EAA RV Fiberglass Workshop review

[cdeerinck]

I just returned from the EAA RV Fiberglass Workshop in Las Vegas.

In short, it was an outstanding class, and well work the cost many times over. It was taught by Scott VanderVeen of Pro-Composites, and I have to say he came as close to being a perfect instructor as is humanly possible.

We did three projects: 1) A repair to simulate a damaged gear skirt, 2) A gear leg fairing from scratch, and 3) The fuselage to windscreen fairing. Unbelievably, we completed all three projects in the 2-day class, with time to spare!

We also got first-hand experience making and using "poor man's pre-preg", which is a great skill to have.

Typically about every hour, I would realize and comment that the previous hour alone was worth the price of the class. And that kept repeating for almost all of the class. The second of these "aha" moments occurred when he demonstrated the difference of how BID fiberglass cloth conforms differently on a double compound curve when cut on the bias, instead of across the roll. Like night and day!

The prospect of trying and failing at the fuselage/windscreen fairing had me plenty worried, and now I am confident in doing it. Since I was unable to take my windscreen project home on the flight back, I volunteered it to be "tested to destruction" as a real-life t-peel test. The results were very impressive, and I feel his alternative to the Vans suggested method of "scuff then 8 layers of glass on aluminum" is far easier and effective.

Since the EAA doesn't do a stellar job of advertising some of these workshops, I felt it best to put this review here. If you are anything short of a fiberglass expert, I strongly recommend this workshop to everyone.

[Stockmanreef]

I totally agree. My wife and I took the class in Oshkosh this past summer. I have been a slacker and have not done the canopy yet. But I plan to use Scott's method. I hope to do the canopy in the next few weeks.

We also got a free back stage tour of the Oshkosh museum. Pretty cool

[goatflieg]

Agreed. I took the class in December 2018; very beneficial. For an in-depth review, see my blogspot entry for that month; link in my signature below.

[rv9builder]

Originally Posted by Stockmanreef

I totally agree. My wife and I took the class in Oshkosh this past summer. I have been a slacker and have not done the canopy yet. But I plan to use Scott's method.

How is Scott's VanderVeen's method different from Van's method?

[cdeerinck]

Originally Posted by rv9builder

How is Scott's VanderVeen's method different from Van's method?

This is an incredibly brief summary, so don't get me on the details. His full description is 38 steps with pictures.

Vans:
- Scuff the aluminum and plexi with 80 grit
- Cut and lay 8 layers of glass, increasing width with each layer, measure and sand to a profile curve with each layer

Scotts:
- Scuff the aluminum with 200 grit, and plexi with 80 grit.
- Apply a fillet of filler paste
- Apply a skim coat of structural adhesive, and a two-layer poor man's prepreg
- Apply a filler layer of Aeropoxy light
- Apply another two-layer poor man's prepreg

The second sounds like more work but is actually very easy and far less work.

So two primary differences. 4 layers instead of 8, with a filler core (which is arguably stronger), and the adhesive gives a much better bond that glass on aluminum alone.

[mturnerb]

Originally Posted by cdeerinck

This is an incredibly brief summary, so don't get me on the details. His full description is 38 steps with pictures.

Vans:
- Scuff the aluminum and plexi with 80 grit
- Cut and lay 8 layers of glass, increasing width with each layer, measure and sand to a profile curve with each layer

Scotts:
- Scuff the aluminum with 200 grit, and plexi with 80 grit.
- Apply a fillet of filler paste
- Apply a skim coat of structural adhesive, and a two-layer poor man's prepreg
- Apply a filler layer of Aeropoxy light
- Apply another two-layer poor man's prepreg

The second sounds like more work but is actually very easy and far less work.

So two primary differences. 4 layers instead of 8, with a filler core (which is arguably stronger), and the adhesive gives a much better bond that glass on aluminum alone.

What is "poor man's prepreg"?

[BrianDC]

Put glass on a piece of plastic and apply epoxy. Put another piece of plastic over and spread epoxy through the glass using a squeegee. Glass is now impregnated with epoxy and can be cut with the plastic on both sides. To apply just remove plastic.

But honestly take one of the classes. I did the fiberglass (non rv) class with Scott. It was also really good.

[mturnerb]

Originally Posted by BrianDC

Put glass on a piece of plastic and apply epoxy. Put another piece of plastic over and spread epoxy through the glass using a squeegee. Glass is now impregnated with epoxy and can be cut with the plastic on both sides. To apply just remove plastic.

But honestly take one of the classes. I did the fiberglass (non rv) class with Scott. It was also really good.

Understood - I suspected that what what you were referring to. I'd take the class but now I'm so far down the road it doesn't make sense. The videos on the RV-14 support page were very helpful on the canopy work (and included the "poor mans prepreg") but retrospectively I would have benefited from the class.

[BillL]

Did someone do it the Vans way and compare the peel strength?

[DanH]

Originally Posted by cdeerinck

- Apply a skim coat of structural adhesive, and a two-layer poor man's prepreg

..... and the adhesive gives a much better bond that glass on aluminum alone.

Which adhesive does Scott like?

Originally Posted by mturnerb

What is "poor man's prepreg"?

Third, fourth, fifth photos:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...4&postcount=68