nickr100

hi all,

i hope someone can help me out here. i am about to sheet/veneer a foam cored float (but it could be a wing) with balsa. i have previously used latex contact glue from Flair (UK) to apply the sheeting/veneer but i have heard that other adhesives can be used such as polyurathane and epoxy.

i am thinking about using epoxy and vacuuming the sheeting down (with a home brew electric vacuum press). has any one used epoxy or any other glue to apply the sheeting or veneer to a foam core?? what about putting a layer or glass between the foam and the sheeting??

cheers

nick

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Yes, it works great. Mix the epoxy then with a credit card spread it out over the surface. You want to now try to scrape the epoxy off with the credit card, get all of it off that you can with the card. When you've scraped off all the epoxy you can with the card you now have the correct amount on the sheeting, now vacuum bag it.

Ed Smith

I do not build floats but this is what I do for wings.

I build wings for Pylon Racers. 1/16 sheet skin on a foam core. I will use nothing but epoxy resin for gluing them. The epoxy when cured adds stiffness to the wing. Other glues will stick OK but are not stiff. I vacuum bag my wings. I put the centre section 2oz reinforcing glass under the skin, then I do not have that raised strip across the centre. My skins go right to the trailing edge. Along the T.E and between the skins I lay a strip of carbon tow. I sand to this line. The result is a hard, stiff, straight, knife edge T.E.

Using my procedure I end up with a 500 Sq" wing completely finished, ready to fly at 16ounces.

Cheers,

Ed S

nickr100

hi guys,

thanks for you advice. i shall put together a plan of action for sheeting!!

what type of resing do you use for this? laminating or finishing??

cheers

nick

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Finishing resin has a wax in it that floats to the top to supply a barrier between the air and resin, in polyester resins, but you want epoxy resin, polyester resin will eat the foam.

WEST epoxy 105/205 is a good choice. If they have epoxy finishing resin it would probably have a UV blocker, but not the wax.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Boat shops are a good sorce of epoxy in the USA, don't know about the UK.

nickr100

hi,

i would only use epoxy resins, and not polyester's. really the only thing i need is to know if i should use laminating resin or not to apply the sheeting. i have both from my usual supplier, just want to know whats best

cheers

nick

Ed Smith

I use laminating epoxy resin. The best resin I have found is a German product. The manufacturer is "Martin G. Scheufler" (MGS). I have been using it for many years it has never failed me.


Ed S

nickr100

thanks for that ed

cheers

nick