Crack canopy at the sliding glass screw hole.

On Monday, October 14, 2013 4:58:56 PM UTC-5, SoaringXCellence wrote:
There are liquid acrylic "cements", actually solvents that melt the material. I have used it in the past, with a VERY small hypodermic needle to wick it into the crack. The solvent has very low viscosity and will easily dribble out of the tube. a very small amount will travel a good distance via capillary action, into the crack and soften the edges letting them fuse together. Keep something like a cloth under the point of the needle until you are really ready to start the wicking into the crack. this is to prevent the solvent from dribbling onto the canopy in places you don't want to repair. NEVER try to wipe off the dribble (BAD smear), if it happens, let it dry completely, and polish it out with Micro-Mesh or something similar. You should orient the canopy so that you can work from above the surface, with the crack parallel the horizon, to prevent running. I usually work from the inside, that helps to contain the solvent in the concavity of the inner surface.



Having said all this, and having repaired several canopies, I always go very slowly and cautiously when even considering the attempt. I know about the "dribbles" and smears from experience and I sometimes think the cure is worse than the disease.



Mike

I've used this and it works very well. I don't find it available in the USA, but it appears to be available for export. There may be health or EPA reasons it's not available here. The trick with this is the balance between pot time and letting the bubbles rise out before application. It's a short window.

Acrifix 192 works well also, but I think the Tensol 70 is better. As Acrifix 192 cures with UV, you need a light or the ability to work outside on a sunny day.

Both require finishing kits. Although I was satisfied with my repairs, I've seen some brilliant examples where the cracks virtually vanished. Takes a lot work to do that.

Frank Whiteley

On Monday, October 14, 2013 5:27:45 PM UTC-6, Dave Martin wrote:
There is only one cement for perspex that is two part:



Tensol 70 with a hardener.



Then a Micromesh kit from Wings and Wheels for polishing.



Tensol 70 works by dissolving the two sides of the crack, then

setting hard and basically forms new perspex.



Tensol 12 a similar adhesive will stick but has no strength. Other

acrylic adhesives will stick but again have no strength.

As SXC says below its should be taken with care and plenty of

caution. It is liquid and runs and as it sets form strings and they

stick to canopies. so care and masking.



The process is simple, time consuming and requires infinite

patience. Space does not permit a full description of how to do

it. But small cracks are well within the scope of an owner.



The first step is to drill the end of the crack with a fine drill. or

hot needle. To stop it spreading. A red hot needle will give some

form of seal.



Dave

Yes but...

Do chips at the edge of the window cutout in the canopy tend to develop into cracks, or can they be ignored?

If they are a future problem, how should they dealt with before the crack develops?

"Stitch in time, saves nine."

Probable answer is yes and no depends how you treat your
canopy and the size of the chip.

If they are small leave. maybe dress down the edges with very
very fine wet and dry. To prevent catching them.


If large use Tensol 70, Make a dam round the chip use blue tack
to form a reservoir and fill the dam. Then when set hard at least
a couple -- maybe a few days, polish out with wet and dry.

A micromesh kit is a good piece of equipment for your tool box
It contains the correct grit wet and dry and liquid polish
Perspex polishing is not difficult it just requires time and
patience with plenty of water. Polish in straight lines change
direction by 45 degrees as you change grit and keep the area as
small as possible. Use a hard foam pad especially on inside
curves.

One answer is to stop reaching through canopy windows

Dave

At 12:16 15 October 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
Yes but...

Do chips at the edge of the window cutout in the canopy tend
to develop
into cracks, or can they be ignored?

If they are a future problem, how should they dealt with before
the crack
develops?

"Stitch in time, saves nine."

On Monday, October 14, 2013 7:14:11 PM UTC-6, Craig Funston wrote:
On Monday, October 14, 2013 12:09:06 PM UTC-7, wrote:

I would suggest using Acrifix 192.







http://www.acrylglasprofi.de/Produkt...IFIX%20192.pdf



Acrifix 2R 0190 is the two component version. The straight 190 relies on UV for the cure.

http://www.acrifix.com/product/acrif...s/default.aspx



It's listed on Wings and Wheels website

I have used ACRYFIX 2R0190 and it works very well. Like it better than the single component version, I thought that it cured quicker with less shrinkage.