Canopy latch and handle

Worked on the canopy latch handle today.

First is match drilling the exterior handle to the interior handle shaft.  Be careful to drill it straight.

Then the exterior handle gets drilled deeper for the tapped threads.

Then the first half of the handle gets enlarged for the screw clearance.

Then the shaft gets enlarged as well.

Then the exterior handle is tapped for the screw that holds it onto the shaft.  I can't believe this one little screw is all that keeps the handle from falling out and if it does, the canopy will be free to pop open in flight.  I don't worry about the screw shearing off but it is possible for it to vibrate out.  There is no mention of using loctite on this screw but you can be sure I will be.

Next the interior handle has to be rounded over in a few places. 

Then this spacer has to be installed onto the shaft.  It must be chamfered to allow it to clear the weld bead on the handle.

The fit was so tight that I was not able to just slide the spacer down the shaft.  I had to make a tool to help push it without damage.  I just drilled a hole in a piece of hardwood that was just big enough for the shaft.  Worked well.

Then they have you clamp the frame to the rollbar using the wood spacers that were included in the kit.

And they have you check that the latch interfaces properly with the latch block.

Canopy frame part 5

More work on the canopy frame.

The angle that eventually helps to hold the canopy bubble to the frame must be fluted to match the shape of the frame. It takes some serious fluting of these parts to get them into the right shape.  Just go slow and do a little at a time until it is correct.

Then they have to be match drilled to the frame.  The inside edge sits flush with the inside edge of the canopy frame.

TADA! I then did the other side.