Starting a Flange tool.

Starting to create the tools to make flanges to join the hull half's together,

Wind Vane for the laser.

Making a centerboard trunk.

Using the plug for the centerboard mold to layup a glass centerboard trunk.
I user 3 layers of 8oz. tooling cloth for the prototype.

The parts clamped together and placed in the port side mold, with the
centerboard in place.

PVA WHY you should use it.

PVA WHY you should use it.
I sprayed on 5 coats of PVA before putting the fiber glass and epoxies in the mold.
When removing parts the PVA sticks to the part and the risk if damaging the mold
is lower.

De-molding Main Beam Test Panel

De-molding Main Beam Test Panel


De-molding Main Beam Test Panel

Removing Peel Ply.

Bow Test Panel out of the mold.

Bow Test Panel out of the mold.



De-molding Bow Test Panel -A.
De-molding Bow Test Panel -B.

Bagging Test Panels.

Don't forget to add pleats to your vacuum bag where needed.

Test Panel at main beam section.

Test Panel at main beam section.

Bow section test.

Bow section test.
2 layers of 6oz S-Glass, 1 layer of 6oz. uni glass
oriented for loads.
Then 3mm thick honeycomb core, then repeat of the glass.

Mold with edge taped and 5 coats PVA.

Mold with edge taped and 5 coats PVA.

Parts cut for test panels.

Parts cut for test panels.

Vacuum Pump is working.

I went to "Pep Boys" a local auto parts store and bought a $85 compressor with two tanks attached.
I reversed the input and output and installed a check valve ( http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_info...products_id=558 )
between the tank and the pump. Also got a Vacuum Controller ( http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_info...;products_id=58 )which I
attached to a relay (the controller is good for 10 amps and the pump pulls 15 amps) and next thing you know I've got a vacuum pump.
I have been doing test panels lately and it pulls a 26.5" vacuum and the little leaks in my bag cause the controller to come on at 23".
The pump comes on for 15 seconds every 5 minutes. I can live with that amount of leakage.
I think my next step is to do a test panel in the mold to check for leaks in the mold and to test the layup schedule.
If I have time this week I will post some pictures.

Molds Off the Plug

Finished the second half of the mold.

I pulled apart the mold last night and was very pleased with the outcome.
There needs to be a little local reinforcement and am waiting for some
13oz. tooling cloth to come.
I will post some pictures this weekend.

The Plug in one half of the mold.

The Plug in one half of the mold.
I will be working on the other half
of the mold this weekend. Oops I forgot
it's my 28 anaversity this weekend,
maybe next week.

Centerboard clamped in place.

Centerboard clamped in place.

Centerboard parts in place.

Centerboard parts in place and ready to be glued up.

Jig to glue together centerboard halfs.

This is a jig to hold together the skins of a centerboard while it is being glued up and the internal "spar"
is held in place.

Un-rapping the parts.

Un-rapping the spreader blades.
Un-rapping the spreader bracket.

Making the mast bracket for the spreaders B.

Next add a layer of carbon fiber then a few layers of glass(as a filler) then two
layers of carbon fiber. Then a layer of peel ply and then squeegee out the excess
resin.
See video here.

Making the mast bracket for the spreaders.

To start making the bracket you need to wax the tool
(in this case a mast section ) and then put on a few
layers of PVA. I have been using Partall's
"Coverall Film".
See video here.

Vacuum bagging the spreaders

After the carbon and glass are on the spreader arms and the pieces
are rapped in peel ply and perforated film each piece is rapped in
breather fabric. ( I have been using recycled poly batting for
blankets, but I am thinking about using something like
"Econoweave 44" which is like a felt.) Now everything goes in the
bag and it is sealed up. Turn on the vacuum and
check for leaks. I run the vacuum high (26 ") for two hours then
set it for 12" and let it run over night.
See the video here.

Spreader layup

This is the wet layup of Carbon Fiber and uni E glass on a balsa wood
core. After the glass and carbon go on the piece gets a wrap of peel
ply then a perforated release film goes around it.
You can watch it on video here.

Carbon fiber spreaders anyone?

I am making small parts now, waiting for the shed to warm up. So here is the start of a set of spreaders for my sori mast. I started with some leftover balsa (from making the centerboard plug) and ebony. I glued them together and shaped them on the band saw.

Finishing the Mold

After the last of the glass and resin are finished take it's temperature.
To low a temperature and you risk the resin not setting ant to high and
the mold may warp and also harm the plug.
Wait at least 24 hours then remove from the plug, trim and seal the edges
also sand down any sharp edges. Then polish and wax and wax ...

Reniforcing the mold.

Add 2 or 4 layers of 1.5Oz. mat let it hang over the edge. Then run plastic tubing or some wood down the edge and fold the excess mat as well as some 5Oz. cloth over it and back down to the back of the mold.
After the mat and cloth are in place wet them out with
resin and roll out the air.

First layer of Centerboard mold.

The first layer of the mold is a combination Cab-o-sil (500 ml by volume) and 500 ml of ASHM6253A
(unsaturated polyester resin). Let this gel then add a layer of 5oz. glass and roll out the bubbles, then add two layers 1.5oz. of chopped strand mat then let it cure for 24 hours.

Creating a Centerboard Mold.

Started to make the centerboard mold, using MDF to create a flat surface and 6"X48"X1/2" balsa
as the plug for the centerboard. The shape is a NACA 0010-34 profile.
After the shape is done prime then polish then wax and wax and...