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Vans Fiberglass Process, wet or Vacuum layup?

N82VM

Well Known Member
About to start my new kit (RV-8) Anyone know what method the vans fiberglass parts are manufactured? Are they wet layup i.e. Heavy with resin or do they vacuum bag their part. A friend of mine does extensive composite work. He was telling me some weight could be saved especially on large parts of they were vacuum bagged vs wet layup. I couldn't find any threads but my apologies if this has been answered
 
A mixture

My RV6 cowling is epoxy pre-preg fiberglass with nomex honeycomb and urethane foam core. The wheel pants and empennage fairing look like wet layup epoxy fiberglass. The RV6 wing tips are wet layup fiberglass with a gel coat surface - might be polyester resin - it was a while ago and I don't remember the smell :)

Not sure what the pepto bismol colored new cowlings are made from, or how.

Vacuum cured, sandwich cored prepreg is the lightest but a PITA to finish. Wet layup with a gel coat is the heaviest but easier to finish.

2 cents worth

Jim Sharkey
 
A Change

I may. be out to lunch here....but I understand that Van's has just recently changed their fiberglass (cowlings and wheelpants).....no longer pink cowlings but now gray...and is apparently in response to try and eliminate the pinhole problem.
 
I haven't seen a cowling, but my empennage parts looked like wet lay up with gel coat.
I was thinking of giving my friend my empennage parts to use for copy. Obviously a time factor but it could be a weight savings. Maybe even less weight required to be added in counterweight material on the elevator tips?
 
I may. be out to lunch here....but I understand that Van's has just recently changed their fiberglass (cowlings and wheelpants).....no longer pink cowlings but now gray...and is apparently in response to try and eliminate the pinhole problem.

You're not out to lunch. They started green, went pink and now have a gray top surface, and per a discussion at the factory a couple weeks ago that's for the purpose you mentioned.
 
Just wondering if you've calculated the benefit to this alternative, i.e., how much weight will be saved? Seems like a lot of work to save a few pounds. Most of us could go on a diet and lose more weight than I suspect you'll save. Not meant to be offensive...just an observation. :)
 
Just wondering if you've calculated the benefit to this alternative, i.e., how much weight will be saved? Seems like a lot of work to save a few pounds. Most of us could go on a diet and lose more weight than I suspect you'll save. Not meant to be offensive...just an observation. :)

No offence taken! It's another persons curiosity I'm just providing the plug to copy.
As far as weight, I'm committed to certain weight adding luxuries. Finding ways to offset may be a lost cause but worth exploring. I appreciate everyone's knowledge and input..
Currently 6'5" 222 would love to get lean down to 205.
 
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