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Composite racing wing - 2/17/2002 9:18:04 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Here's some photos of my latest mold. It's for my composite .60 size Tsunami and I laid the first wing up in the mold today. Final results should be seen Monday. I'm planning on racing this plane at Sacramento in March.

The blue stripe is trim tape used to make a ridge in the mold and the white squares are the servo hatch bay recesses.

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       Post #: 1

Wing layup - 2/17/2002 9:20:07 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		The mold was prepped with mold release, a coat of primer sprayed on and then layup began. The surface is 2oz glass, then 1/16" balsa, then 4oz glass with some carbon and other reinforcements. Right now, it's waiting to be put in the vacuum bag

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       Post #: 2

wing halves in the bag - 2/17/2002 9:23:19 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Here the wing halves are in the bag and I am making sure everything is ok as the vacuum bag sucks all the air out. On top of the glass on the wing panels is "peel ply" which is used to soak up resin. Some paper towels are on top in case the there is too much extra resin and needs soaking up. When the wing is dry in 24hrs, the peel ply is removed and it takes with it excess resin that it soaked up, thus reducing weight.

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       Post #: 3

vacuum on - 2/17/2002 9:34:21 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Here, the vacuum system has sucked all the air out of the bag and you can see the peel ply and paper towels sucking up the excess epoxy. Any "white" areas are where there was just enough epoxy and there is no excess being absorbed.

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< Message edited by Mluvara -- Feb 17 2002 4:49AM >

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       Post #: 4

Next up - 2/17/2002 9:36:24 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Next for layup is the fuse and tail. These molds have been prepped with mold release and then primer was sprayed on so that it comes out of the mold ready to sand.

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       Post #: 5

how the wing mold is made - 2/17/2002 9:41:09 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		In case anyone is wondering how the wing mold is made, the next three photos will show you.

This is the wing plug all sanded and polished with a "splitter plate" going all the way around the wing. Mold release is applied and then it's time to start mold making.

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       Post #: 6

Slurry coat - 2/17/2002 9:44:09 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		After the wing has the splitter plate around it (so that two halves can be made - top and bottom), a surface slurry coat is applied. Here it is epoxy with grey pigment and microballoons mixed in. A good, thick consistency is mixed and then spread all over the wing. A brush spreads it around and it the surface coat eventually smooths itself out. Let this dry and then it's time for reinforcement.

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       Post #: 7

Reinforcement - 2/17/2002 9:46:45 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Now it's time for reinforcement. Time and patience is needed here as layer after layer of heavy fiberglass is laid on top of the dry surface coat. In the end, some Aeromat and then a smooth layer of cloth is put on top to finalize this half of the wing. Once this is done, it's then time to remove the splitter plate and do the same process all over again for the bottom half of the wing...

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       Post #: 8

fuse out of the mold - 2/17/2002 9:51:30 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Here's a fuselage out of the mold that's under construction. You can see the primer was built in to the model in the molding process and has virtually no pinholes!

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       Post #: 9

Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2/17/2002 9:53:57 AM   
Darrinc



Posts: 1017
Joined: 1/22/2002
From: Piqua, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Keep it up. I love this hobby!!!!

Darrin C

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       Post #: 10

Composite racing wing - 2/17/2002 9:55:12 PM   
mglavin



Posts: 5200
Joined: 11/29/2001
From: Elverta, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Michael

Your project is very impressive. Obviously your very dedicated to the sport of turning left....

I am in process of building a similar model around Miss Ashley II.
Same basic design considerations, thus far the wing and fuse plugs are complete.

What is the area of the wing and what engine are you going to run?

Look forward to seeing you and your model in March. I have seen you Webra 120 powered version in the air...

_____________________________

Michael Glavin
RCU Community Moderator
Hitec * Multiplex Field Representative

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       Post #: 11

Composite racing wing - 2/17/2002 10:53:46 PM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Ahh, so you have seen the previous two models. The Webra 1.20 ones were fast and had more left in them, but, both of those prototypes were lost (3.75" Tru turn spinners are getting expensive!)...

The wing area is at 555 sq/in (just over the .60/1.20 sizing) and we will be putting four strokes in them this time. My brother's gonna be running an Enya 1.20 geared pump in one and if I can get one done for myself, I will have a YS in there...

Better get out to the garage this morning and get laying up!

Cool - a Miss Ashley II! That is next on my list if I ever get time. What drawings are you working from? What size plane? A gentleman named Tachiro from Japan has a set of immaculate drawings on the pylon1.com site. They are beautiful.

Michael

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       Post #: 12

Documentary? - 2/18/2002 7:34:40 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		This seems like it is turing into a documentary, but since some of the stuff that I am doing is not something people do every day, I've been happy to be able to share it here. The next few messages are today's progress. I will get to close up the molds tomorrow, but work will probably halt some till next weekend as work and college takes precedence.

Lower wing half out of the mold with the peel ply and breather removed.

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       Post #: 13

Composite racing wing - 2/18/2002 7:36:49 AM   
Mluvara



Posts: 1425
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Upper half with peel ply and breather removed

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