Is There Anything That Wont Crack the Canopy?

[Direct C51]

I messed up and got some very light paint overspray on my right wing and canopy. Didn't seem to be a big deal, I figured 70% isopropyl alcohol wouldn't be a problem. I used it liberally, and got all of the overspray off of the canopy. Then I noticed 2 huge cracks and 1 small crack originating at the bolt holes on the canopy bows. That's about the worst feeling there is. I thought alcohol was safe. I'm beginning to think nothing is safe on the canopy except for water. I probably should have tried that first. Hopefully they don't get any worse as it sits. I didn't want to look at it long enough to see if the canopy is salvageable with some stop drilling. Anyone in California have a spare canopy they want to sell to save me on shipping? Worst of all, this happened when I am less than a month from first flight.

[peter anson]

I have used Plexus plastic cleaner - http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/about.html
and Vuplex - http://vuplex.co/
Both are safe for polishing the canopy but I don't think they'll remove paint. I would think that Plexus should be available in the US.

Peter

[sonex892.]

I am pretty sure isopropyl / denatured alcohol is what I used used to clean the canopy before sticking a Koger sunshade track on. It had no effect my canopy, it's the older material whether that makes a difference? I've used eucalyptus oil on a canopy to remove old dried up masking tape.
Steve
Sonex 892

[sonex892.]

I am pretty sure isopropyl / denatured alcohol is what I used used to clean the canopy before sticking a Koger sunshade track on. It had no effect my canopy, it's the older material whether that makes a difference? I've used eucalyptus oil on a canopy to remove old dried up masking tape.
Steve
Sonex 892

[Direct C51]

Steve, did you get the alcohol near any holes or areas of stress on the canopy? I put a lot of care in deburring the holes and smoothing the edges, but the alcohol cracked the canopy at the holes. It didn't affect the rest of the canopy.

[sonex892.]

Steve, did you get the alcohol near any holes or areas of stress on the canopy? I put a lot of care in deburring the holes and smoothing the edges, but the alcohol cracked the canopy at the holes. It didn't affect the rest of the canopy.

No I didn't need to apply the alcohol anywhere near any holes. It sounds like a good idea in the future to avoid any stress risers in perspex with the alcohol.
You mentioned you used it liberally, was it possibly caused from the evaporation of the alcohol? Chilling of the perspex at different rates at the stress risers?
Steve
Sonex 892

[fastj22]

I use Lemon Pledge to clean my canopy. I suspect you got some alcohol down into the drilled hole and it found enough rough surface to work with to form the crack. I've been fortunate. I only cracked my first canopy due to overtightning the bow screws. My current one is 4 years old with 350 hours on it and knock on wood, crack free.

[Titanium Cranium]

I can't help you much with what is safe to use on the canopy as far as chemicals, but for your overspray problem, you can use soapy water and a clay bar. I believe Meguiars makes one of the better clay bars. We use it in the body shop every day to get light overspray off cars.