How To Build a Composite Warbird Mould Video Series

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SleepyC - thanks
KIM - I'm using an industrial tooling epoxy formulated by a specialty company near here in Canada - the company is Crosslink Technology the Resin formula is CLR1666 and the hardener is formula CLH6027 - I find this to be the most superior tooling resin that I've ever seen
I don't use PVA - it leaves a very poor surface finish and is not necessary - I use only 100% carnauba wax (the same Mothers California Gold that I use on my summer car)
I do use up to 1500 wet on some spots - but really you don't need to go any higher than about 600 to get very impressive surface finish - flatness is far more important

Thanks for the replies - I get lonely out here lol

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Well video number 8 is now available on my youtube channel and can be seen on this page here www.youtube.com/b1heqh54
This episode is all about sacrifice and glory! lol

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...just some quick pics today
All looks good so far - I've just finished joining the two main fuselage sections here and I'm about to join and attach the tail sections.
This part will validate the tool function and provide a sample part for sectioning. The sections will provide templates for formers, radio tray etc..
I removed the bottom mould sections freely by hand to provide access for the joining operation. I used 3 coats of 100% carnauba wax as a parting medium. Detail transfer looks good, and as you can see there was very little flash. To colour the epoxy I used very cheap metallic flake acrylic paint. I expect to have a complete fuselage shell by mid week. I had a few minutes to post some pics and thought I would take the opportunity. Stay tuned - more to come.

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I just finished pulling the first fuselage for the P-40 project. There will be another video very shortly to answer some more questions for you "how-to" types.
As you can see, there is still some flash to trim up, but the functionality of the tool has been validated. I also tried a few different experiments with seam joining and layup technique, so if you look closely you will see some variations. All in all, it will serve the pupose and I can fly my plane without fear of pushing the envelope. The weight is 1.6lbs or 0.73kg. It's probably a little on the heavy side, because I wasn't too concerned at this point.

[CSpaced]

Nice job, it looks great!

[porcupineace]

Outstanding workmanship. Gonna be killer when finished....

[porcupineace]

cool vids too....musta taken awhile to make 'em.....fantastic job!

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The final video in the fuselage mould how-to video series (#9) can now be found on my youtube channel on this page here www.youtube.com/b1heqh54
Good luck with your own projects! It's been a blast.

[RTK]

AWESOME

[madmax]

Homepage.

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I was inspired by a friend today.

A Builder's Soul.

Building season's back again, that chill is in the air.
Soon the winter storms will blow, yet somehow I don't care.
There's solice in a friend they say, and yes I'll say that's true.
But all alone with wood and glue I'll find it in this too.

Another summer come and gone, the gentle breezes blew.
I found myself in air aloft on wings my fingers knew.
Far above my cares I soared, lifted up to better times.
Try to tie me to the ground but those memories are mine.

Building season's back again, that chill is in the air.
Soon the winter storms will blow, yet somehow I don't care.
There's solice in a friend they say, and yes I'll say that's true.
But all alone with wood and glue I'll find it in this too.

And now the winds of change are here that warn of colder times.
I'll shut myself inside my house, don't worry I'll be fine.
You see I'm building times remembered that once my father knew.
Crafted from a soul some say he made from wood and glue.

Building season's back again, that chill is in the air.
Soon the winter storms will blow, yet somehow I don't care.
There's solice in a friend they say, and yes I'll say that's true.
But all alone with wood and glue I'll find it in this too.

Nothing more than dreams it takes to fly to higher heights.
I still hear those words from him when I'm alone at night.
And so as winter's winds will blow and keep me on the ground,
Alone in precious silence is where you know that I'll be found.

I'll build another ship of hope to sail without a care.
From dreams and dust I'll rise again to challenge summer's air.

- A builder.

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Alright then, here we go concerning weights.
Before I get into it, I should begin with a few thoughts.

Concerning the fibreglass fuse.
This layup was only intended to validate the function of the mould and as such I wasn't overly concerned with weight.
I used 7Oz cloth rather than 6Oz - so that will likely save a couple of ounces.
I didn't vacuum bag it - so there will be a slight savings in an improvement of epoxy to cloth ratio there.
I put 5Oz of acrylic paint into the epoxy that wasn't necessary but I wanted some contrast so that I could verify the detail transfer from the mould.
I haven't installed ply for the motor mount, battery tray, or wing mounting blocks, but there's also extra material in the nose of the fibreglass shell yet to be removed in that nose.
All in all I expect these factors to amount to an additional reduction of around 7Oz's in the next layup schedule.

Concerning the plug.
There's alot more filler in the plug than I would've put on a flying model in order to achieve scale outline etc.
There's additional materials in the nose and wing saddle area to facilitate mould construction.

There are no control surfaces on either one at this point.
Alright then...

As it stands now
Plug weight - 49Oz or 3.1lbs
Fibreglass fuse weight - 32Oz or 2lbs even
net reduction - 35%

Considering projected weight reduction of 7Oz's in next layup
Plug weight - 49Oz
Fibreglass fuse weight - 25Oz or 1.56lbs or 1lb 9Oz (this is about what I would expect to see)
net reduction - 49% reduction

I still have a couple of tricks up my sleeve, but I think I'm track anyway.
Just out of curiosity does anybody out there have a fuselage in the works without control surfaces on it yet? I'd like to know what one would come in at without all the filler and extra material on it.

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Well, with the cold weather back in town, I've been spending some time with my P40 again. With the fuselage mould complete, I now have to finish a wing so that I can get on with the moulding.
After months of sanding filler and primer in my spare time, I've come to the point in the road where I'm satisfied that the form of the wing is good enough to lay down some glass cloth. This is always the hardest part for me - moving on. I always want things as close to perfection as I can get them before I lock it in with glass, but at some point you have to just stop and lay the dang cloth down! (Tip symmetry drives me nuts!)

If you're new to this operation, here are some things to note. Most of all, don't be discouraged from trying it! Personally, I think it's a lot easier than film - and there's more sanding fun to be had! lol

- I mixed equal parts of resin, hardener, and methyl hydrate (denatured alcohol in USA) in order to get a nice thin watery consistency. Don't fill the weave, just wet the cloth out and let it dry.

- Don't trim too closely (the weave will move around as you brush and what looks like it may fit, may not by the time that you get there. If you run a sanding block aroung the edge once it's dry, the excess cloth will pretty much fall off leaving a nice edge.

- Start in the middle and work outwards.

- Don't try to do too much area at one time, and don't worry about overlapping sections. You won't be able to see these seams after a finish coat of epoxy later.

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Wing is glassed.

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Scuffed everything up after the cloth was on with some 100 grit and hit it with another thinned coat of epoxy before retiring last night. Found some time this afternoon to get at it with some 150 grit on the longboard and hit it again with some el cheapo primer. Still plenty of work to do, but it's further along than it was...
Of course I had to do the requisite mock up to make sure that the wing still fit the saddle. I'm not happy with fit up front where the bellypan, wing fillet, and leading edge meet up. The fit is still good and tight, but there's room for asthetic improvement. I'll do some more finishing on the underside before getting to those things though.