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Marty_d

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This is the one bit of the fuselage I can't make myself (well, apart from the welded cabin frame, but luckily there's professional welders out there.)

 

I can buy it from Zenith for US$355 but I reckon freight would be more than that.

 

What have other builders done? Formed it yourself? Had it formed? Cannibalized a crashed one? Bit the bullet and paid for an imported one?

 

Cheers, Marty

 

 

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This is the one bit of the fuselage I can't make myself (well, apart from the welded cabin frame, but luckily there's professional welders out there.)I can buy it from Zenith for US$355 but I reckon freight would be more than that.

 

What have other builders done? Formed it yourself? Had it formed? Cannibalized a crashed one? Bit the bullet and paid for an imported one?

 

Cheers, Marty

That's a good question, Marty, and something I wondered about as to how scratch builders would approach this part of the projects.

 

I am sure that, among the collective wisdom of the Forumites, someone must have the answer.

 

 

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Hi Marty just buy some lexan the brand I am using is Tuffak its 2mm thick and make the screen yourself its quite easy just make a template out of card board lot of put on trimming taking off till you get it right I only have front section of the screen don't have it on the top of the cabin .

 

cheers Geoff .

 

 

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As Geoff said. Polycarbonate/Lexan or something with similar qualities should be mandatory in front of aircrew. I'd hate to hit a bird with an acrylic/Perspex screen- it is great stuff for everywhere else: resists scratching and can be polished. It is also easy to smash your way thru after a prang.

 

Unfortunately polycarbonate is harder to form, unless you just want a simple curve. It's hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) and has to be cooked at (from memory) 60C for 24 hours to dry out the water before heat forming compound curves, which requires 130C or more. I learned that the hard way: while gently heating my screen it suddenly went milky and bubbly. Polycarbonate also scratches easily, but luckily it's cheap to replace. My screen cost $80 a decade ago; the new one cost $40.

 

 

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Hi Marty just buy some lexan the brand I am using is Tuffak its 2mm thick and make the screen yourself its quite easy just make a template out of card board lot of put on trimming taking off till you get it right I only have front section of the screen don't have it on the top of the cabin .cheers Geoff .

Thanks guys!

 

I'll have a chat with Associated Plastics down here. I remember they did my VFR750 windscreen many years ago. Chances are if they don't sell 2mm Tuffak they'll know who does.

 

Mark, interesting that the Sav one is riveted, 701 plans specify screws and bushing from memory.

 

 

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I didnt rivet mine onto the front V bars. I drilled 2 holes at the bottom just above the front rubber and tapped a hole into each front bar and used a SS bolt to attach the screen at the bottom then pulled the screen around how it is supposed to be and riveted the rear edges to the cabin frame. Mine has no rivets in the front bars. Reg Brost did it this way and it works very well

 

Mark

 

 

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