Push forward!

 Hours 61
Total Hours 635

If I you will notice, I am beginning to post more often. I am learning to do I thought this with my phone and it will make it easier to post after each day or work session. Earlier I posted every 3 or 4 months or whenever I would finish a major part of the process....

I moved on to one of the most hated steps in the build process, fitting the canopy. I read the instructions and studied the plans 5 times all the way through. I read all the posts on VAF about the canopy, and spent many hours studying other builders build logs online and I was still confused about how the canopy should be fitted.

After studying during my 2 week hitch at work, I came home and attacked the situation. The roll bar was acceptable but the canopy was spread too much for the extra /2 inch the canopy would pull the frame apart after it was mounted. Also the rear aft side bows actually exceeded the outside of the aft fuse sides. Time for some bending.

Bending this stuff is every bit as hard everyone says it is! It would spring back every time I

thought I had gone to far.

Finally, when it did bend, it would tend to bend too much in that particular spot.

I finally got the side bows bent where I want them, now the aft side bow frame hits the fuseloge when you slide it open on both sides but the canopy should pull it apart far enough for it to clear. I then bent the rear bow in several places and it seamed easier to shape. After working on this for several days I finally had it pretty good except the aft side bow on the pilot side was higher that the rest of the canopy. After countless hours of head scratchin, I concluded that the frame had a slight twist in it. I then took a chance on a notion I had, I wrapped the front bow with straps all the way around the roll bar so to hold the frame tightly in place. I then took a 2x4 and twisted the aft frame in the opposite direction of the twist. To my astonishment, the frame seemed to be corrected. I unwrapped the straps and it was indeed correct! Everything was very close to perfect so I called it quits on shaping the canopy frame. I didnt get any pictures of that last configuration or twist but it worked so Im movin on!