Jack_K

I have a Great Planes Escapage 61 that has been flown only four times. The pilot boke loose and rattles around.
The canopy is glued on with canopy glue and I have no idea how to get it off.

I can't get to it from underneath because the servo tray is in the way.

Please look at the photos and see if you have any ideas.

Thanks,
Jack

NEW222

Paint the canopy.

Jack_K

That won't stop it from rattling around.

NEW222

I do not know anything about canopy glue, but am assuming it is a type of CA. If so, possibly debonder?

Jack_K

I don't know either

Tom Nied

Well, just some thoughts. Whoever assembled it probably used an adhesive. The most common adhesive to use is Zap Adhesives Formula 560 Canopy Glue. When dry it's kind of like a rubbery Elmers glue that dries clear and adheres to canopies. It's easy to work with when installing the canopy, excess cleans off with a wet paper towel. So, you could try to carefully pry the current canopy off and then reglue the pilot figure and then the canopy again. If it totally gets crudded up, a new canopy is only $10.99 from Tower.

foodstick

Somehow drill a decent sized hole up thru the cockpit floor? You might have to remove a servo...Then with some work get a dowel or bit of string glued to the base of the pilot...... it could be tricky but I bet it could be done.


Its times like this these a removable servo tray is handy

Jack_K

I'm sure it could be done. But, if I tried it, it would be a disaster.

Too bad the servo tray came glued in.

rgburrill

I don't think I've ever seen a canopy glued with cA - I think it would mar the clear plastic. The Zap canopy glue is probably similar to goop, which is what I use. It is rubbery when dried and easy to remove. It also peels off once the canopy is removed. If you can't get to the bottom by removing the servos then try to slide an exacto knife betweem the fuse and the canopy and see if you can pry it loose.

Calvinman

I would also go in from the servo tray with a dremel and open up the bottom, you may even have to grind down the pilot a bit to get him out of the hole. Of course your canopy will be covered in dust and stuff from the inside but some compressed air and some vacuuming should get rid of most of it. could you cut out hte servo tray and make it a removable one?

Calvi

philakapd

I would use an XACTO knife and carefully remove the canopy. You’ll know if CA was used if the balsa beneath the canopy is stiff. You could conceal the repairs by surrounding the canopy with a thin strip of Monokote trim, if necessary.

Typically, CA would create a hazy film on the canopy in the areas it’s applied too.

There are CA’s available for clear plastic adhesion such as 'plasti-zap' (Zap superglue formulated for clear plastics), but I doubt CA was used to attached the canopy.

I personally use formula 560 canopy glue (is it Elmer's glue?)

-Good luck

pkoury

My Feedback: (7)

I have removed canopies using a very thin artist pallet knife. The very flexible thin blade will slip between the canopy and balsa and the wide blade reduces the damage to the balsawood. The thin blade acts like a razor blade and can be used to cut through whatever glue is used. Takes a little care but always works for me.

da Rock

Webpage pictures look like the hole in the servo tray lines up with the back of the cockpit. Remove those two servos and go in from the bottom.

Hemostats are a tool of choice when doing something like this.

raptureboy

If its covered in Monokote type covering then just warm it with a hair dryer and use a thin pry tool or even a single edge razor. Done this before easy fix, less time than it takes to read all these ideas

Jack_K

If WHAT is covered in Monokote?

Jack_K

OK. I could grab the pilot, but how do I get glue on him and get him in place without making an extra hole?

spaceworm

If doing this, which is what I would do, carefully go around the canopy with a very sharp xacto knife, cutting just through any covering to which the canopy is glued. This creates a clean separation between the canopy and the covering that you want to preserve. JMHA. Good luck.

da Rock

I made a hole in the cockpit floor. It was smaller than the bottom of the pilot bust. Held the bust with the hemostat so it could be pierced with a eyelet. The eyelet was then used to pull the bust against the hole after smearing the bottom rim of the bust with epoxy. The epoxy set and seemed strong enough so the job was done. Had it not, the eyelet would have served to provide another support.

It's been there for a few years now. The material of the bust controls what glue and what kind of gripping device you use. It also decides how your choice of tools work with it.

Tom Nied

Here's my thought. Don't look for the hardest solution, take the easiest. The canopy will pry off with gentle persuasion as has already been described. Don't make this harder than it really is. When I've mounted pilot figures in the past, I've always made sure that they wouldn't come loose like you have experienced. Glue alone isn't good. A nylon screw from below makes sense, or lashing it in place. When you pry the canopy off, you can just re glue it back on. Don't make this harder than it is. The canopy will pry off.

Jack_K

I don't know anything about canopy glue or how easy it would be to pry it off. I'm hesitant to try ii.
The pilot is hollow, so I can't screw him. He was only glued around his perimeter.

Once I get the canopy off, however I do it, I'm planning to glue a 1/16" thick piece of plywood into his base and securely epoxying that down.

raptureboy

The aircraft I assume has some type of plastic covering which the canopy is glued to. If you heat and pry it will pop off and then you can re glue with canopy glue available from your favorite hobby dealer. I prefer to screw my canopies on for this reason.

Jack_K

Won't the heat deform the canopy?

Tom Nied

Done incorrectly, good chance it will deform. If it really gets boogered up, a new is only like $12. Zap Adhesives Formula 560 Canopy Glue is really easy to work with so don't worry about gluing it back on.

castlebravo

If ya cant figure this out....buy a new one......

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXARKA&P=Z


CB

foodstick

Ok as long as this has played out I will have to add a JOKE method of fixing it ! hahahahah

flip the plane over, drill a hole into the cockpit floor... pour in about a pint of slow epoxy (until its full) ...shake the plane until the pilot floats up and his base is against the floor.. wait for it to dry , or catch fire ....because that epoxy is gonna go nuclear !

hahahahahha