Make Your Own RC Cockpit Canopy
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- A quick break from my Tiger Moth RC Conversion sees me making a new Canopy for my RC Glider. It was surprisingly easy, there are lots of videos on TH-cam explaining the process and my thanks go to Mark Robinson for the inspiration. NOTE: A viewer has told me NOT to use sanding sealer on the balsa plug as the applied heat will make the plastic bottle stick to it!
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One trick I used in the past, where you have an old canopy you need to recreate, is to fill it with plaster. Even if its broken, tape it back together and fill the sides to keep the liquid plaster in. Coat the surface with auto filler and sand smooth. You end up with a perfect recreation of the original.
Great idea Dave, thanks for posting, Happy New Year 👍🙂
I was expecting some sort of vacuum system. But this looks very doable. I have a heat gun or two.
Worth experimenting Wayne 👍🙂
Nice job, canopy glue , I have to try it. I have used regular white glue for model car windows which is ok. Does the canopy glue adhere much better,? Oh yeah, do you have 220 volts like in your house like we have 110. ?
It's better than white glue for sure, 220 over here, or 240 really 👍
Looking at the fuselage of your glider . Is it by any chance a K6c ?
Hi Pete it's a Slingsby Eagle, cheers 👍🙂
Has the glue held up? I'm told that most glues don't work that well with PET. I'm asking as I am about to start a plug for a vintage scratch build.
Hang on I'll go and have a look ... yes it looks fine it's as good as the day I stuck it so go for it, cheers 👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes Thanks Cliff, gives me a bit more confidence going into something I have not tried before.
@@iflylilplanes Once you've got the plug made that's the hard work done, the rest is just practice with free materials. Don't expect the first one or two to be very good just keep practicing and you'll get a good one 👍
Alert: I bought .020 Pet G plastic to make a windscreen for my Sig Cub, removed protective film from one side, installed it with canopy glue clamps and pins. Did not realize that plastic had protective film on BOTH sides. Glue stuck to protective film, not to windscreen. Had to redo the windscreen.
That's a steep learning curve Gary, I wouldn't have known that either, thanks for sharing 😁😁👍
Just made my first canopy because of your video. Many thanks Cliff. Interesting to watch the plastic when the heat gun was applied. The hardest bit was making the plug. The most nerve racking bit just before I put the heat gun over the plastic bottle. Many thanks mate.
Just passing on the knowledge, the more you do the better your understanding of what works and what doesn't, thanks for the feedback, cheers
Nice work, Cliff. I guessed that's how it's done with a soft drink bottle but never seen it done before. Thanks for putting it on here for us to see. What was the soft drink? I hope you had a few nice Bourbon and Cokes with it. Cheers from Brisbane.
It was lemonade actually which I acquired from my neighbours bin 😁
I was already thinking of using a bottle to replace my busted land sea air plane canopy, that shattered after clipping s tree top full speed. Your guidance and direction should make it go far better. Good vid!
Thanks Chris, it'll probably take a few attempts to get a good result, so get some bottles in but once you get the knack you'll have some good results 👍
Nice work my Freind, I need to make a canopy for a spitfire, so this will help no end,
Cheers Chris
Glad to help Chris, it's a fun process, just have a few bottles handy 👍
Following your demonstration, I made my first canopy out of a soda bottle. Thank you! I'm going to make a couple more to see if I can make them a bit better but I've basically got the principles down. I made my mold out of oven baked clay instead of wood. A big trick that I was missing is how you put the shims into the bottle along with the mold to hold the bottle against the mold.
Hi Tom, the shims go in depending on where they're needed, every canopy is different. Every one you do will be better than the last 🙂👍
and I thought my workspace was small...
It's amazing what you can do with a small area E, but check out my new room right next to this one since March this year th-cam.com/video/RiBpcC7cQ3A/w-d-xo.html 😁
Great building tip Cliff, definitely will give this a go myself one day 👍
You must Jerry, it's so easy too 👍
OMG, are you reading my mind? Bloomin excellent!
Perfect Geoff 👍
Nice Cliff we've sort of used the same method with plastic bottles. Works well great job, Jeff in LA USA
Thanks Jeff, it's a sweet method isn't it? 👍
Hi Cliff, a viewer of my channel just ask me how i made the engine cowl of my last plane, i will send him the link to this video, it´s the same technique i use! great vid btw.
Hi, thanks, your channel looks interesting, subbed 👍
I'm giving up trying to find a replacement "cockpit" cover for a model power catamaran I'm modding, and will have a go using this method. Thanks for the lesson.
Give it a go Steve it's quite satisfying 👍
You did a great job
Thanks Paul, it did turn out rather well, cheers.
Nice job. Very practical. I built a vacuum forming system when I used to build from scratch. I used the kitchen oven to heat the plastic film. Very risky, wife you know
Wive's can be funny sometimes 😁
Great video!
Thanks Richard 🙂
That's great demo of making a cockpit Cliff. I have been searching the web for some ideas for my in progress Duster that as std has a ply canopy. All I found was vacuum moulding. This look ideal. I just need to test a few bottles now. lol.
The time it takes is making the mould after that it's fun fun fun 😁👍
Good morning Cliff. Nice job. I have never tried using a pop bottle, must give it a go. Take care. Terry
Morning Terry, thanks 👍
Just a thought... Since you have the old one, maybe close the open end, and fill with spray foam? You'd need some sort of mold release agent of course.
Excellent idea 👍
That looks great I would be very happy with that
I have done a couple of canopies this way, I made a wood plug for one of them, the other I still had the old canopy which I filled with plaster and added a chunk of balsa that stuck out the bottom of the mold worked well but tòok a good 24 hours to set, I think your way is a lot quicker. That dashing young fellow at the controls realy tops it off by the way. Thanks Cliff
Thanks Mike, there's always more than one way to skin a cat as the saying goes 🙂 Re the pilot I try and be more like him every day!
Cliff, does the bottle actually say, "The worlds best canopy glue"?
It does David 😁
Well done. It looks good as new. I made a canopy that way and I was surprised how easy it was to do.
Exactly Jon, it's one of those things that's a lot easier than it looks 👍
Great tutorial .. came out looking really nice .. well done cliff 😎
Thanks Jeff, I think I amazed myself 😁
Very clever Cliff!! You are a man of many talents👍😄
Just bumbling along Ian 🙂
Nicely done! I'm looking forward to trying that out someday!
It was a lot easier than I thought it would be 🤔👍
A great little video Cliff. I'm going to make a nose light cover for my 13th Squadron DH Comet that way...hopefully 😉. Cheers!
Thanks Mike, also look at this molding video, jump to 3:22 for the molding part th-cam.com/video/4UCuR3WUTqI/w-d-xo.html 👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes , Thanks, yes, watching that one inspired me in the first place...Cheers!
good work is that what you are? on the heat gun?whats your call sign
Hi Robert, let's go for 'Mad Man' 😁👍
Good Idea, Cliff. I have a suggestion. Since you have to sculpt the mold and balsa is so expensive....I think I would give clay a try. It'a much cheaper, stands up to heat really good and it's reusable as well. Just soak it in water til it gets soft again. Cheers!
Good idea William, I have tried taking a mould from an original in the past using plaster of Paris with varying results 🙂
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes How about expanding foam filler? Think it would cope with the heat gun treatment.
@@mrradman2986 Great idea Mr R. I'm inclined to think not but worth an experiment 🤔
Good Tip...Congratulations.
Thank you Jesus 🙂
You could also make an adapter for the bottle cap end and attach it to a shop vac to help pull the plastic down on to the plug.
Good idea, I'll try it next time, cheers.