Aaaaarrrguhh! I've been trying to post a reply for 2 days, had a cookie problem.......anyway
Cummin Thru> I think were on the same page w/laminated foam core! I like your idea about just wrapping the thing and forget about wood l.e.'s and spars, hopefully it wood be strong enough for a 40 size profile wing! If not, I was thinkin' to add cf tape to top and bott. of wing were the spar would go. Also to l.e. for impact resistance. You'd obviuosly need a wood t.e. for ail. hinging.
If either idea creates a stiff enough wing to handle the g's we inflict, but isn't as light (or lighter) than an all wood wing, here are a couple idea's;
>Cut holes behind and/or in front of "spar" before or after laminating.
>Or with "pigi" wing in mind, hollow foam core via the same hot wire it's cut with, either in front of and behind spar location, leaving foam material for a foam only spar, like above. Or hollow out the hole thing and reinsert and glue foam only spar, or wood laminated foam spar.
If this is making any sense to anyone, but sounds to complicated to cut with a bow, I saw an add somewhere of a cnc foam cutting service.
Or here's a web site to make your own cnc foam cutter!!!
http://www.8linx.com/cnc/cnc.htm
I've had some success cutting foam cores, but would probably pay our "resident foam cutting guy" at our field do it.
IF ANYONE ELSE IS INTERESTED IN, OR HAS IDEAS ABOUT MAKING FOAM CORE .40 SIZE FUN-FLY'S TO RIVAL THE WEIGHT AND PERFORMANCE OF THE ALL-WOOD ONES, THAT WE LOVE TO FLY (BUT SOME OF US HATE TO SPEND ALL THE TIME TO BUILD), AND GET US BUSY FUN-FLIERS MORE TIME ON THE STICKS, P-L-E-A-S-E JUMP IN WITH YOUR IDEAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If your not getting the jist of this "technology" here it is in a nut shell> CUT OUT (OR HAVE CUT) YOUR WING, FUSELAGE AND POSSIBLY EVEN FLYING SURFACES OUT OF FOAM. THEN LAMINATE (OR HAVE LAMINATED) THE SAME FOAM, THEN GUESSE WHAT? YOUR READY TO COVER (OR PAINT?), INSTALL GEAR AND F-L-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I'm dreamin' here, but I think it's possible!
Let's talk laminate, that hoop-pine or others C.T. mention's above, if light/strong/cost effective enough, would be a big bonus in wrapping foam blank all the way around versus balsa sheeting. Obviously balsa is lighter pound per pound, but a stronger wood much thinner would be more flexible and possibly as light or lighter, depending on how thin it was, and hopefully would result in a stiff enough wing/fuse. If not, balsa's good too!
Another idea popped into my feable mind> how about lightweight fiberglass cloth and paint (sounds messy) ?
"DEPRON????!!!!!?">keep us posted CT