Let's Hear It From Homebuilders Who Make Your Own Sunshields and Panel Glareshields

"Roger Halstead" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 02:04:37 GMT, wrote:

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:56:28 -0400, " jls"
wrote:

I'm trying my hand at it now. Sun shields will probably fit inside the
plexi windows and be something stiff like that honeycomb signboard cut
to
shape and covered with aluminum foil and then maybe a film of cellophane
or
clingwrap to keep from scratching the soft plexiglas windows.

For the glareshield over the panel, I'm making a pattern from cereal box
cardboard, then cutting 016 aluminum to fit, then covering it with 1/2"
thick foam and then maybe leather or naugahyde, or whatever. How about
some ideas here. And thank you for your support.

Nice article about sunshields at Avweb, interview with Kennon on how
they do
theirs and what they recommend and why.

I would recommend using something other than aluminum for the
glaresheild unless the aluminum is rivited very well to the instrument
panel, and has the edge rolled. A sharp sheet of aluminum is like a
knife if it ever gets forced back into the cockpit...

Strange you should mention that. I remember seeing a glare shield made
of 1/8th inch plywood and covered with naugahyde. It had the neatest
set of teeth prints on each side...

I'd not rivet the glare shield to the panel though. Screwed down? you
bet, but not riveted. You might have to fix something in there one
day.

Myself? I think I'd use a sandwich made of foam and extremely thin
aluminum bonded and covered with leather or naugahyde. Something with
"crushability", but not only strong enough to hold its shape, but a
heavy mug of coffee, or wrenches, or....

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Putting a slight curvature in the panel to make it deform upwards
rather than trying to come back would also help.

How about Coroplast? It's light, it's stiff, it's cheap. It's not
particularly UV resistant, but covered with foam and fabric, that shouldn't
be an issue.

For those unfamiliar with the material, Coroplast is like corrugated
cardboard made out of polypropylene. It's available in various thicknesses.
You can pick up small pieces of it at sign shops.

Tim Ward