It's composite time...

[Nedimbek]

I found MGS Epoxy is much superior than West System. Technically it requires heat treating for full strenght but practically first exposure to hot summer sun will take care of the heat treatment. Aircraft Spruce sells it, little pricey though. I don' like West system due to the fact that it has a low TG. This may cause softening and warping when exposed to sun in a hot summer day on the tarmac.
I also found playing cards are very good in spreading epoxy. Brush doesn't work good but required for dabbing. I usually lay the fiberglass, kevlar, carbon cloth on a wax paper on the table. Pour epoxy from a cup and spread with a playing card, put the lay-up in place, again squegee the excess epoxy with a playing card. You can work any wrinkles or non conforming edges by dabbing with 1" cheap brust that its bristles were cut in half way in the middle.
Also working in the internal corners and edges, I mix epoxy with cabosil to peanut butter consistency, put it in a zip lock bag, cut one corner and apply like cake icing to make a fillet so that the lay up easily conforms the corner (edge)
If you are curious how I know these, I used to fabricate large composite model airplane fuselages for many years out of epoxy, carbon, kevlar and fiberglass.

[rockwoodrv9]

Here are a couple things I have learned

1. Hotel card keys work great for spreading epoxy

2. Sanding belts cut to size or rolled up are the best sand paper you can get. You can rip a 3x24 into 2 pieces, cut a 1x2 and cram it into the piece for a great flat sanding block. If you want bigger, get a 36" belt.

3. To remove the shine on the glass, scotch pads work great. If you have a hook-loop orbital sander, the pad will stick very well and works great for small scratches on the glass.

4. HF makes both green and red scotch 4" balls for sanding. You have to tighten the heck out of them or even replace the mandrel with a bolt and nut, but they sand great for the rounded areas on the cowl and in the FAB.

5. If using West Systems, do not use more hardener than specified to "speed it up". It will not harden properly and could stay gummy. Get the 205 hardener. I use a scale - 5-1 ratio but the pumps work well too. It is a good epoxy and all I used in an earlier life restoring show Chris Craft boats. Rutan used it as well.

6. Sail cloth works great for peal ply - much better than the plastic stuff Spruce has. Use peal ply. It will save you a ton of time.

7. Biggest tip - go to Alabama and buy a car or truck from DanH. Become his new friend.

Have fun - almost all glass screw ups can be fixed!

[60av8tor]

Originally Posted by Bill Boyd

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-58-in...ade-61834.html

I'll report back how it works. Should be trimming cabin flanges this weekend

I'm interested to hear how it works for you. I tried the same attached to a HF oscillating tool without success. Thought perhaps the blade was HF garbage, so purchased a few higher quality blades - still did not work. Perhaps it was the tool; perhaps my technique..? I ended up using the cutoff wheels that came with the kit in my die grinder. Messy, yes, but quick and effective.

[Kyle Boatright]

Originally Posted by 60av8tor

I'm interested to hear how it works for you. I tried the same attached to a HF oscillating tool without success. Thought perhaps the blade was HF garbage, so purchased a few higher quality blades - still did not work. Perhaps it was the tool; perhaps my technique..? I ended up using the cutoff wheels that came with the kit in my die grinder. Messy, yes, but quick and effective.

There is blade that has grains of diamond or something like that which works well. I also used a jigsaw. The regular oscillating blades didn't work so well.

[Bill Boyd]

but I remembered someone in a thread saying they were probably too fine a grit and tended to burn the resin as they cut. I, too, wondered if a carbide jigsaw blade might be the way to go for a lot of these cuts where the material to be cut is stiff enough. I'm going to do some experimenting and post results here.

[60av8tor]

Originally Posted by Kyle Boatright

There is blade that has grains of diamond or something like that which works well. I also used a jigsaw. The regular oscillating blades didn't work so well.

Originally Posted by Bill Boyd

but I remembered someone in a thread saying they were probably too fine a grit and tended to burn the resin as they cut. I, too, wondered if a carbide jigsaw blade might be the way to go for a lot of these cuts where the material to be cut is stiff enough. I'm going to do some experimenting and post results here.

Yup, that was my experience with the oscillating tool and diamond blade - burning instead of cutting. I read several posts that praised the oscillating tool, so my guess is that I just never found the right blade. I did use a glass jigsaw blade where it would fit, cutoff wheel elsewhere. Sanding drum in the die grinder for corners and Mouse palm sander to finalize the fit. I'm sure there are lots of ways to accomplish the end state. I'm just glad the worst of the cutting/fitting is behind me

[flyguy44]

Hey Stormy, good to see you back at it in a 4 seater no less...I'm sure you will have no probs getting off ur strip. Better plan to visit you again soon, if you still have 6a, we need a meet at Pik-n-pig...Red.

[MJarreau]

My brother is a craftsman and he strongly recommends sand paper made by

http://www.klingspor.com/

I've bought cheap stuff. It's too expensive.

Best regards,
Mike

[Bill Boyd]

Drop in anytime, friend. We need to have another fly-in. Tried once a few years ago but it was too--




-- stormy

[DRMA]

I haven't tried the oscillating tools, but found the large 3" disks that Van's provides were too crude, hard to control, and caused a lot of dust. What worked best for me was a Dremel tool with the small 1" diamond blades from HF. http://www.harborfreight.com/diamond...-pc-69657.html These cause a very fine cut so not a lot of dust and are easy to control. Just plan on changing the disk reasonably frequently. I think I've gone through about 5 of the packages of 5. Other builders have also said they had the best results with the Dremel tool.