Julie came back to the hangar to help me flip over the canopy so I could work on the leading edge. I was now close to the 24 hour limit so I retaped the leading edge, scuff up the existing Sikaflex and the aluminum. I reapplied the primer and let it set. While waiting the 30 minutes I tried to clean up. Seems like I have gone through a box of gloves.
After 30 minutes I applied another layer of Sikaflex to build a nice filet on the forward edge. This provides a nice transition from the plexi to the aluminum and builds some more strength on the leading edge. It looks a little rough, but I will need to sand this area anyway for the fiberglass process. In image two you can see a blue line of tape, then a gloss black line and then a dull black line. The glossy black line is the Sika Primer on the inside and represents where the upper line of fiberglass will go; approximately one inch up from the edge. The dull line is the Sikaflex that extends about 3/4" forward of the leading edge.
Now everything sits for a few days to cure. This canopy is very solid.
