shaping fiberglass with heat?

alpinelakespilot2000 · #1 10-15-2007, 04:05 PM

I've about completed my rear canopy skirt with fiberglass and am really pleased with the results. The only gaps I have (at all) are down at the lower aft corners where there is about 1/16-3/32" of gap between the skirt and fuselage, a byproduct of where the aft skirt lays over the side skirts. It probably would have helped a little bit to leave the canopy open a little while laying up the fiberglass.

I know heat can be used to rescue empennage tips that don't fit real well, but would using some localized heat with some inward preload on the lower aft part of my skirts possibly solve my problem here? I can live with it as is, but would prefer perfect. Any words of wisdom?

Thanks.

rvbuilder2002 · #2 10-15-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpinelakespilot2000

I know heat can be used to rescue empennage tips that don't fit real well, but would using some localized heat with some inward preload on the lower aft part of my skirts possibly solve my problem here? I can live with it as is, but would prefer perfect. Any words of wisdom?

Thanks.

...on what type of resin you used.

RV empenage and wing tips are made using polyester resin. It can be easily heated and reformed.

Parts made with epoxy for the most part can not. I have done it to get small changes which may be enough for you in this instance but it takes a lot of heat (generally more than just a hair dryer can supply) which on a thin relatively flat part such as you have might make it look even worse.

alpinelakespilot2000 · #3 10-15-2007, 08:54 PM

Yep, Scott, I was using West Systems epoxy, so it doesn't sound like heat is as good of an option as I was hoping. Maybe I can think up a better way.

moodyjr · #4 10-16-2007, 01:38 AM

Steve

I had the same "problem" & just used some gentle heat & pressure to close the gap. Just waved the heat gun back & forward over the surface so not to cook the epoxy. Worked great.

John Moody