Canopy Care

Have not seen this topic for some time. How to care for our expensive
canopies.
I use the Mequiar's products: for scratches #17 Clear Plastic Cleaner,
for very fine scratches #10 Clear Plastic Polish, and for daily care
#18 Clear Plastic Detailer.

What about the rest of you? Lots of new products to clean and care
for automotice clear plastic headlight covers and such.

Guy

On Mar 23, 12:27*am, Guy wrote:
Have not seen this topic for some time. *How to care for our expensive
canopies.
I use the Mequiar's products: for scratches #17 Clear Plastic Cleaner,
for very fine scratches #10 Clear Plastic Polish, and for daily care
#18 Clear Plastic Detailer.

What about the rest of you? *Lots of new products to clean and care
for automotice clear plastic headlight covers and such.

Maybe not what you were looking for but I once was able to take a very
old, scratched, hazy HP-14 center canopy and make it look like new
with a Micro-Mesh kit. I was amazed. Just follow the instructions.
2 hours of considerable elbow grease. Initially looks pretty scary
because you start with relatively coarse sandpaper. I guess this was
really canopy repair more than canopy care. FWIW

Regards,

-Doug

On Mar 23, 12:27*am, Guy wrote:
Have not seen this topic for some time. *How to care for our expensive
canopies.
I use the Mequiar's products: for scratches #17 Clear Plastic Cleaner,
for very fine scratches #10 Clear Plastic Polish, and for daily care
#18 Clear Plastic Detailer.

What about the rest of you? *Lots of new products to clean and care
for automotice clear plastic headlight covers and such.

Guy

The advice I have been given is WATER, PLENTY OF WATER!!! When the
canopy gets marred with grease or fingerprints I first take the canopy
completely off, stand it on edge with the weight bearing portion on a
soft sponge and towel and let the hose run down the inside and outside
for quite some time. I get a new "Super Absorber" synthetic chamois
and wipe from front to back, avoiding swirling motions. If the canopy
is really clean with only a small smudge I use Plexus with a miracle
fabric cloth. I try not to clean the canopy on a daily basis for fear
of creating fine scratches that accumulate in number over time. I do
not routinely use a canopy cover simply to avoid scratching the
canopy. Do not use solvent near the canopy for fear of splashing. In
the Spring, avoid parking the glider near trees that are releasing
pollen as it sticks to the canopy. To recondition a canopy with many
scratches I have heard that Micro-Mesh is the treatment of choice.

Happy soaring this Spring,
John aka November Bravo

John aka November Bravo

On Mar 23, 6:08*am, November Bravo wrote:
On Mar 23, 12:27*am, Guy wrote:

Have not seen this topic for some time. *How to care for our expensive
canopies.
I use the Mequiar's products: for scratches #17 Clear Plastic Cleaner,
for very fine scratches #10 Clear Plastic Polish, and for daily care
#18 Clear Plastic Detailer.

What about the rest of you? *Lots of new products to clean and care
for automotice clear plastic headlight covers and such.

Guy

The advice I have been given is WATER, PLENTY OF WATER!!! *When the
canopy gets marred with grease or fingerprints I first take the canopy
completely off, stand it on edge with the weight bearing portion on a
soft sponge and towel and let the hose run down the inside and outside
for quite some time. *I get a new "Super Absorber" synthetic chamois
and wipe from front to back, avoiding swirling motions. *If the canopy
is really clean with only a small smudge I use Plexus with a miracle
fabric cloth. *I try not to clean the canopy on a daily basis for fear
of creating fine scratches that accumulate in number over time. *I do
not routinely use a canopy cover simply to avoid scratching the
canopy. *Do not use solvent near the canopy for fear of splashing. *In
the Spring, avoid parking the glider near trees that are releasing
pollen as it sticks to the canopy. *To recondition a canopy with many
scratches I have heard that Micro-Mesh is the treatment of choice.

Happy soaring this Spring,
John aka November Bravo

John aka November Bravo

I clean regularly with LOTS of water. About once every two years or
so, I spend several hours with a very fine plastic polish and many
cotton flannel polishing cloths to 'de-scratch'. For 'real' scratch
removal, I start with 600 grit, then 800, 1200, 2000, and buff with
plastic polish (Blue Magic, or Mothers). If ammonia is listed in the
ingrediants, (like Windex) or you smell even a whiff of it in a
cleaning product, don't use it on your acrylic.

Water to get all dust, rock, animals off the plexi.

Plexus (or equivalent) before every flight, inside and out. Prevents
static that attracts dust. Makes canopy slick and easy to clean next
time.

Use a good cotton T-shirt or equivalent, wash often.

I never leave a canopy cover on for long (if tied down out west, put
the cover inside the cockpit, covering the instruments). Unless it's
blowing rocks, a cover does more damage than good, IMO.

After I clean the canopy (right after rigging), I put on a CLEAN
elastic cover to keep the cockpit cool until just before hookup (I
take it off from inside the cockpit while strapped in).

Kirk
66

What about Pledge?

Guy

kirk.stant wrote:
Water to get all dust, rock, animals off the plexi.

Plexus (or equivalent) before every flight, inside and out. Prevents
static that attracts dust. Makes canopy slick and easy to clean next
time.

Use a good cotton T-shirt or equivalent, wash often.


My theory is dust doesn't cause scratches; it's rubbing dust that causes
scratches.

The glider is usually kept in the trailer, so it's protected from dust
except while flying, plus 2 hours for rigging/derigging. I don't clean
the outside of the canopy unless the dust becomes visible enough to see
in flight. That's 5 to 10 flights, typically. I don't clean the inside
of the canopy more than twice a year - it just doesn't get dusty.

To clean it, I remove the dust by dragging a soft, wet, folded rag along
the each side (left and right), front to back, just once. A fresh side
of the cloth is used for each drag. I then spray on Novus 1 or 210
plexiglas cleaner, and gently polish the canopy just enough to clear up
the spray.
I never leave a canopy cover on for long (if tied down out west, put
the cover inside the cockpit, covering the instruments). Unless it's
blowing rocks, a cover does more damage than good, IMO.

I don't like to put a cover on, either, and I don't when it's in the
trailer. If I leave it tied down, I'll usually put the cover on it after
ensuring the canopy is dust free. At soaring camps, that might mean
cleaning it more often than when I put away in the trailer, as I do at
home. My cover is thick, very form fitting, has good elastic straps, and
does not move or flap in even strong winds.
After I clean the canopy (right after rigging), I put on a CLEAN
elastic cover to keep the cockpit cool until just before hookup (I
take it off from inside the cockpit while strapped in).

Instead of putting cover of on it, I put a shade inside to cover the
cockpit area. I prop open the rear of the canopy with a "firm" foam
block (about 2" open) so air can circulate. It stays cool enough,
particularly if there is a breeze, but not quite as cool as a full cover
and some air circulation.

15 years later, the canopy has very few dust scratches. There are some
handling scratches, especially around the sliding vent.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz

On Mar 23, 9:08*pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:
kirk.stant wrote:
Water to get all dust, rock, animals off the plexi.

Plexus (or equivalent) before every flight, inside and out. *Prevents
static that attracts dust. *Makes canopy slick and easy to clean next
time.

Use a good cotton T-shirt or equivalent, wash often.

My theory is dust doesn't cause scratches; it's rubbing dust that causes
scratches.

The glider is usually kept in the trailer, so it's protected from dust
except while flying, plus 2 hours for rigging/derigging. I don't clean
the outside of the canopy unless the dust becomes visible enough to see
in flight. That's 5 to 10 flights, typically. I don't clean the inside
of the canopy more than twice a year - it just doesn't get dusty.

To clean it, I remove the dust by dragging a soft, wet, folded rag along
the each side (left and right), front to back, just once. A fresh side
of the cloth is used for each drag. I then spray on Novus 1 or 210
plexiglas cleaner, and gently polish the canopy just enough to clear up
the spray. I never leave a canopy cover on for long (if tied down out west, put
the cover inside the cockpit, covering the instruments). *Unless it's
blowing rocks, a cover does more damage than good, IMO.

I don't like to put a cover on, either, and I don't when it's in the
trailer. If I leave it tied down, I'll usually put the cover on it after
ensuring the canopy is dust free. At soaring camps, that might mean
cleaning it more often than when I put away in the trailer, as I do at
home. My cover is thick, very form fitting, has good elastic straps, and
does not move or flap in even strong winds. After I clean the canopy (right after rigging), I put on a CLEAN
elastic cover to keep the cockpit cool until just before hookup (I
take it off from inside the cockpit while strapped in).

Instead of putting cover of on it, I put a shade inside to cover the
cockpit area. I prop open the rear of the canopy with a "firm" foam
block (about 2" open) so air can circulate. It stays cool enough,
particularly if there is a breeze, but not quite as cool as a full cover
and some air circulation.

15 years later, the canopy has very few dust scratches. There are some
handling scratches, especially around the sliding vent.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarmhttp://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz


I use a hose or carry a bucket of water and sponge to the glider and
eitehr hose down the canoy or squeeze a sponge above the canopy to wet
it. If needed I will gently wipe in a straight line with a clean bare
hand while appying the water. I'll then dry with a clean microfibre
towel again only using straight lines.

A wet sponge or dirty cotton material rubbed on a dusty canopy is just
wet sanding, but I see it done by others all the time.

If the inside is dusty I'll use a damp microfibre towel with straight
line wipes, turning the towel at each wipe to remove dust. Then small
spray with Plexus inside and out and wipe with clean microfiber
towels. The silicone in the Plexus really helps cut down static build-
up and dust attraction. Once dry and clean I put on a Franklin canopy
cap to keep the cockpit cool. That canopy cap is kept spotless clean
and only put on a canopy after the canopy has been cleaned and only
used briefly before flight (e.g. not overnight collecting dust in its
porous fabric) . Costco sells packs of microfiber towels and a usual
canopy cleaning I go through about four of them. They survive washing
well, but if I drop one in the dirt etc. I'll just toss it.

For the occasional fine scratch I'll use LP Aero acrylic polish (e.g.
I somehow scratched the inside of the canopy near the vent). Generally
avoid wiping the canopy unnecessarily.


Darryl

On Mar 24, 12:00*am, Guy wrote:
What about Pledge?

Guy

Pledge has solvents in it that promote crazing.

Don't use it.

I had a flat-wrap canopy literally explode when
someone tried to clean it with Pledge. Quite
spectacular: stress cracks started after a
few weconds, gradually became very visible,
then BANG - pieces of canopy everywhere.
I still have some crazed fragments of that
canopy here as a souvenir..

Do not use this, despite what your local
"experts" may promote.
Use a product designed for plexi...

Hope this helps,
Best Regards, Dave

Due to a previous life where I had a plane captain give me a spotless canopy before every flight, I am particular about a clean canopy.
Our club Blanik is now 11 years old and the canopy is in immaculate condition. Any smudge is magnified when in the back seat and especially when landing to the west late on a summer day. It is always outside, the canopy is covered with a Bruce's canopy cover and it is cleaned at the start of each day of flying. We are on our second cover with the first cover lasting 7 years. I use a clean cotton T shirt and Pledge. I always clean in the direction of airflow. On my own PIK-20 using Sontara wipes and Plexus, I see no difference between the canopy conditions. There has been no yellowing of the Blanik canopy which some voice as an opinion for not using pledge.
In no case transport a glider with the canopy cover installed, I have personally seen the damage incurred.

- Barry Muhlenberg, CFI-G Cloudniners, O03