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Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

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Dale Orth

Joined: 11 Aug 2008
Posts: 13
Location: Las Vegas,Nv

Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Hi Guys,

 Can anyone tell me the best way to cut a 2/12in. hole in each Plexiglass door for Vista Vents. It's getting way too hot in Vegas to be without vents. 

Thanks, Dale

_________________
Dale
KitFox 7
Las Vegas, Nv
daleorth@embarqmail.com

darinh

Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 327
Location: Utah

Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Dale,



I am about to do the same thing...only I have done it before so I will share my approach.  I put the Vista vents in my model 3 doors using a Dremel sanding drum and it worked very nicely.  Fist I used one of my acrylic bits to start a pilot hole right in the middle of the area I wanted to remove.  Then I took my Dremel sanding drum bit and started at an angle so it sort of cut its own way through the acrylic.  Once it was open enough, you simply enlarge the hole with the sanding bit and your done.  This is the way I will do it with my new doors.

_________________
Darin Hawkes
Series 7
914 Turbo
Kaysville, Utah

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

I just ordered the 2" snap vents from aircraft spruce.  I was planing to use a hole saw to cut the hole.  My doors are lexan though.  I'll try it on a scrap piece of lexan first.  If that doesn't work I'll try the dremel sanding drum.

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

larry huntley

Joined: 19 Jul 2008
Posts: 149

Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 2:41 am Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Lexan is a polycarbonate. You can just bore through it with a hole saw. 

Larry



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_________________
Larry Huntley,Dundee,NY
Kitfox 4-1200 N234EE
EA81,AMAX Redrive Warp 3 blade

Dick Maddux

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 516
Location: Milton, Fl

Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 5:11 am Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

I used a hole saw.   I went very slow and carefully and it worked  fine. I then finished the holes  with about 4-600 grit paper. Both holes  turned out very nice with no cracks.

  The ventilation increase is a must here in hot,steamy,muggy, Florida.  I took a picture of the location of the vent on the factory Apollo Fox which is  out of Tampa ,Fl. (at Sun and Fun) I figured they probably had the best  location for the vent figured out. They did.

                                                                               Dick Maddux

                                                                               Fox 4-1200

                                                                               Pensacola,Fl

 A Good Credit Score is 70001367178/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=115%26bcd=Mayfooter51809NO115>See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!

  [quote][b]

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 5:19 am Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

 	  Quote: 	
		  I took a picture of the location of the vent on the factory Apollo Fox which is out of Tampa ,Fl. (at Sun and Fun) I figured they probably had the best location for the vent figured out. They did. 	




Dick, can you post the picture?

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

patreilly43(at)hotmail.co
Guest

Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 5:46 pm Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

I also used a hole saw on mine. But C I did it flat before the plexi was attached. I also used a heat gun to heat the plexi first. I am sorry I can't remember what degree I heated to and checked with a laser thermometer C maybe 150-160 degrees F. After you sand the edge C you can use a propane torch on the edge that gives you an excellent edge. Just practice on a scrap piece 1st to get your temps right..

  

 Pat Reilly

 Mod 3 582 Rebuild

 Rockford C IL

 

  From: Catz631(at)aol.com

Date: Mon C 18 May 2009 08:57:36 -0400

Subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com



 I used a hole saw.   I went very slow and carefully and it worked fine. I then finished the holes  with about 4-600 grit paper. Both holes turned out very nice with no cracks.

  The ventilation increase is a must here in hot Csteamy Cmuggy C Florida. I took a picture of the location of the vent on the factory Apollo Fox which is out of Tampa  CFl. (at Sun and Fun) I figured they probably had the best location for the vent figured out. They did.

                                                                              Dick Maddux

                                                                              Fox 4-1200

                                                                              Pensacola CFl

 

  A Good Credit Score is 70001367178/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=115%26bcd=Mayfooter51809NO115>See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!

[quote]



 	  Quote: 	
		  http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List

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ww.matronics.com/contribution



[b]

Dick Maddux

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 516
Location: Milton, Fl

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 3:50 am Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Tom,

  I would post the pictures of my installation but I am at my  cabin in the NC mountains enjoying a reprieve from hot ,muggy,flat Florida. I am  having a blast driving my TR3 on these mountain roads. I even caught a group of  "rice rocket" motorcyclists that were on my butt and passed me on these mountain  roads (ala: Tail of the Dragon) Boy that was a thrill for an old fart! Might  have been because of that cute girl on the back of the last motorcycle that  waved at me(I backed off though) What an adrenaline rush to throw this car  around the curves and actually catch the group !

   Anyway,I digress. I will return to my mane computer about mid June  and will send the pictures if you want and have not already done the deed.

                                                             Dick Maddux

                                                             Fox4-1200

                                                             Milton,Fl

 An Excellent Credit Score is651/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=MayExcfooter51609NO62>See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!

  [quote][b]

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 5:24 am Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

 	  Quote: 	
		  I will return to my mane computer about mid June and will send the pictures if you want and have not already done the deed. 	




Dick, a thousand words would be worth as much as the pictures.  Just kidding, how about a few words?  I am thinking about putting the vents in the front half of the lower half of the doors.  In any case I don't want to put them in the top half of the doors.  I like the visibility too much and my wife likes to take pictures with the doors shut.



Attached is a picture of our mountains she took on our kitfox flight last saturday.

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

Last edited by Tom Jones on Wed May 20, 2009 7:01 am; edited 3 times in total

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 5:27 am Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Edit, double post

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

Dick Maddux

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 516
Location: Milton, Fl

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 4:13 am Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Tom,

  Go to [url=apollo-fox.com]apollo-fox.com[/url] .There is a  picture of the vent just above the center line of the door and towards the  front. That is where I have mine and it works great!

                                                                   

                                                                Dick Maddux

                                                               Milton,Fl  

0126575x1222399266x1201456865/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B215073777%3B37034343%3Bf>Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop: Now in 6 vibrant colors! Shop Dell's full line of laptops.

  [quote][b]

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Here's an update.  I received the spruce 2" snap vents http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/snapvents.php yesterday.  I tested in a scrap piece of lexan.



It was easy to bore through with a hole saw no problem.  The instructions say cut a 2" hole.  I don't have a 2 inch so used a 2-1/8th inch.  The vents measured about 2-3/8th inch.  They were too tight in the 2-1/8th hole to adjust.



I sent them back today and ordered the Vista vents. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/vistavents.php

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

kitfoxnick

Joined: 13 Apr 2008
Posts: 33
Location: Northern Maryland

Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject: Re: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

I installed the vista vents last Sept. Drilled them with a Hole saw no big deal just go slow.  I think the Vista is much better than the pop in style.

Nick W.

_________________
Nick Weiskopf
Norrisville, MD
kitfox !V-1200
Rotax 912ul

Fox5flyer
Guest

Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 3:37 am Post subject: Cutting 2/12in. hole in Plexiglass doors

Same here.  I have acrylic bubble doors and had no problem mounting the 

Vistas with a hole saw.  Been working fine since first flight.  I gave away 

the pop-ins.

Deke Morisse

Mikado Michigan

S5/Subaru/CAP 413+ TT

"The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress."

- Joseph Joubert



do not archive



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