Looking good Craig, its certainly going to be a unique looking Westy. You may want to think about using a satin finish clear on cockpit parts, I have had customers complain about glare if and when the sun comes out It also seems to be "in fashion"  at the moment. I am getting more and more requests for satin/matt finishes these days. Bloody typical, all that time spent polishing moulds

Warren

Carbon Copies Ltd

fantastic job!!

Hi All

Looks well engineered and nicely made  I have a large degassing chamber that I never use anymore, I prefer to mix my resin in smaller batches and don't bother degassing even on large infusions.  You may not need any clamps, pulling vac should create the seal.

Warren

Carbon Copies Ltd

Hi Warren

I divide my total resin requirement into 400-500 grm batches. I find I can mix those amounts without introducing too much air.

What is important is that your resin is at 20 degrees C minimum. If you have an oven put the resin container in there whilst your bagging up to bring it up to temperature. If not at least bring the resin into the house the night before. And the mould if your workshop is particularly cold.

Decant the total resin requirements into equal amounts, add hardener to the first batch and mix. Start the infusion but don't open the line clamp fully. Once you get a feel for the resin uptake start mixing the second batch, adjust the line clamp so that you wont run out before the second batch is ready. You will soon get a feel for it and find a setting that suits. When adding resin to the first pot poor it slowly down the side of the pot, this way you shouldn't add air into the mix. Continue mixing/adding until the infusion is complete.

As soon as you start mixing large batches of resin the clock is ticking, chances are on a new mould/layup with unknown flow rates the resin in the pot will begin to gel long before the infusion is complete. This is one of the many reasons I prefer infusion, you have much greater control.

Hope that makes sense. Warren

Carbon Copies Ltd

Hi Warren

Hi Craig, I'm not saying don't try degassing you may find it works for you.

I've tried the MTI hose and to be honest couldn't really see any massive advantages, plus because of the amount of infusions I do the additional cost would be restrictive. I can see why people doing infusion at home for personal projects like it though.

With infusion the critical part is a 100% sealed bag, this can be where many people struggle and get disheartened. Sealed bag + carefully mixed resin will give a perfect part.

I tend to start my infusions slowly. Once the resin front has extended fully along the spiral I then control the speed via the line clamp opening it up fully as the flow naturally begins to slow.

I also fit a choke at the outlet. I place a circle (50mmOD) or so of breather and peel ply under the hose connector. This really slows down the resin flow allowing any awkward bits chance to wet through fully. It also means less waste resin in the catch pot which form a commercial prospective soon starts to add up.

Warren

Carbon Copies Ltd

> When I have a line clamp not full open it seems to create bubbles,

When I read this, I certainly wouldn't recommend to...

> use my big new vacuum chamber as a  door stop......   

Not at all. Quite to the contrary.

Degas. Do it.