Fiberglass Help

[RobB52]

I am starting the fiberglass fairing fitting on the empennage kit. A few basic questions that I need help with. 1) what type of "glass fabric" do I need to buy? 2) what type of "epoxy resin" (if there is more than one) do I need? 3) what is a "flox mixture" and how do i make it? 4) what is "peel ply?" All these terms are used on page 12-04 of the plans and I am new to fiberglass. I have read section 5 but still have questions.

Is there a kit somewhere I can buy with all the required "ingredients?" Nothing jumped out at me at Aircraft Spruce.

Thanks

 

[Jesse]

You can buy West Systems resin and hardener (fast and/or slow) for the epoxy. You will also want to buy a pump set for mixing the correct quantities.

Flox is sold as Flocked Cotton Fibers, I believe.

You will want some Micro Balloons or Micro Bubbles or Cabosil for non-structural filler.

They sell fiberglass fabric "tape" in rolls that you can buy different widths of.

I doubt there is a kit that would include everything you need, but they likely have resin kits.

 

[BillL]

Here is a "kit", but is for learning. It has many of the techniques you will want to know. The book is excellent. It covers all the materials, how to use them and many of the ingredients for building practice projects outlined in the book.

Edit: I am still learning.

link to DanH's post: (one of many)
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=166103&postcount=7

 

[flyingriki]

I am starting the fiberglass fairing fitting on the empennage kit. A few basic questions that I need help with. 1) what type of "glass fabric" do I need to buy? 2) what type of "epoxy resin" (if there is more than one) do I need? 3) what is a "flox mixture" and how do i make it? 4) what is "peel ply?" All these terms are used on page 12-04 of the plans and I am new to fiberglass. I have read section 5 but still have questions.

Is there a kit somewhere I can buy with all the required "ingredients?" Nothing jumped out at me at Aircraft Spruce.

Thanks

Wait for Dan to chime in. West System is good. BID (bi-directional) cloth is good. Read his posts and pictures on this in the archives. Did a nice writeup on exactly your project.
Peel ply is dacron, I believe, and smooths the final layup so sanding is minimized the edges flow into surrounding surfaces.
Search Dan's writeup, he has this down pat.

 

[RobB52]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. I will also search the archives.

 

[DanH]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. I will also search the archives.

Go to main "VAF Forums" page, scroll down to the "Fiberglass" forum, click in, then click "Views" on the far right. Read the first four threads that pop to the top.

"Views" can be a handy way to search, as it often leads you straight to what other folks found to be worth reading.

Darn. Looks like I need to go back and re-post the pictures.

Buy and use the Rutan practice kit from Spruce.

 

[Mike S]

You will want some Micro Balloons or Micro Bubbles or Cabosil for non-structural filler.

Micro is a filler, but Cabosil is not---------it makes the resin thixotropic ----fancy way of saying it is less runny, and will stay where you put it.

Cabosil can be used with flox or micro.