Brief Description: canopy release handle installed, hinge bloack spac
Having installed the canopy release machanism with arms, pins and all, I now focused on fitting the handle which would mount on the panel. First challenge was that the original location of the handle on the panel had to be moved up due to our modifications to the panel layout and because in it's prescribed postion it would interfere with the map box, audio stack structure - which is key to the panel integrity. I had to move the hole for thie handle up by about 1/2" and thus enlarge the cutout for the handle in the sub-panel, when working the handle I found interference with the F-643-1 rib so some material had to be cleared from that as well. With these mods I fginally got the handle assembled, installed in place and connected which worked the mechanism perfectly.
Next was the hinge block spacers, I borrowed a technique I used to slot the mechanism arms earlier where a cutting disc was fixed to a bolt insterted in the drill press. The drill press was adjusted to full RPM and a work top set up to meet the disc at the right height and square so that a strip could be cut in the aluminium bar material at the right width, the strip was then cut in two and the edges cleaned and deburred giving me two perfect spacers in no time. These were cleaned, and fitted but have yet to be match-drilled to the blocks in position - the modified hinge drill method calls for this to be done later.
