By rmaddock - 3/30/2017 11:51:25 AM
Hello Talk Composites!
I'm Robert and I'm a (very) small scale canoe manufacturer based in Cumbria.
I've been, in collaboration with another company, building and selling hand laid GRP canoes but there's not really the market for such grp. People want cheap and cheerful or something specced for a Mars mission. So that's the way I'm looking to go ;-) 'To infinity and beyond.......'
I currently have a beautiful plug for a Canadian designed canoe from which I'm going to get a new infusion mould made. I've spent much time on the interweb watching videos and reading up on the infusion process and (famous last words) it doesn't look that difficult [braces self for torrent of abuse].
However, I'm very well aware that what I really need is some proper training and/or practical experience. I was hoping to attend a course in the near future but Easy Composites are full up and Dark Matter have cancelled theirs due to lack of interest. There was also a possibility of a dinghy manufacturer in Spain letting me visit him for a few days but he seems to have gone off the idea.
So, can you folk suggest some other courses that will be running in the near future (I really don't want to wait until the Autumn).
Alternatively, if you are a manufacturer using resin infusion would you consider letting me come and visit? A bit of hands on experience would be great.
Although currently hibernating, you can see what I've been building here: http://www.burnettboats.co.uk/
Cheers!
Robert.
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By rmaddock - 4/2/2017 3:20:06 PM
Thanks all!
I know exactly what you mean about just getting on with it and having a go. However......she who is largely bank-rolling this enterprise (so far) deems this to be dangerous. And given that she's FD in a manufacturing company, who am I to argue?
Anyway, I've managed to find a course with the National Composite Centre at the end of this month which should fit the bill. I've also got a brother-in-law who's a physicist specialising in vacuum engineering (not the Hoover kind, you understand) who has promised me a free pump.....although he's also expecting his first child so I must chivvy him along about that.
So, I'll get a bit of training and then do the experimental bit until I'm feeling brave enough. I'll also be getting my mould made for me. I've got a very good plug just waiting.
I think the plan will be to make a least one from good old glass before going down the fully expensive route. I'll also do lots of test panels to see what sort of layup I can try first.
I'm also planning on moulding the gunwales into the canoes using core foam at the infusion stage. Super light and super strong.
It's all rather exciting!
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