Canopy crack :(

After an unfortunate confrontation between me, my canopy, and the
buffer, I now have a two inch crack at the back canopy hinge point. I
have stop drilled the crack and am contemplating my options. The
crack is near my right shoulder so it is out of the field of vision.
However, I dread looking at it for the next umpteen years. I am going
to try to repair it and if that does not work I am going to stick some
smart sticker over it to hide it.

My question is, how likely is it that someone of above average
craftsmanship abilities and a great set of tools could camouflage this
crack enough that the casual observer would not see it? Please
describe your techniques and the kind of cement you used. I am in the
US and some of the popular cements are not available on this
continent.

Sincerely,
XF

On Jun 6, 4:57*pm, lanebush wrote:
After an unfortunate confrontation between me, my canopy, and the
buffer, I now have a two inch crack at the back canopy hinge point. *I
have stop drilled the crack and am contemplating my options. *The
crack is near my right shoulder so it is out of the field of vision.
However, I dread looking at it for the next umpteen years. *I am going
to try to repair it and if that does not work I am going to stick some
smart sticker over it to hide it.

My question is, how likely is it that someone of above average
craftsmanship abilities and a great set of tools could camouflage this
crack enough that the casual observer would not see it? *Please
describe your techniques and the kind of cement you used. *I am in the
US and some of the popular cements are not available on this
continent.

Sincerely,
XF

http://www.eglider.org/index.php?_a=...d&productId=24

Tim Taylor wrote:
On Jun 6, 4:57 pm, lanebush wrote:
After an unfortunate confrontation between me, my canopy, and the
buffer, I now have a two inch crack at the back canopy hinge point. I
have stop drilled the crack and am contemplating my options. The
crack is near my right shoulder so it is out of the field of vision.
However, I dread looking at it for the next umpteen years. I am going
to try to repair it and if that does not work I am going to stick some
smart sticker over it to hide it.

My question is, how likely is it that someone of above average
craftsmanship abilities and a great set of tools could camouflage this
crack enough that the casual observer would not see it? Please
describe your techniques and the kind of cement you used. I am in the
US and some of the popular cements are not available on this
continent.

Sincerely,
XF

http://www.eglider.org/index.php?_a=...d&productId=24


This seems to be a loaded acrylic solvent of the kind that can easily be
prepared on most continents - even N America.
But you would pay a premium price for a filler that can be expected to
perform - that might come with instructions too.

Some other alternatives: buy a few scraps of acrylic and prepare a
loaded acrylic solvent (the plastic store would likely have the stuff
i.e a solvent in which pieces of acrylic have been dissolved)
then try it on a piece you've cracked.
My concern would be the solvent attack on the surrounding surface.

I was particularly impressed with the autoparts recipe for mending
chipped glass windshields: it seems to be a UV setting instant glue with
a lockable syringe, an adhesive flange etc around $10
The mode of application has you cleaning the area, scratching out loose
fragments, applying an airtight gasket, injecting some goo, applying
suction to remove air bubbles in the cracks, then applying pressure to
squeeze in the goo and leaving to cure in sunlight, then razoring off
the surface flash. Getting the most out of the least, as I thought of
it...

Brian W

On Jun 6, 8:18*pm, brian whatcott wrote:
Tim Taylor wrote:
On Jun 6, 4:57 pm, lanebush wrote:
After an unfortunate confrontation between me, my canopy, and the
buffer, I now have a two inch crack at the back canopy hinge point. *I
have stop drilled the crack and am contemplating my options. *The
crack is near my right shoulder so it is out of the field of vision.
However, I dread looking at it for the next umpteen years. *I am going
to try to repair it and if that does not work I am going to stick some
smart sticker over it to hide it.

My question is, how likely is it that someone of above average
craftsmanship abilities and a great set of tools could camouflage this
crack enough that the casual observer would not see it? *Please
describe your techniques and the kind of cement you used. *I am in the
US and some of the popular cements are not available on this
continent.

Sincerely,
XF

http://www.eglider.org/index.php?_a=...d&productId=24

This seems to be a loaded acrylic solvent of the kind that can easily be
prepared on most continents - even N America.
* But you would pay a premium price for a filler that can be expected to
perform - that might come with instructions too.

Some other alternatives: buy a few scraps of acrylic and prepare a
loaded acrylic solvent (the plastic store would likely have the stuff
i.e a solvent in which pieces of acrylic have been dissolved)
then try it on a piece you've cracked.
My concern would be the solvent attack on the surrounding surface.

I was particularly impressed with the autoparts recipe for mending
chipped glass windshields: it seems to be a UV setting instant glue with
a lockable syringe, an adhesive flange etc around $10
The mode of application has you cleaning the area, scratching out loose
fragments, applying an airtight gasket, injecting some goo, applying
suction to remove air bubbles in the cracks, then applying pressure to
squeeze in the goo and leaving to cure in sunlight, then razoring off
the surface flash. * Getting the most out of the least, as I thought of
it...

Brian W

It looks like there is about an even split between people using "weld
on 16" and people using "acrifix". I can purchase an appropriate size
tube of weld on 16 for half the price of acrifix. Are there any
opinions on if the extra $25 gets a better repair with the acrifix?
Also, has anyone tried a touch of blue dye in the cement to make it
match a blue tinted canopy? A few years back I repaired a brand new
motorcycle lens with cement and red food coloring. It turned out very
nice.

On Jun 6, 9:09*pm, lanebush wrote:
On Jun 6, 8:18*pm, brian whatcott wrote:



Tim Taylor wrote:
On Jun 6, 4:57 pm, lanebush wrote:
After an unfortunate confrontation between me, my canopy, and the
buffer, I now have a two inch crack at the back canopy hinge point. *I
have stop drilled the crack and am contemplating my options. *The
crack is near my right shoulder so it is out of the field of vision.
However, I dread looking at it for the next umpteen years. *I am going
to try to repair it and if that does not work I am going to stick some
smart sticker over it to hide it.

My question is, how likely is it that someone of above average
craftsmanship abilities and a great set of tools could camouflage this
crack enough that the casual observer would not see it? *Please
describe your techniques and the kind of cement you used. *I am in the
US and some of the popular cements are not available on this
continent.

Sincerely,
XF

http://www.eglider.org/index.php?_a=...d&productId=24

This seems to be a loaded acrylic solvent of the kind that can easily be
prepared on most continents - even N America.
* But you would pay a premium price for a filler that can be expected to
perform - that might come with instructions too.

Some other alternatives: buy a few scraps of acrylic and prepare a
loaded acrylic solvent (the plastic store would likely have the stuff
i.e a solvent in which pieces of acrylic have been dissolved)
then try it on a piece you've cracked.
My concern would be the solvent attack on the surrounding surface.

I was particularly impressed with the autoparts recipe for mending
chipped glass windshields: it seems to be a UV setting instant glue with
a lockable syringe, an adhesive flange etc around $10
The mode of application has you cleaning the area, scratching out loose
fragments, applying an airtight gasket, injecting some goo, applying
suction to remove air bubbles in the cracks, then applying pressure to
squeeze in the goo and leaving to cure in sunlight, then razoring off
the surface flash. * Getting the most out of the least, as I thought of
it...

Brian W

It looks like there is about an even split between people using "weld
on 16" and people using "acrifix". *I can purchase an appropriate size
tube of weld on 16 for half the price of acrifix. *Are there any
opinions on if the extra $25 gets a better repair with the acrifix?
Also, has anyone tried a touch of blue dye in the cement to make it
match a blue tinted canopy? *A few years back I repaired a brand new
motorcycle lens with cement and red food coloring. *It turned out very
nice.

Don't think you need the dye, except maybe where you drilled holes.
After cementing, I would wet sand with contoured balsa blocks. Start
around 1000 grit. Go slowly, carefully. I'd practice on some scrap
material first. Finish with at least 2000, or use micromesh.
Polish.

-Evan Ludeman / T8

Breaking a canopy is a bad day. The good news is that it is not as bad
as you may think. Over the years I have tried every fix possible on
canopies. Here is what works best.

ACRIFIX 2R0190 X 4oz (+ catalyst) - VERSATILE (hardener) available at
Wings and Wheels. Hands down the best.

http://www.wingsandwheels.com/page37.htm

So what you do is this. Take out your dremel and sand/grind two 45
degree groves along both sides of the crack. The carefully wet sand
inside the crack grove with 320 and then 800 and then 1000 until any
tooling marks are removed and the surface is smooth. Tape up the back
if you go through. Then fixture the canopy crack grove up and level.
Apply the ACRIFIX (use the two part and nothing else) liberally. Next
day sand mask off the damaged area and sand the cured material almost
flat using 320 wet and dry. Then work down the grit list to Micro
Mesh. If there is still some crack left on the inside of the canopy
grind out this area from the inside and wet/dry repeat the process on
the inside. This process works very well (as in near perfect) but is
not for the faint of hand. Your on your own with the blue dye.

Try this process on a test plexy part to get some experience. If the
canopy crack is near the edge it normally goes under the gel coat trim
along the canopy edge so go after this when dremeling. Then, when
finished, mask off the canopy/gelcoat edge and paint on new gelcoat
and sand it to perfect.

John Seaborn
A8

While its nice to support companies that support gliding, I don't know
that a 100% markup is great. After a bit of looking, the Acrifix 192
that is sold at www.eglider.org is sold directly by the US distributor he

http://www.acrylite-shop.com/US/us/c...odxc8zp~p.html

At $18 plus shipping it is way cheaper. You might be able to find it
cheaper still at a local distributor:

http://www.acrylite.net/product/acry...pages/usa.aspx


Personally, I'll take the 1 part light cured adhesive rather than the 2
part mixed adhesive that Wings and Wheels sells, although that also is
available at the US distributor for less. These two products are
definitely reactive cements though. If you look on the Acrifix website
www.acrifix.com, you can find their solvent based adhesives as well.
Most of the solvent based adhesives are not gap filling like the 190 and
192 and would require a perfect crack that you don't grind out or get to
disappear.

Jason




On 6/6/2010 6:09 PM, lanebush wrote:
On Jun 6, 8:18 pm, brian wrote:
Tim Taylor wrote:
On Jun 6, 4:57 pm, wrote:
After an unfortunate confrontation between me, my canopy, and the
buffer, I now have a two inch crack at the back canopy hinge point. I
have stop drilled the crack and am contemplating my options. The
crack is near my right shoulder so it is out of the field of vision.
However, I dread looking at it for the next umpteen years. I am going
to try to repair it and if that does not work I am going to stick some
smart sticker over it to hide it.

My question is, how likely is it that someone of above average
craftsmanship abilities and a great set of tools could camouflage this
crack enough that the casual observer would not see it? Please
describe your techniques and the kind of cement you used. I am in the
US and some of the popular cements are not available on this
continent.

Sincerely,
XF

http://www.eglider.org/index.php?_a=...d&productId=24

This seems to be a loaded acrylic solvent of the kind that can easily be
prepared on most continents - even N America.
But you would pay a premium price for a filler that can be expected to
perform - that might come with instructions too.

Some other alternatives: buy a few scraps of acrylic and prepare a
loaded acrylic solvent (the plastic store would likely have the stuff
i.e a solvent in which pieces of acrylic have been dissolved)
then try it on a piece you've cracked.
My concern would be the solvent attack on the surrounding surface.

I was particularly impressed with the autoparts recipe for mending
chipped glass windshields: it seems to be a UV setting instant glue with
a lockable syringe, an adhesive flange etc around $10
The mode of application has you cleaning the area, scratching out loose
fragments, applying an airtight gasket, injecting some goo, applying
suction to remove air bubbles in the cracks, then applying pressure to
squeeze in the goo and leaving to cure in sunlight, then razoring off
the surface flash. Getting the most out of the least, as I thought of
it...

Brian W

It looks like there is about an even split between people using "weld
on 16" and people using "acrifix". I can purchase an appropriate size
tube of weld on 16 for half the price of acrifix. Are there any
opinions on if the extra $25 gets a better repair with the acrifix?
Also, has anyone tried a touch of blue dye in the cement to make it
match a blue tinted canopy? A few years back I repaired a brand new
motorcycle lens with cement and red food coloring. It turned out very
nice.