Hello Guys!

Have been off the scene for a while, but I feel a project coming up very shortly. Have been flying a lot of model aircraft lately and have a beauty of a waterplane. The thing is it came with some very very light glass fiber floats, I assume about two layers max. of some light cloth. Some harder landings cause them to crack in sum places and flex causing paint to chip off. I would like to produce them in Carbon Fiber, (2 layers light cloth 90 or 130 g per sqm) in infusion, possibly with inmould coating/gel coat.

My initial questions to everybody out there now are, what would be the best way to go about making these moulds, ideally I would make a two part (seperate, not split) vertically down the center line, so the parts could be subsequently joined.

The pictures show the potential plug I will be using.



 




I would make two moulds (halves) for one float, because they are symetric, apart from the tabs, which can be subsequently installed in a mirrored fashion.

I would be willing to cut a float lengthways if needed. Was planning to try the unimould system.

All ideas are welcome! Lets hear them!

Cheers

Thanks guys for the replies! much appreciated as always. Yes Dravis you are spot on! that is a Macchi MC72 and she flies like a dream I tell you.

I think I will try a straight down the center split mould. The reason I was thinking to cut one down the center was because the material is so thin and deforms very easily. I was planning to reinforce and then take a mould.

Is it possible to apply the uni mould system carefully? (ie without denting the surface thus risk getting an inaccurate mould?) I've only used the mould putty so far, and for that a very rigid surface is needed underneath.

Furthermore, what are suggestions regarding the seamless joining of the two halves?

Cheers!