Plastic Bags * Credit Cards *
Dritz Scissors * Fein Sander *
Masking Tape * PIA Sticks *
Plans on Wall
Poor man's Vacuum Bag
* Rotary Cutters *
Sorting Parts * Spline Sander *
Syringes * Fiberglass Tapes
|
|
 |
Syringes are nice (see below) but, they
can be expensive. Also, they actually don't work as well as this method.
Partly because you can cut the corner of the bag to any size you need,
partly because they're easier to fill and refill.
Get a plastic bag of your favorite
type. I like Ziplock® bags because they're a bit thicker and there's
less chance of them stretching or ripping. Turn the bag inside out, halfway
down, and fill it with material. Smush the material (or let it run, if it's
thin enough) into one corner, then twist the bag around to isolate that
section of the bag. Cut the corner off (of the section with the material in
it) cutting as large or small of a hole as you'll need. A cut that makes a
1/8" to 3/16" hole works best. Squeeze the bag to pipe the material
wherever you need it. If I need to do several "pipes" I set the bag, hole
side down, into the cup I mixed the material in so I can reuse later.
Refill the bag until you've completed the task, then, throw away.
|
|
|
 |
This idea came from Dan Pettinger -
thanks, Dan! I bought a couple of Wicks squeegees - those big rubber ones.
Those work great for larger layups, but, for fiberglass tapes, small pieces,
corners or whatever use a credit card. Collect a few that come in the mail,
or, better yet - ask friends and family for any that come in the mail - and
you'll have a big supply overnight! If they get messed up just throw them
out. Depending on the size of the layup, you end up making a few more
passes because they are smaller, but, the action is much nicer. They flex a
bit easier than the rubber squeegee but it's a more consistent flex. I work
them pretty hard when I micro foam since the micro is usually pretty thick
but I still like them better than the other squeegees. Now, I only use the
rubber ones on the largest layups. Try them for micro, too, especially for
layups like the canard top where there's lot of intricate micro work,
staying away from the edges and the spar cap.
|
|
|
 |
I think this idea first came from
Jerry Schneider in the Tampa, Florida area. Most stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics
or similar sell these, they're used for quilting or clothes making. They
are basically a set of electric scissors. They're great for cutting
fiberglass, not so much in this manner, before the layup, but during it.
You know - you're right in the middle of a bunch of layers and you need to
trim about an inch of the end of your last layup. You can use the
scissors/shears, but, they get all messy and they disturb the layup as you
close them and advance them for the next cut, not to mention when you stick
the tips of them into the foam or the glass. These babies work great - just
press the trigger and they cut like crazy. Probably won't do many layers of
glass, but, I usually only use them for a layer or two. There's a second
foot, too, that makes cutting between layers pretty easy. They even cut
wetted out glass nice, just wipe them off when you're done. |
 |
Mine work so good, and I use them so
much, I dropped them one day and they broke in the middle. No worries - I
just cut a small piece of BID, then, did a mini layup on it with some thick
CA glue. I'm guessing these puppies are stronger now than when they were
made. Doesn't look very nice, but, while they were out of commission I
really missed them. Good as new!
For the record, I've officially retired
my first set. I got a (cheaper, and, probably better) set of Black & Decker
electric scissors. These puppies get pretty messy after a while, despite my
best effort, so a throw away electric scissor gets my vote.
|
|
|
 |
This idea came from the mailing list
that's part of cozy.canard.com A Fein Sander is basically a detail sander
from Fein, a German company that happens to have made the first ever
electric drill. The sander's action is patented, you'd think it was a
vibrating action but it's actually mechanical. The head moves back and
forth, about 1/16th of an inch, rapidly. When you put the high-speed steel
cutter on the thing it cuts cured fiberglass briskly. It's not fast, but it
moves along steady and doesn't go so fast as to melt the epoxy and gum
itself up. I usually, when I can't knife trim, use the cutter head to get
close to edge of whatever needs trimming, then put the sander head back on
with some 60 or so grit and sand to the exact edge. It sands really nice,
too, fast enought so you don't get bored waiting but, again, slow enough to
not melt or soften the epoxy from the sanding heat and gum up the sandpaper. |
|
|
 |
Place the two pieces of foam to be
glued on a flat surface, press them together snugly and put a piece of tape
over the joint. I like box sealing tape the best, it sticks the least once
the micro has cured. Turn the pieces over and lift at the joint until they
open like a hinge. Put your 5-minute epoxy (or micro, depending on what's
called for in the plans) into the joint then close the hinge. The excess
epoxy or micro will squish out and you can scrape that off. I usually then
tape the other side to make a smooth joint. Pull the tape off when the
epoxy is cured and you'll have a smooth, well-filled joint. The picture
shows tape on both sides while the epoxy cures. |
|
|
|
 |
My wife calls these PIA sticks, short
for "pain in the ..." well, you get the idea. I read that another builder
had made this sort of thing to make large layups easier. The builder in
question, Oreste Mucilli, routed a slot in a piece of wood and inserted a
mushroom-shaped piece of weather stripping. I had some vinyl weather
stripping around so I made these out of some scrap wood. I wouldn't use
staples if I did them over, but, they worked pretty well. We used them
extensively for the large layups on the fuselage sides. |
|
|
Here's another shot of the PIA
sticks. You use them in pairs, one set for each person/each end of the
piece of fiberglass you're laying out. Put the weather stripping side in,
hold the two ends of the sticks (they're 48" long, thus, fit the full width
of a piece of fiberglass), squeeze them together then pull against your
partner. If you let them slip a little bit, they align the fibers straight,
let you pull tight enough to span over an already wet layup and when you
think you're in position you lower them down and apply the piece of
fiberglass. If you need to pull the glass off again to reposition, just
pull tight against your partner again and lift, the sticks keep you from
distorting the glass when you do that, even a couple of times. I like the
PIA nickname, but frankly, think they eliminate the pain, not cause it! |
|
|
|
 |
I'm sort of a neat freak. With that
in mind, let's just say that I always clean up when I'm done and always put
everything away. I found that I was always pulling out this set of M
drawings and putting them away again - the set with the side view of the
fuselage on it. I got to thinking one day that it might be nice to put
these up - not only assemble to look like the side of the fuselage, but, in
easy view for easy reference. It makes a lot of steps easier - you don't
have to go looking for the plans, and, given that I walk back and forth past
it as I work in my workshop, I'm kind of teaching myself how some of the
stuff fits/works together while I do. I should have done this sooner!
Besides, when the other builders come over for an EAA chapter visit - it
gives them something to look at. The current debate is this - "Do they
still call it an elevator, even though it goes down for climb and up for
descent?" (Rather than up for climb and down for descent, like it does
in your typical Cessna or conventional airframe.) Yes, they still call it
an elevator. |
|
|
|
 |
Several builders have had good luck
with 2 to 6 mil plastic when used peel-ply style on top of curing
epoxy/fiberglass. You do your layup, squeegee out most of the extra epoxy
and finish all layers then add a layer of plastic (clean and dry, of course)
over the top. Squeegee gently over the plastic to eliminate bubbles,
wrinkles and extra epoxy and let cure. Once the part is cured, peel off the
plastic and you will have a nice, smooth surface. Don't use too thin of
plastic or you'll get too many wrinkles (from it stretching) and try this on
a practice part to get the hang of it. I haven't had too much luck with
this but still recommend trying it. |
|
|
 |
This tip (well, this isn't really a
tip - just me agreeing that this is a good idea!) Good stores that sell
cloth for making clothes sell little rotary cutters, like pizza cutters (I
think Wicks/Aircraft Spruce sell them as well) as well as mats made of a
hard plastic or rubber to cut on. Lay the fiberglass on the mat and cut
away. The little cutter zips through the glass without disturbing the
fibers and cuts a clean edge. I bought one of these, but, instead of buying
a $50 mat (that's not big enough anyway) I bought a 4' x 8' sheet of thin
plastic tub-surround material and cut on that. It works great - when it
gets cut up real bad I'll buy another piece since it only cost about $10. |
|
|
|
 |
When I got to Chapter 8, I got really
confused one day trying to make sure I was using the right parts so when I
installed them I wouldn't use the wrong part, short something and then have
to buy something duplicate. This is probably a little meticulous, but, I
now have each Chapter's parts in a separate labeled bag. |
|
|
 |
The plans say to make a sanding spline.
You buy this piece of spruce (man, my father in law would be jealous - this
aircraft quality spruce is nicer than even furniture grade wood!) and they
send you a straight, no-knots, planed, square piece of spruce 6' x 4" x
3/4". I made my spline after I needed to sand the
trailing
edge of the canard and added a couple of features of my own. First, I
added 4 handles to the top, compliments of my local Home Depot. |
 |
Next, I added 80 grit paper, the new,
longer-lasting faster-cutting stuff, stapled on so I can change out the grit
or paper if needed. I used standard sheets of 9" x 11" paper, but, tore
them in half first, and, taped them with box tape together on the bottom.
This prevents the paper from getting caught on something and ripping a piece
off. This close up shows the staples in the ends and in the side. There's
not much paper to staple into on the side, so, I used a credit card for
spacing and put the head of the stapler right onto the table as I stapled.
Worked great. Nice, consistent height staples without missing the paper or
putting them through the bottom of the spline. |
|
|
|
|
|
Those $1 syringes (no needle) you can
order from Wicks are great for this sort of thing. After you mix up a batch
of micro or flox, fill the syringe with it for easier spreading. Cut off
the tip, of course, at the right place to get the whole size you need.
Makes jobs like this one much easier (this is the front seatback brace -
there are quite a few long lines of flox you have to make to join this side
to the other pieces) and keeps the mess under control. I also use the
syringe this way for flox fillets and anytime I need to precisely spread out
a bunch of flox or micro. |
|
|
|
|
 |
I make fiberglass strips, or, complex-shaped, or multi-layer
layups that you have to put somewhere challenging using two pieces of 6 (or
less) mil clear plastic, or, waxed paper.
1) Wet out the layers you need on top of one layer of
plastic or waxed paper.
2) If you have a paper pattern, put that underneath the
plastic or waxed paper to aid in wetting out enough glass, or, to make sure
you cut the layup to the right size and shape once it's complete.
3) Alternately, if doing tapes or measured layups, use a
Sharpie marker and draw the 'part' directly on the the plastic or waxed
paper before you start the layup, flipping the plastic or waxed paper over
(account for mirror image issues, if necessary) to keep the Sharpie ink out
of your nice epoxy layup.
4) Add a second layer of plastic or waxed paper on top of
the layup, once it's all wet out and the right number of layers have been
added. Squeegee as you see fit until it's wet out completely but light as
you can make it.
5) Cut the layup to size using your tool of preference; mine
is electric scissors. If you want the overhang, cut it
to what you need then move to the next step.
6) Pull off the top layer of plastic or waxed paper,
transport it from the workbench to where it goes, lay into place, brush,
stipple, squeegee or simply press on it until it's where you like it, you've
removed any bubbles, etc. then CAREFULLY pull off the remaining layer
plastic or waxed paper. CAREFULLY. If you think for a minute before you
remove the plastic or waxed paper, you can probably figure out which
direction of removal will disturb the layup the least, do it that way.
The plastic or waxed paper keeps the layup glass from
getting misaligned - either during the trip from the workbench to the plane
or while fitting onto the plane, and, keeps the mess more under control.
Further, it's easier to get a non-distorted layup into the right place with
the top layer still on there. Last, if you want a properly wet out but
light as can be layup, squeegeeing with the top layer on there helps ensure
that. |
|
|
|
|
|
See my Vacuum Bagging page via
the link above (or below), clicking the picture to the left of
clicking here. |
|
Plastic Bags *
Credit Cards * Dritz Scissors *
Fein Sander * Masking Tape * PIA
Sticks * Plans on Wall
Poor man's Vacuum Bag
* Rotary Cutters * Sorting Parts
* Spline Sander * Syringes *
Fiberglass Tapes |
|
