Chapter 18 - Section 21

Canopy Handle

 

I have seen many canopy handles that were fabricated and mounted per the plans method. They are certainly functional, however, they just do not look very comfortable to grab onto. I decided to pay a visit to Home Depot and see if there was any alternatives. I found a couple of round handles that fit the bill. However, the only way to bolt them down was to have the bolts coming from the top side of the canopy skirt. Once the bolt head is buried in micro, you cannot remove the handles (e.g. for painting) Hmmm...

 

Making My Own Canopy Handle

I decided to make my own handle out of the aluminum rods that I had around the shop. In order to make it removable, I had to make it a 'T' shape. I started with a 3/8" aluminum rod (standoff) and turned both ends down to .25" (size of an AN4 bolt). I then chamfered the tips and added 1/4-28 threads with a die at both ends. Note that one end is shorter than the other because one end goes into the 5/8" rod while the other end goes through the canopy skirt. 

 

Then I took a 3" length of 5/8" aluminum rod and drilled and tapped 1/4-28 threads to receive the short end of the standoff. I also counter-bored a 3/8" hole at the middle of the rod to accommodate the 3/8" standoff.

 

Here's a picture of the assembled canopy handle.

 

I then mounted the canopy handle onto the canopy and so far, its working out OK. It is less intrusive with the canopy closed because it is just a 'T' instead of a large 5" handle. Just personal preference. I haven't decided what to do on the passenger side yet. I think I'll wait...

 

* Things On Hold

- Install handle on passenger side...