where to get the lexan turtledeck?

28 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

I'm considering buying a lexan turtledeck for my model C but are there any around for sale? I'm also wondering if they cause an excessive amount of heat like a greenhouse?

Travis

Edited by birddog486

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Posted

I'm considering buying a lexan turtledeck for my model C but are there any around for sale? I'm also wondering if they cause an excessive amount of heat like a greenhouse?

Travis

http://www.blueskyav...et/catalog.html

I am sure they will help build a little heat in the sunshine, but you can always make a little cover that velcros to it on the inside to block it on those super hot days.

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Posted

I sent them an email a couple weeks ago and haven't gotten a reply. I see on there web page they are looking to get out of the kitfox parts business.

http://www.blueskyav...et/catalog.html

I am sure they will help build a little heat in the sunshine, but you can always make a little cover that velcros to it on the inside to block it on those super hot days.

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Posted

I saw one that was made by making the 90 degree bends in a sheet of lexan with a sheet metal brake.

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Posted

I saw one that was made by making the 90 degree bends in a sheet of lexan with a sheet metal brake.

Can someone tell us the thickness of the Lexan Turtle decks? I would like to build one for my Kitfox 1.

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Posted (edited)

Can someone tell us the thickness of the Lexan Turtle decks? I would like to build one for my Kitfox 1.

The Kitfox factory ones are .090 in.

Edited by tcj

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Posted

I saw one that was made by making the 90 degree bends in a sheet of lexan with a sheet metal brake.

If one was to try bending with this technique would i need to first heat it with a heat gun and to what temperature are we looking for?

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Posted

Polycarbonate will cold bend in a metal brake no prob. However, brake forming very sharp angles imparts localized stresses that can exceed the material's elastic limits. This results in a 'foggy' bend line.

To make a sharp clear bend line you will need heat, but too much and you will ruin the work piece. Single-sided strip heating, aka line bending, is commonly used for producing localized angular bends. They make cheap plastic strip heaters to heat only along the bend line, then the material is bent using either the metal brake or 'drape' method.

I was going to try the drape method of line bending to avoid surface scratches from a brake, but mostly because I don't have a brake. :P

24" 55-Watt Plastrip Heater or 48" 85-Watt Plastrip Heater. This consumer-safe strip heater is designed to heat acrylic up to 1/4" thick. Heating time is approximately 30 minutes. Flexible strip heater is made to lay on top of plastic, which is then heated and bent into desired shape. Heater only reaches 280 degrees Fahrenheit.

post-53-13259000315489_thumb.jpeg

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Posted

If you try one of these please let me know how it works out. I haven't found a turtledeck yet so I may end up trying this way also.

Polycarbonate will cold bend in a metal brake no prob. However, brake forming very sharp angles imparts localized stresses that can exceed the material's elastic limits. This results in a 'foggy' bend line.

To make a sharp clear bend line you will need heat, but too much and you will ruin the work piece. Single-sided strip heating, aka line bending, is commonly used for producing localized angular bends. They make cheap plastic strip heaters to heat only along the bend line, then the material is bent using either the metal brake or 'drape' method.

I was going to try the drape method of line bending to avoid surface scratches from a brake, but mostly because I don't have a brake. :P

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Posted

Several beers later, I changed my plans as usual. Funny how the best laid plans of mice and men... Anyhoo, instead of a full Lexan Tdeck on the Avid+, I am going to cut the 1-pc cover side-to-side into 2-pcs so I can hinge and open the bottom for access into the baggage area. I am incorporating a hat shelf and gun/rod tube and it will make getting to them a lot easier than from the seats. I'll have a Lexan window on the top half of the Tdeck, not sure if I'll do the same on the lower or just leave it solid for a bit more privacy from prying eyes. I would hate to make a new custom full Lexan Tdeck, cut it and then crack it when drilling for or installing the piano hinge.

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Posted

My brother had a piano hinge on his turttle deck. We never could figure out a way to seal that damn thing up so it would not leak every time it rained...

I want a lexan turttle deck BAD for the visibility and more green house effect in the winter, I am just worried about it cracking when I need to pull it off and it is -30 outside. Several of my trip to the lodge have been at those temps, and when its time to pack up and go home, I dont have much choice but to pull the deck off to stuff all my crap in the baggage area.

I have a rod tube in mine and find it alot more of a pain in the ass than a helpful item. Next time I have it in the garage it is getting pulled out. 90% of the time I just strap my poles to the wing struts anyway, same thing for my rifle or shotgun.

:BC:

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Posted

here are the pictures

td1.JPG

td2.JPG

td3.JPG

td4.JPG

MicheL

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Posted

That looks great ^^^^

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Posted

My brother had a piano hinge on his turttle deck. We never could figure out a way to seal that damn thing up so it would not leak every time it rained...

I want a lexan turttle deck BAD for the visibility and more green house effect in the winter, I am just worried about it cracking when I need to pull it off and it is -30 outside. Several of my trip to the lodge have been at those temps, and when its time to pack up and go home, I dont have much choice but to pull the deck off to stuff all my crap in the baggage area.

I have a rod tube in mine and find it alot more of a pain in the ass than a helpful item. Next time I have it in the garage it is getting pulled out. 90% of the time I just strap my poles to the wing struts anyway, same thing for my rifle or shotgun.

:BC:

I like the idea of having a dry place to stuff valuables out of sight, out of mind when you leave the plane, plan on building in under-seat storage too. Even if the tube is a PITA to use after hinging the Tdeck for access, I'd rather not wish I had done it after the fact. Easy enough to remove.

Since you can't make the Tdeck piano hinge weather tight, these were my ideas to keep inside stuff dry:

Tdeck split side-to-side: match drill the short leg of a length of aluminum "J"-channel to the piano hinge, then rivet it on the lower piano hinge inside the Tdeck to form a drip channel gutter below the hinge. Silicone a short piece of vinyl drain tubing into each end of the J-channel, then lead those outside through a small hole drilled in the side of the Tdeck. Seal the channel ends, edge and rivets inside with clear silicone.

post-53-1326057529688_thumb.jpg

Tdeck split top-to-bottom: assuming your piano hinge is on the inside of the Tdeck, cut a length of old inner tube long and wide enough to cover the piano hinge... and then some. Gauge the width of the rubber based on what is necessary to fold the deck, so when the deck is installed flat the rubber will form a natural drainage channel below the hinge. So long as the rubber channel extends past the rear baggage area cross tube, the water will just drain out under the trailing edge of the deck (unless you've got that sealed tight). Attach using a backer strip and 4-6 rivet per side. Or, if you want something a bit more finished looking or quick removable, fabricate and rivet on some Z-clips to hold a piece of replacement vinyl door threshold (in the Aero dept. at Home Depot) as the channel.

post-53-13260575820352_thumb.jpg

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Posted

I had often thought about the rubber channel idea, but never did it. I just vaccuum packed all my survival gear and left in in the back in dry bags. I may have to really try your idea out because I would love to have the full lexan deck!

:BC:

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Posted

here are the pictures

td1.JPG

td2.JPG

td3.JPG

td4.JPG

MicheL

Very Nice,is this factory or did you make it yourself? Im wanting to make something just like it. Im also very interested in your access door on the side could we get some more pics of this area open and closed please?

Thanks Robert

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Posted

Very Nice,is this factory or did you make it yourself? Im wanting to make something just like it. Im also very interested in your access door on the side could we get some more pics of this area open and closed please?

Thanks Robert

I'LL make some pictures next week end if the MTO is good

the plane was like this (it's a second hand)

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Posted

Can someone tell us the thickness of the Lexan Turtle decks? I would like to build one for my Kitfox 1.

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Posted

I'm considering buying a lexan turtledeck for my model C but are there any around for sale? I'm also wondering if they cause an excessive amount of heat like a greenhouse?

Travis

I have one for early Kitfox. Light bronze tint from Kitfox. Would have to get exact measurements for yours to see if it would fit. Probably not much heat buildup. Don't know if I'm allowed to sell anything on this forum. New here. Also, check clearence space where TD fits to skylight trim. Ed in Missouri (was Alaska)

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Posted

Can someone tell us the thickness of the Lexan Turtle decks? I would like to build one for my Kitfox 1.

Thickness is probably .090 to .125. Could measure the extra that I have. I have bent Lexan with a heat gun, but too hot and Lexan will have little bubbles in it. TD must fit in slot at end of skylight.

Ed in Missouri

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Posted

My brother had a piano hinge on his turttle deck. We never could figure out a way to seal that damn thing up so it would not leak every time it rained...

I want a lexan turttle deck BAD for the visibility and more green house effect in the winter, I am just worried about it cracking when I need to pull it off and it is -30 outside. Several of my trip to the lodge have been at those temps, and when its time to pack up and go home, I dont have much choice but to pull the deck off to stuff all my crap in the baggage area.

I have a rod tube in mine and find it alot more of a pain in the ass than a helpful item. Next time I have it in the garage it is getting pulled out. 90% of the time I just strap my poles to the wing struts anyway, same thing for my rifle or shotgun.

:BC:

I have the Avid magnum manual. The TD is hinged crossways. They have a U-shaped piece that goes under the hinge, and tuber or silicone seal to vent it out the side. Try Airdale for info / parts. Are they still in business? I watched Airdale #1 being built in Alaska, but the TD was split in half lengthwise. Surely, there must be a U-shaped rubber, or what about just flat rupper glued under the hinge and vented out? Ed in MO

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Posted

If one was to try bending with this technique would i need to first heat it with a heat gun and to what temperature are we looking for?

I have read either in AC43-13 or one of Tony Binglas (spelling?) homebuilders books, the temperatures for bending lexan and the temps for bending plexiglas. I think the Lexan is 275 F, but don't know for sure. Heat guns, heat tapes, Heat lamps or wife's oven will let you form it to make parts, if you can get away with the oven (it may not be big enough either). I believe that EAA mag or Kitplanes had a good article about forming bubble doors in wife's oven by making a plywood form, and a plywood extension for the oven to use while the wife is away. BTW: The guy got caught!

Ed in MO

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Posted (edited)

My brother had a piano hinge on his turttle deck. We never could figure out a way to seal that damn thing up so it would not leak every time it rained...

I want a lexan turttle deck BAD for the visibility and more green house effect in the winter, I am just worried about it cracking when I need to pull it off and it is -30 outside. Several of my trip to the lodge have been at those temps, and when its time to pack up and go home, I dont have much choice but to pull the deck off to stuff all my crap in the baggage area.

I have a rod tube in mine and find it alot more of a pain in the ass than a helpful item. Next time I have it in the garage it is getting pulled out. 90% of the time I just strap my poles to the wing struts anyway, same thing for my rifle or shotgun.

:BC:

Been out of AMT school at UAA too long, and getting too old. I used to know the temps for both plexi and Lexan - seems like lexan would crack at about 60 degrees lower than plexi. We cut vent holes in windows and used dremels on ramp when it was below zero outside in Anchorage. Normally, you won't crack Lexan easily at all.

Ed in MO

Edited by Ed In Missouri

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Posted

Here are the pics of my turtle deck. The original builder built this back in the 90's.

IMG_3730-1.jpg

IMG_3731-1.jpg

IMG_3732-1.jpg

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Posted

Joey,

How does the front of your turtle deck meet the back of the windshield? Got a pic? My turtle decks are aluminum, and they slide underneath the back of the windshield, just shy of the rivets. Thanks,Bryce

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