Where to start

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Where to start - 5/19/2003 9:22:46 PM

propnut28

Posts: 26
Joined: 5/16/2003
From: Fayetteville NC
Status: offline

I want to mold a fuse that is small. I want to start with two plugs, made of composet and balsa. From that Ill make the female molds.
Is kevlar better than fiberglass in this application? I can get an unlimited supply of very thin kevlar..The junkyards have tons of deployed airbags that are made of it.
Is there any sources of information on moldmaking for model planes?

Post #: 1

Where to start - 5/19/2003 11:01:56 PM

TT2

Posts: 648
Joined: 3/19/2002
From: Osborn, MO, USA
Status: offline

Kevlar is probably the WORST thing to use for a plug. The reason being is that it 'fuzzes' whenever you sand it. Use multiple layers of a medium fiberglass weight cloth followed by a finish layer (or layers) of light fiberglass cloth. Balsa is OK for plugs but you'd be better off if you could come across some Dow High Load foam. The foam sands very easy and consistently (no hard spots) and is much cheaper than balsa blocks. Regular Dow blueboard insulation will also work well but doesn't have the compressive strength of the High Load foam.

I suppose you could use the kevlar for thickening the molds...start with a few layers of light fiberglass and then build up the thickness with Kevlar then finish with medium glass. I don't see any harm in doing this.

Though I often work with Kevlar I try to avoid using it as much as possible. It's difficult to cut and sand.

[URL=http://www.acp-composites.com/]Aerospace Composite Products[/URL] and [URL=http://www.cstsales.com/]Composite Structures Technology[/URL] are good places to start.

Have fun!

-Tom

< Message edited by TT2 -- May 19 2003 6:17PM >

_____________________________

As complexity approaches infinity, mean time before failure approaches zero...

(in reply to propnut28)

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Where to start - 5/20/2003 3:58:00 AM

Atlanta 60

Posts: 1079
Joined: 2/15/2003
From: Cartersville, GA, USA
Status: offline

I agree...Kevlar would not be a choice of mine for mold making...I recommend standard E glass...just my opinion...but also...I was under the impression that the airbag kevlar was "treated" with something...I cannot remember why I think that...or where I heard it...but if you do use the airbag stuff I would recommend doing some test laminates first...somewhere many moons ago I had a conversation about this...I just can't remember the details...I just remember I didn't want to pursue it...good luck...

(in reply to propnut28)

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Where to start - 5/20/2003 6:55:01 PM

propnut28

Posts: 26
Joined: 5/16/2003
From: Fayetteville NC
Status: offline

Thanks guys, I did a little resurch while I was on base last night, We have A-10s here and lots of kevlar and other composets. I found that making it from fiberglass or kevlar would be more trouble than I want to deal with. Ill just enlarge it and build it from balsa and use a bigger engine. After talking and reading posts here I dont think it economical to build a mold unless I were gonna make many kits to sell. Thanks guys.

(in reply to propnut28)

Post #: 4

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