Glue for canopy?

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Rich
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Glue for canopy?

Post by Rich »

One of my vent hinges has become disbonded from the canopy. Does anyone know offhand the right adhesive for this? I'm inclined to think cyanoacrylate (aka superglue).
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Tim H
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Tim H »

Check out :

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3778&p=53771&hilit= ... air#p53771

In there it suggests Loctite 495.
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Keith
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Keith »

Diamond specs a uv cured adhesive. I think it's Acrifix 192
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Rich
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Rich »

Keith wrote:Diamond specs a uv cured adhesive. I think it's Acrifix 192
Now the kicker. Where to get this stuff? I see a source in Canada. Any alternatives? I'm sure this is super-hazardous :roll: and therefore expensive to ship internationally.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Steve
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Steve »

Looks like you can get it on eBay - shipping appears reasonable...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Plexiglas-Kleb ... +192&rt=nc

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Rich
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Rich »

Thanks, Steve. I went ahead and ordered it. The downside is several weeks estimated delivery. Not a big problem.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Rich
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Rich »

So I got the stuff Steve set me on to and applied it today. Interestingly, it cures by UV, with 10-20 minutes using sunlight deemed sufficient. Since we're bereft of any clouds these days I followed the directions and let the plane sun itself for about a half-hour. It seems to have worked OK. I'll be checking on it over the coming weeks to see if it holds up.

Of course, a tube of this stuff is likely a lifetime supply for this application :)

One strange thing in the application process (which is contained nowhere on the tube, BTW - You need to go to the maker's site to get to it) is it refers to annealing the materials beforehand at like 80 degC - like that's going to happen. :roll:
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Lou
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Lou »

There is a water based glue called Formula 560 which is used to glue RC plane canopies. It adheres well to PET-G. You can buy it at hobby stores.
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Don »

Rich, don't worry about annealing. Your canopy was already annealed by the manufacture after being formed over a mold. SOP is to anneal after forming or stress cracks and/or crazing can occur over time. One of the products my company manufactures is part of the visual systems, including the back projection screens, for Level D flight simulators for the airlines and military. We deal with large compound curved acrylic substrates daily. The only concern I would have is when gluing the hinge blocks back to the main canopy, you had some type of clamping pressure holding them together during the curing time.
Level D simulator small file.jpg
20180131_142658.jpg
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Re: Glue for canopy?

Post by Colin »

Great photos, Don.

My canopy on the DA40 was not properly annealed and after a couple years developed crazing internal to the two surfaces. It built up over time until I replaced it in the last two years of flying the plane. When I picked up the plane at the factory he said, "Well, now you can stop filing IFR for every flight."
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