Vacuum form

[richkat]

Great info, one other thing I do is to take a second paper canopy and put it over the mold and mark the bottom edge ON the mold, that way you can mark the bottom edge of the clear plastic to give a starting trim line......Rich

[Isaac]

helpful for those contemplating making your own canopies.


Isaac

[PICARDIE]

Hi All.

Bouncing on Richkat's message. I do roughly the same way, adding a second paper canopy but inside the first one. Actually the second canopy consists only in the canopy frame. I remove the paper parts that will appear as Plexiglas panels on the finished canopy. This way the plaster mold creates recesses in the plastic canopy, in which the paper frame can be glued easily. In addition, thank to the recesses, the paper frame sets flush with the clear plastic panels. As for the plaster mold surface, after sanding it, I use to cover it with several layers of Araldite (or similar) glue diluted with alcohol or acetone. This treatment makes the surface harder and smoother.
Attached images as an example show a mold for a DO-335 which canopy frame is rather complicated. The other small mold is for a Macchi 205, which canopy frame is rather complicated as well.
(Hope my message will come to you with the images ...)
Cheers.

[YOAVHOZMI]

Originally Posted by PICARDIE

Hi All.

Bouncing on Richkat's message. I do roughly the same way, adding a second paper canopy but inside the first one. Actually the second canopy consists only in the canopy frame. I remove the paper parts that will appear as Plexiglas panels on the finished canopy. This way the plaster mold creates recesses in the plastic canopy, in which the paper frame can be glued easily. In addition, thank to the recesses, the paper frame sets flush with the clear plastic panels. As for the plaster mold surface, after sanding it, I use to cover it with several layers of Araldite (or similar) glue diluted with alcohol or acetone. This treatment makes the surface harder and smoother.
Attached images as an example show a mold for a DO-335 which canopy frame is rather complicated. The other small mold is for a Macchi 205, which canopy frame is rather complicated as well.
(Hope my message will come to you with the images ...)
Cheers.

hey PICARDIE

what you show is a good method, i want to do it, but i prefered to give it up, because to me it is more comfortable without those frame markings, i prefer to stretch the paper frame on the clear canopy.

but how we say, everyone will do what ever he choose or feel more comfortable with.

greeting

YOAV

[richkat]

Thanks Picardie that's a great way of doing the frames, love the DO-335 show us some pics of it will you. The 335 is my favorite plan ever, and your looks great..........Rich