? - How to laminate a fin with CF ?


Author
Message
Woody
Woody
Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 5, Visits: 48
I am doing some remodeling on my RC sailboat, the images are shaped Balsawood cores for the Rudder and Keel Fin, which, I will be laminating with a Plain weave 5.8oz Carbon fiber cloth. I plan on putting 3 layers on both sides of the fin and 1 layer on both sides of the rudder.

I don't have any sophisticated tools like vac bagging etc, I would like to be able to do the job with just basic hand tools - paint brush, squeegee, scissors, I also have a little multi-wheel gadget for rolling out air bubbles.


My quandary is:  Do I try to do the skinning one side at a time?   or   Can I do both sides at the same time?

I am guessing it would be the same as laminating a wooden paddle which has similar sharp edges like these fins!

Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated  Smile



Attachments
SL555260.jpg (262 views, 94.00 KB)
baja_patient
baja_patient
Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)Supreme Being (1.2K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 135, Visits: 1.6K
I would do it side by side, with a squeegee, similar to how surfboards are laminated.

Put the fiber on dry (1 layer at a time), pour some resin and then spread with a squeegee carefully. Holding the squeegee at a slight angle, wet out the entire cloth and squeegee the excess towards the sides. Work over news paper and try to have the edges exposed, ie. make sure you fix the fin on a solidly on a stand so that the cloth can drape slightly over the side. Try and leave as little resin as possible in the fiber. Let it cure fully, cut off the excess, repeat on the other side. Then repeat both steps for the remaining layers.

People may suggest to do several layers in one shot, it may be quicker but more tricky. The above method is how I skinned a skimboard and it worked very well. Took time but I was more than happy with the result. very light, and very strong.

good luck
Woody
Woody
Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 5, Visits: 48
Baja patient, thank you for the reply!   It's interesting that your method is very similar to the one suggested by someone else who used to race surfboard and did his own board building and repairing.  I may have to rig up a special stand for it, should be easy enough with cardboard and hot glue.

If I am lucky, maybe I will hear from someone that has actually worked with such a small piece or has actually made a few fins already  Unsure
Woody
Woody
Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 5, Visits: 48
For anyone that's interested;   

I found a way to do the entire layup on both sides at one shot Smile   Arrow  The key ingredient "Peel Ply"  ..... I simply set the fin down flat on newspapers, placed the first strip of CF cloth over it, dry. Next, I poured on epoxy and did the wet out and gentle squeegee out with a rubber squeegee. I then did the same thing with the next 2 sheets.

I then laid the peel ply on and smoothed it out with the rubber squeegee. It now became possible to flip the fin over on to a fresh piece of newspaper with the confidence that even if the newspaper got stuck to the peel ply, I would be able to simply peel the peel ply off of the work with any newspaper that was stuck to it.

I then flipped it over and did the same thing on the other side. After about 12 hours, I grabbed on to the peel ply and peeled it off. It did offer a bit of resistance but came away easy enough and in one piece ....  and there was my beautiful clean, triple laminated fin.

Cool  Is that cool or is that cool?
TomDesign
TomDesign
Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 454, Visits: 2.5K
i tryed and wraped but at the end on the sun it changed of shape of wood inside
Woody
Woody
Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 5, Visits: 48
TomDesign (20/05/2013)
i tryed and wraped but at the end on the sun it changed of shape of wood inside


Sorry TomDesign, I did not quite get that .... 

Are you saying that the part eventually became warped after the part was exposed to the sun and this is all due to the wood core inside changing shape??
Edited 12 Years Ago by Woody
TomDesign
TomDesign
Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 454, Visits: 2.5K
dont wrap on a wood that gonna change shape! do on anything only not epoxy +wood=very bad
Woody
Woody
Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)Forum Member (31 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 5, Visits: 48
TomDesign (23/05/2013)
dont wrap on a wood that gonna change shape! do on anything only not epoxy +wood=very bad


Thank you again for taking the time to answer my thread for the advice Smile
TomDesign
TomDesign
Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)Supreme Being (3.3K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 454, Visits: 2.5K
u welcome i did not knew this and damaged sides of wing when wraped it.
GO

Merge Selected

Merge into selected topic...



Merge into merge target...



Merge into a specific topic ID...




Similar Topics

Reading This Topic

Explore
Messages
Mentions
Search