Well,

I have just started break-in on my zdz40, this is on the dp extra. I mounted the canopy with 4-40 buttonhead cap screws with blind nuts, just for appearence reasons and ease of removal. Instead of using fuel tubing as per instructions I used small orings to provide a cushion. Now with all the shaking going on, I have cracks in the canopy arround six of the ten mounting holes. What would be a good fix for this? I was thinking maybe lite cloth with thin ca arround every mounting hole. You guys have a better idea? I think it would be very tough to re dill holes on a new canopy--not any room for error. The zdz is running alot better now so hopefully this shouldn't happen again---I dont see why it happened in the first place. Thanks for any ideas....Dave

I am just starting to put the same combo together so this is good to know.

I would think that some small plastic washers glued around the holes would add enough strength to the openings to keep them from cracking.

You could glue a thin piece of 1/64 lite ply to the base of the canopy. That should give further support. Also, drill a small hole at the end of the crack to keep it from getting worse.

BTW - GOOD LUCK getting a new canopy if you deceide to go that route. Dave Patrick customer service (aka Sandy) is horrible! I ordered a new pair of wheel pants and another pull-pull set up 3 1/2 weeks ago!!! I called over a week ago. Sandy said there was a storm and she could not access her computer, but would look into it and call me back. She never did. I called the next day and was told that they were in stock. The stuff would go out "tomorrow". I called again on Tuesday and left a message asking for a return call to let me know if they had been shipped. Guess what - no call. I called yesterday was told that she received the message, but was too busy today - she would ship them "tomorrow". I am really disgusted with this apathetic attitude. I plan on calling everyday until she ships it.

I went with blind nuts too, those little wood screws in the kit are too tiny to deal with. I opted for nylon slotted 4-40's and used the silicon fuel tubing as washers. Haven't flown yet, waiting for Lasik eye surgery to be over with. Did your cracks move from the holes toward the bottom edge of the canopy or are they migrating upward to the clear area? If you did get a new canopy, they are so thin that you might could fit one directly over the other and mark your screw holes.
Jack

Same problem with mine. I added lite ply the the bottom of the canopy and it stopped the cracking. If I get a new one I will add lite ply or carbon fiber before I even drill the holes.

Jelaird,

Mine cracks are going toward the top and bottom. Those who are using lite ply, are you mounting the full lenght of the bottom or just arround the screw holes and to the top of the painted area?...........Dave

Epoxied it the full length of the painted area. My cracks were going straight up and down as well.

Called DPM this morning:

I was told by Dave that they were out of kits and canopies. Wouldn't have anymore for about a month. He suggested glass cloth and flex ca. I think I'll try the epoxy with lite ply. He was also concerned with the zdz40 being to large and said I shoudn't run with a 20X10 and should use a 22X8. Also told me a moki 2.10 was lighter and more powerfull. Oh well, must be concerned with the wieght. I'm going to fix the canopy so I can fly the darn thing. Thanks for your suggestions.....Dave

Any thickness on that ply? I better do mine too dang-it. I was just going to fire up the motor this weekend. When I saw you used plywood, I immediately thought of some veneer you sheet foam wings with. But a thin strip of this might warp outward, in between screw holes. I think I will mark my holes on the wood before gluing and drill them slightly oversize to ensure alignment. Getting the same hole alignment after gluing could be impossible. Also, I'm paranoid of CA around canopies (fogging), epoxy sounds like the trick.
Jack

I am going to use 1/32 balsa and just epoxy the full length as suggested above, if you already have your mounting holes drilled all that is required after the epoxy dries is drilling through the balsa using the existing holes...well I'm going to try it and if it warps then i'll add more screws. I don't need to remove the canopy to attach and remove the wings........Dave

Hey guys,


Thats the problem with using those gassers on the 330L. this thing wasn't designed for those kind of vibrations...I hear problems with flutter and such...i have a 160fx on mine.It doesn't have that awesome vert.But it's also not vibrating to death!!!!
I will admit the customer service is something else,I waited from Feb.-June to get a fuse and some other stuff....The flight performance makes up for the customer service...
Just my input:
xtraflyr:rainfro:

I epoxied a strip of 1/32" ply along the rear 4 holes up to the break in the compound curve. For the first 2 holes I went with 1/2" square pieces of 1/64" ply due to the thicker plastic there. I predrilled all my stiffener holes to prevent cured epoxy from throwing the hole off when re-drilling after the install. I did use nylon 4-40s for screws and after 30 minutes of run time on the engine there are no cracks....yet. I did see prop wash pushing in on the left side canopy during hi-throttle. Floppy thing to work with, huh.
Jack

Went to fly the 330L with my ZDZ 40. Flew flawlessly. no problems. I have 1/2 gallon thru the motor, no cracking on the canopy. i used 4-40 5/8" nylon slotted head screws. no cracks. mej 20x10, getting 6900. very hot here yesterday, 90F and 50+% humidity.

second flight i hit the choke servo (haha, its easier to choke on a servo) and killed the engine. then handed the plane off to my friend brian and said, here land it!!

into the weeds, no damage

3rd flight awesome, still a little nose heavy, will have to fix that


cheeeeers

joe

For what its worth I had this problem with another plane and found a good fix you guy's may want to try. My local hobby store had CA type hinge material in strips that were not pre cut. I cut them to the length I needed and CA'd them on, drilled the holes and installed the canopy. Since then I have no new cracks and the old ones have not grown at all.

Where have you been? That is excellent advise...I was just fixing to touch up my epoxy-glass cowling holes. That hinge material has been sitting right in front of me for weeks. You made my day!
Jack