about composites (calculus/molding/fibers/experiences)

Victor Duarte

troublemaker
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hi !

as i m not an aero engineer, i cant reach R&D facilities.
composites are quite hard to master..;

i need some info and overall experiences in HOMEBUILT composites tries..

if i had a R&D labo, it would not be a problem from theory to reality.
but homebuilders have to deal with the techniques they can afford.

my questions are about :
- epoxyde resins (criteria of choice), aircraftspruce have a good choice, has some one used some of them ?

- unidirectionnal fibers : glass or kevlar (i drop carbon) has someone tried to use them, any difficulties?

- creating positive and negative molds, materials used, treatment to do, an acceptable cost/quality ratio filling material ?

- homemade cooking techniques .... use of vaccum pumps ? hot water tubes ?

- software : has someone heard about simulation software for composites?

thanks to all

victor
 
You can find all that info on line. Look up making molds and see what you get. it is to hard it write it all down when you can just read it from the source.

I will tell you I use WEST system epoxy. It can be found at most baot supply stores.
it comes in cans with pumps that take the guess work out of 2 or 3 parts of this and that. Get the Tech manual they offer it has all the product info you need.

S glass is the best for your money. It is lighter and harder than E glass. not hard to work with.

I use a 4 oz glass for most of the layers on a tail

I just started getting into molds so I can't say much on what works for me yet.

can I ask what are you looking at making?
 
Brent_Brown said:
You can find all that info on line. Look up making molds and see what you get. it is to hard it write it all down when you can just read it from the source.

I will tell you I use WEST system epoxy. It can be found at most baot supply stores.
it comes in cans with pumps that take the guess work out of 2 or 3 parts of this and that. Get the Tech manual they offer it has all the product info you need.

S glass is the best for your money. It is lighter and harder than E glass. not hard to work with.

I use a 4 oz glass for most of the layers on a tail

I just started getting into molds so I can't say much on what works for me yet.

can I ask what are you looking at making?

great thanks for your info BRENT, lisste raindrops make rivers.., you re right it cannot be explained here, i try to find out good links (perhaps in french) got some about easy use of composites

but nothing on molding... still searching .... i gues in the uro world some tried it out ;)

>>> my concern is (as you can guess) molding a blade , this blade needs 2 operations : molding the core and the root metal sleeves(unidir fibers) then remold it with the foam and outer skin... i imagined one only mold with 3 parts : the botton (clodes on the top) should mold the core (with a spacing skin for further molding) and two upper parts closing like a seashell that will be used for final molding... as you see, i still have questions about correct filling of the mold, to have a good impregnation , avoiding bubbles, and the correctly cook it.....

thanks for your few raindrops !! ;)

victor
 
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Brent, is right, there is tons of info on the Net with many books available.

If push comes to shove and you can't find the info from these sources then contact Gary Hunter Composites in Houston Texas at [email protected] I'm not going to restate his qualifications here, again, so will just say he has them!
 
mm thanks !!!! i know the main lines of dave jackson's project but always find some treasures in that... thanks !

the hot oil curing is very interesting indeed,
i stiil looking for info about molds ... structure, surface, correct mountings, wrong ones, good methods for filling ans impregnation etc..

it s a good link !
thanks
victor
 
Hello gents,
i need some composites guys tricks :
- did someone experiment insulation foam vs PVC Klegecel foam ? how does it behave ?
- did someone experiment a "personnal" realease agent for molding (the market release agent is very efficient but very expensive)
thanks in advance.
 
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