Let's Hear It From Homebuilders Who Make Your Own Sunshields and Panel Glareshields

[jls]

I'm trying my hand at it now. Sun shields will probably fit inside the
plexi windows and be something stiff like that honeycomb signboard cut to
shape and covered with aluminum foil and then maybe a film of cellophane or
clingwrap to keep from scratching the soft plexiglas windows.

For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
thick foam and then maybe leather or naugahyde, or whatever. How about
some ideas here. And thank you for your support.

Nice article about sunshields at Avweb, interview with Kennon on how they do
theirs and what they recommend and why.

[[email protected]]

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:56:28 -0400, " jls" >
wrote:

>I'm trying my hand at it now. Sun shields will probably fit inside the
>plexi windows and be something stiff like that honeycomb signboard cut to
>shape and covered with aluminum foil and then maybe a film of cellophane or
>clingwrap to keep from scratching the soft plexiglas windows.
>
>For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
>cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
>thick foam and then maybe leather or naugahyde, or whatever. How about
>some ideas here. And thank you for your support.
>
>Nice article about sunshields at Avweb, interview with Kennon on how they do
>theirs and what they recommend and why.
>
I would recommend using something other than aluminum for the
glaresheild unless the aluminum is rivited very well to the instrument
panel, and has the edge rolled. A sharp sheet of aluminum is like a
knife if it ever gets forced back into the cockpit...
Putting a slight curvature in the panel to make it deform upwards
rather than trying to come back would also help.

[Ed Wischmeyer]

> For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
> cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
> thick foam

Choose your foam carefully so that it doesn't give off toxic fumes or catch
fire in case you're slow getting out after an accident.

Good luck!

Ed Wischmeyer

[Corrie]

wrote in message >...

> I would recommend using something other than aluminum for the
> glaresheild unless the aluminum is rivited very well to the instrument
> panel, and has the edge rolled. A sharp sheet of aluminum is like a
> knife if it ever gets forced back into the cockpit...
> Putting a slight curvature in the panel to make it deform upwards
> rather than trying to come back would also help.

Good point, but if it's riveted to the panel that makes it tough to
get behind the panel without being an inverted contortionist. A few
screws going into L-brackets on the backside of the panel should
secure it.

Think long and hard about how much of a guillotine blade you want
extending over the panel. It seems like a nice idea to shade the
panel, but you could have a situation where part of the panel is in
bright sun, and some is in deep shade from the overhang. Might make
it hard to read the instruments at a critical moment.

[Roger Halstead]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 02:04:37 GMT, wrote:

>On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:56:28 -0400, " jls" >
>wrote:
>
>>I'm trying my hand at it now. Sun shields will probably fit inside the
>>plexi windows and be something stiff like that honeycomb signboard cut to
>>shape and covered with aluminum foil and then maybe a film of cellophane or
>>clingwrap to keep from scratching the soft plexiglas windows.
>>
>>For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
>>cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
>>thick foam and then maybe leather or naugahyde, or whatever. How about
>>some ideas here. And thank you for your support.
>>
>>Nice article about sunshields at Avweb, interview with Kennon on how they do
>>theirs and what they recommend and why.
>>
>I would recommend using something other than aluminum for the
>glaresheild unless the aluminum is rivited very well to the instrument
>panel, and has the edge rolled. A sharp sheet of aluminum is like a
>knife if it ever gets forced back into the cockpit...

Strange you should mention that. I remember seeing a glare shield made
of 1/8th inch plywood and covered with naugahyde. It had the neatest
set of teeth prints on each side...

I'd not rivet the glare shield to the panel though. Screwed down? you
bet, but not riveted. You might have to fix something in there one
day.

Myself? I think I'd use a sandwich made of foam and extremely thin
aluminum bonded and covered with leather or naugahyde. Something with
"crushability", but not only strong enough to hold its shape, but a
heavy mug of coffee, or wrenches, or....

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

>Putting a slight curvature in the panel to make it deform upwards
>rather than trying to come back would also help.

[Tim Ward]

"Roger Halstead" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 02:04:37 GMT, wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:56:28 -0400, " jls" >
> >wrote:
> >
> >>I'm trying my hand at it now. Sun shields will probably fit inside the
> >>plexi windows and be something stiff like that honeycomb signboard cut
to
> >>shape and covered with aluminum foil and then maybe a film of cellophane
or
> >>clingwrap to keep from scratching the soft plexiglas windows.
> >>
> >>For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
> >>cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
> >>thick foam and then maybe leather or naugahyde, or whatever. How about
> >>some ideas here. And thank you for your support.
> >>
> >>Nice article about sunshields at Avweb, interview with Kennon on how
they do
> >>theirs and what they recommend and why.
> >>
> >I would recommend using something other than aluminum for the
> >glaresheild unless the aluminum is rivited very well to the instrument
> >panel, and has the edge rolled. A sharp sheet of aluminum is like a
> >knife if it ever gets forced back into the cockpit...
>
> Strange you should mention that. I remember seeing a glare shield made
> of 1/8th inch plywood and covered with naugahyde. It had the neatest
> set of teeth prints on each side...
>
> I'd not rivet the glare shield to the panel though. Screwed down? you
> bet, but not riveted. You might have to fix something in there one
> day.
>
> Myself? I think I'd use a sandwich made of foam and extremely thin
> aluminum bonded and covered with leather or naugahyde. Something with
> "crushability", but not only strong enough to hold its shape, but a
> heavy mug of coffee, or wrenches, or....
>
> Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
> (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
> www.rogerhalstead.com
>
> >Putting a slight curvature in the panel to make it deform upwards
> >rather than trying to come back would also help.

How about Coroplast? It's light, it's stiff, it's cheap. It's not
particularly UV resistant, but covered with foam and fabric, that shouldn't
be an issue.

For those unfamiliar with the material, Coroplast is like corrugated
cardboard made out of polypropylene. It's available in various thicknesses.
You can pick up small pieces of it at sign shops.

Tim Ward

[Rich S.]

"Roger Halstead" > wrote in message
...
>
> Strange you should mention that. I remember seeing a glare shield made
> of 1/8th inch plywood and covered with naugahyde. It had the neatest
> set of teeth prints on each side...

Hmmm...... I remember seeing a wrecked Bonanza (stall on takeoff) with a
complete bite taken out of the top of the panel. I was told it had belonged
to an orthodontist. No, I'm NOT kidding! :o)

Rich S.

[[email protected]]

On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 08:12:00 -0700, "Tim Ward" >
wrote:

>

>
>How about Coroplast? It's light, it's stiff, it's cheap. It's not
>particularly UV resistant, but covered with foam and fabric, that shouldn't
>be an issue.
>
>For those unfamiliar with the material, Coroplast is like corrugated
>cardboard made out of polypropylene. It's available in various thicknesses.
>You can pick up small pieces of it at sign shops.
>
>Tim Ward
>
Have you ever worked with the stuff??? It is as bad as aluminum for
slicing, and it has the distinct disadvantage of being inflexible.
Particularly the stuff used on greenhouses etc.

[Blueskies]

There is a family of RC airplanes that are made from this stuff. Fairly easy to fabricate and pretty tough...
See: http://www.duraplane.com/

--
Dan D.
http://www.ameritech.net/users/ddevillers/start.html


..
> wrote in message ...
> On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 08:12:00 -0700, "Tim Ward" >
> wrote:
>
> >
>
> >
> >How about Coroplast? It's light, it's stiff, it's cheap. It's not
> >particularly UV resistant, but covered with foam and fabric, that shouldn't
> >be an issue.
> >
> >For those unfamiliar with the material, Coroplast is like corrugated
> >cardboard made out of polypropylene. It's available in various thicknesses.
> >You can pick up small pieces of it at sign shops.
> >
> >Tim Ward
> >
> Have you ever worked with the stuff??? It is as bad as aluminum for
> slicing, and it has the distinct disadvantage of being inflexible.
> Particularly the stuff used on greenhouses etc.

[Tim Ward]

>
>
> .
> > wrote in message
...
> > On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 08:12:00 -0700, "Tim Ward" >
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> > >How about Coroplast? It's light, it's stiff, it's cheap. It's not
> > >particularly UV resistant, but covered with foam and fabric, that
shouldn't
> > >be an issue.
> > >
> > >For those unfamiliar with the material, Coroplast is like corrugated
> > >cardboard made out of polypropylene. It's available in various
thicknesses.
> > >You can pick up small pieces of it at sign shops.
> > >
> > >Tim Ward
> > >
> > Have you ever worked with the stuff??? It is as bad as aluminum for
> > slicing, and it has the distinct disadvantage of being inflexible.
> > Particularly the stuff used on greenhouses etc.
>
<top posting changed to the bottom>
"Blueskies" > wrote in message
gy.com...
> There is a family of RC airplanes that are made from this stuff. Fairly
easy to fabricate and pretty tough...
> See: http://www.duraplane.com/
>
> --
> Dan D.
> http://www.ameritech.net/users/ddevillers/start.html
>

I've gotten paper cuts working with corrugated cardboard, too. Covered with
something, I think it would crush more easily than aluminum. Also, I was
thinking of the thinner 2 mm or 4mm stuff. Don't the greenhouses use 8 or
10 mm thicknesses?
If you slice along the corrugations occasionally, you can get an
approximation of a smooth curve.
On second thought, since you can form it using a heat gun, maybe it wouldn't
be such a hot (hah!) idea. It can get pretty hot in a closed cockpit. It
wouldn't be good if it sagged from the heat

Tim Ward.

[Ross Oliver]

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:56:28 -0400, jls > wrote:
>I'm trying my hand at it now. Sun shields will probably fit inside the
>plexi windows and be something stiff like that honeycomb signboard cut to
>shape and covered with aluminum foil and then maybe a film of cellophane or
>clingwrap to keep from scratching the soft plexiglas windows.

For my canopy sunshades, I used plain old "window insulation" from
the hardware store. It is basically thin plastic bubble wrap covered in
reflective mylar on both sides. Comes in rolls 3 ft wide, and sells
for about $1 per linear foot. It is stiff enough for small panels
(about 2x2 ft) to hold their shape, yet still flexible enough to conform
to the curve of the canopy. I attach it on two sides with velcro to the
canopy front frame and center rib, and a suction cup to the plexiglass at
the outside corner. If you don't have frames to attach to, probably one big
suction cup in the center of a panel would work fine.


>For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
>cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
>thick foam and then maybe leather or naugahyde, or whatever. How about
>some ideas here. And thank you for your support.


Three words: black craft felt.