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Pre-Flight Check
Constructive critique of your finished or in-progress photos.
new clear canopies
bounce19712
Joined: February 21, 2007
KitMaker: 80 posts
AeroScale: 59 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 24, 2007 - 02:50 AM UTC
hello...just another thought I've had recently is fabricating canopy bubbles from heating and forming 2-litre Cola bottles....

anyone seen or heard of this??

I'm going to get a propane torch and see about evenly and lightly heating a section of plastic bottle till it's pliant and then pushing the original canopy into it for a "wrap" type molding.....I don't know if the new plastic will maintain it's transparency during heating and was wondering if anyone has tried it before...or oven heating?...heheheh

it would sure be nice to toss the 1/4 centimeter thick original canopies..heheheh
HeavyArty
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
AeroScale: 1,728 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 24, 2007 - 03:54 AM UTC
Yes, you can heat-form new canopies. I don't know about using a plastic coke bottle though. That type of plastic does weird things when heated. You can use acetate though. Try getting something that is packaged in a clear plastic blister pack. Gently heat the acetate and form it over the master parts when it becomes pliable. It works pretty well, but you will have to replicate any rivets or fastener details on the frame.
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