View Full Version : OK Building GURUS, I need help
lperagallo
10-11-2006, 08:15 PM
OK. I have a nice new canopy. :banana I need to drill holes to line everything up for mounting. The top holes are easy. They have indents to drill through. After that I mount the canopy I need to figure out where to drill the other holes in the front of the machine. How do you get that right :WOW . You really can't measure it, nor can you get to it to mark it.....At least I can't. How do you mark the canopy to get the holes lined up with the mounts??? :roll:
PaulH
10-11-2006, 08:21 PM
Mount it as best you can. Shine a flashlight on the inside. You should be able to see some shadows where the lower mounts go. Mark their position with a Sharpie on the outside.
Alternatively, you could measure the position of the lower mounts relative to the upper mounts (x inches lower and y inches forward) then transfer those measurements to the canopy.
cbergen
10-11-2006, 11:12 PM
The flaslight method works well. Use an 1/8th" drill bit to put the initial holes in. Then if any slight adjustments are needed, you still have room for it.
Another tip is when drilling the final sized holes to 5/16, turn the drill backwards. It will burn it's way through with out catching the paint or gelcoat and chipping it.
Whirly-Girl
10-12-2006, 01:29 AM
I liked a method that Malorie once described. She said something about using a laser pointer and aligning it with the bolt hole while the canopy is off and then putting the canopy on without moving the heli. The pointer points to your drill location.
Jeanette
MarkWebber
10-12-2006, 05:36 AM
Jeanette
I wish I had heard that one before I mounted my canopy.
Whirly-Girl
10-12-2006, 01:04 PM
Yeah, me too. For sure on my next canopy that's how I'm gonna do it.
I tell ya, some of these Bergen people sound like they know what they're doing. :tongue
:noteworthy
I don't think I've ever had incorrect advise from Malorie. She's the greatest, and always willing to help out. :noteworthy
Malorie
10-14-2006, 02:00 AM
The other option is to use triangulation to locate the canopy mount while the canopy is on. You measure the distance from the canopy mount to two other locations on the heli (ones that will not be interfered with by the canopy when it is installed). Then mount the canopy, measure those two distances from the two locations and strike an arc from each location onto the canopy. Where the two arcs cross is where you drill.
For safety sake, I drill the initial hole with a tiny drill like Chris says. :)
Malorie