminds me of a saying I always like to use that I stole from the Clint Eastwood Marine Corp movie, Heatbreak Ridge..."Improvise, Adapt, Overcome". And thats exactly what I shall do...
With that quote fresh in mind, I did a google search on repairing cracked plexiglass. First order of business...stop the crack from getting worse. Stop drill that baby immediately! That almost made me cry to drill several holes in my new plexi--but I knew it had to be done. During my search, I also found out there are special 'Weld-on" products for plexiglass. Ok, now I felt I was getting somewhere...I had alternatives.
But...the problem is, filling the crack and stop drilled holes will leave it opaque and look like crap. Then I thought...well, how about I paint a black strip on the outside of the plexi, over the roll bar. The 'slider' guys do this and it looks nice...Chris Sands exquisite RV7 had something like this as well. Shoot...although I hadn't planned it, this could work...my spirits were lifting. In addition, I planned to do a 'targa strip' anyway so this would work well with that design scheme and still look nice...almost like I planned it that way. ;)
After a month of really having the wind taken out of my sails over this cracked canopy, I am finally getting past it and feeling much better about it as I move forward. It wasnt easy, anyone who has cracked their canopy will attest to that, its a tough hump to get over. But, get over the hump you must...and build on! I hope my experience will help you avoid a similar fate.
Here is the massive spider crack...ugh!
Stop drilling it...you can see I missed a couple...
Ron,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, NONE of us who read your blog feel that a cracked canopy reflects poorly on you as a builder in ANY way. (Besides, who cares what we think anyway? :) )
Beyond that, I think we who are building, know how much these projects become like children for us; we worry about their health...will they turn out ok? and all that. So we are feeling your anguish.
I am interested in how the problem solving engineer in you goes about the solution. I wish you the best of luck with this temporary glitch.
Steve M
Thanks Steve! When is yours going to fly?!
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