Groper has made me an infusion convert

[Herman]

Sorry for the sh1tty picture, but you mean these?

http://catalogue.airtech.lu/product.php?product_id=255&lang=EN

 

[jorgepease]

if you get the infusion cut core, you eliminate - feed hoses, release film and flow media. You get to infuse both sides at same time which saves you resin and setup time!!

Today I will start removing the 10 + contractor size bags I have of plastic waste, it doesn't make me feel good at all.

The only way I will do this in the future is with a focus on zero waste. I am thinking to even cut out most of the bag and use thin acrylic panels attached with small amounts of plastic bag or ??? and might as well use a mold since I plan on perfecting a boat and sticking with it.

Good luck on your project!!

 

[khaos]

Sorry for the sh1tty picture, but you mean these?

http://catalogue.airtech.lu/product.php?product_id=255&lang=EN

Cool! Exactly like that! Now how much are they?

 

[khaos]

if you get the infusion cut core, you eliminate - feed hoses, release film and flow media. You get to infuse both sides at same time which saves you resin and setup time!!

Today I will start removing the 10 + contractor size bags I have of plastic waste, it doesn't make me feel good at all.

The only way I will do this in the future is with a focus on zero waste. I am thinking to even cut out most of the bag and use thin acrylic panels attached with small amounts of plastic bag or ??? and might as well use a mold since I plan on perfecting a boat and sticking with it.

Good luck on your project!!

AHH feed tubes also go away. It just keeps getting better.

Recognizing I'm the FNG on this topic, I'm going out on a little limb here.

If you are going to do production runs you could look at a spray silicone or similar. Then you don't even need tape anymore! I have seen lifeboat pods created on a mold with the sprayed silicone it was smooth no peel ply and no tape. Gelcoat was sprayed onto a mold with release agent already applied. Allowed to fully cure. Then the dry layup was applied. A little acetone was kept on hand in a spray bottle to reactivate the gelcoat a little to better stick the dry layup into the mold.

There was a ridge on the mold and a groove in the silicone that 'snapped' together. The outlet was molded into the silicone and the inlets were still spiral at the edges of the mold. I'm sure you could just mold in a few holes to allow regular inlets at the edge ditching the spirals.

 

[jorgepease]

I think I saw a closed mold system like that, the ultimate way to less waste

 

[khaos]

I know I have been away for a while but I am back. I have made a top deck mold out of MDF I'm getting ready to sand it down to perfect. I know I need to seal it and probably sand again after that. And a release agent. The question is what should I use?

I intend to use this mold about 6 times in some form or fashion on this boat. Should I seal it with epoxy?

I will post mold pics when my laptop will cooperate with the phone.

 

[groper]

Yes... fill all the gaps with thickened resin and scrape it off flush... coat it with neat resin and whilst the resin is still open but tacked off, screed a coat of fairing mix over it. After cure, then sand it. You can then fair it or if its good to go, top coat it with a gloss paint like 2k pu or duratech etc... you just need a shiney surface to make rekease easy. .. after its shiney do your mold release either wax and pva or use a semi perm. The mold needs to be vwcuum tight so do it carefully.

 

[khaos]

Mold

Here are the mold pics as promised.

First glued the sheets together as deep as my router could go. (1/2 bit 4" cut) Then roughed away the bulk of the waste.

Then a ball nose bit to clean up more of the waste.

Then screw and glue assemble the pieces to get to a sandable and sealable point.

Stupid chinese MDF had a surprise in it for me.

Whew. It was about 25 hours of actual cutting time!! And I still have to seal and sand. LOL. We are sick.

Higher def pics here.

 

[khaos]

I am not sure what this " screed a coat of fairing mix over it " is. Can you clarify for me?

Thanks,

 

[groper]

Resin thickened with microballons or qcells or west system microlight powders etc etc. Makes up a low density compound which is easy to sand. Do it wet on wet and you wont have to sand the neat coat you put down first.

 

[khaos]

Cool doing it now.

 

[El_Guero]

Would there be a significant strength gain by building a double hull. Outer skin infused, and inner skin of marine ply?

I am thinking about this for two reasons, maybe three.

1. Foam used in the process is not the strength it is the outer layer of material, carbon would be my preference.

2. Plywood does not survive being wet as well as closed cell foam.

A. So, I am wondering if having a plywood inner skin (hull) with the outer hull infused foam and carbon would gain enough overall strength to be worth the extra weight?

B. And would the extra cost not be so prohibitive to prevent thinking further? I.e., I would guess the cost to be 2.5 times the cost of a single thickness hull, would that 2.5 times cost give me around 2.5 times the strength or more strength?

wayne

PS. I am not considering balsa cores or cork cores .... but, if you think I should, give me some reasonings.

 

[khaos]

Would there be a significant strength gain by building a double hull. Outer skin infused, and inner skin of marine ply?

I am thinking about this for two reasons, maybe three.

1. Foam used in the process is not the strength it is the outer layer of material, carbon would be my preference.

2. Plywood does not survive being wet as well as closed cell foam.

A. So, I am wondering if having a plywood inner skin (hull) with the outer hull infused foam and carbon would gain enough overall strength to be worth the extra weight?

B. And would the extra cost not be so prohibitive to prevent thinking further? I.e., I would guess the cost to be 2.5 times the cost of a single thickness hull, would that 2.5 times cost give me around 2.5 times the strength or more strength?

wayne

PS. I am not considering balsa cores or cork cores .... but, if you think I should, give me some reasonings.

I think that this thread will give you the answers you are looking for. The read and lessons learned will be worth the time and effort.

The real trick as I understand it is to properly plan your composite so you have the appropriate strength were you need it. example: Top decks need to be thicker glass on the 'people' side of the core to protect from say high heels.

HTH,

 

[khaos]

In the process of glassing and fairing. I was thinking about using the Maguires #8 release wax. Is there a better choice? If not I was thinking about 6 coats with about 15 minutes and a buff between for the first use and maybe 1 or 2 coats with 15 minutes and a buff between for subsequent uses. Does this sound rational. Second question does it sound like it will work?

 

[groper]

I dont know that product so cannot comment as to effectiveness...

Another option might be use one of the semi-permanent release systems, it may provide a more reliable release compared to wax and PVA from what ive heard. You should follow the directions carefully tho, especially the "mold sealer" step prior to the semi-perm application - it makes the surface chemically inert so there is less free electrons and less chance of a stick up...

What will you be doing the final layup with, epoxy or a vinylester or polyester or gelcoat etc on your finished part?