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#composite

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@camwilson also #wood is a #rebewable and #CarbonNeutral source.

As for the #blades there sadly doesn't seem to be much of an alternative to #composite #plastic which is not recycleable as even cutting it into pieces makes #GlassFiber shards that are jist barely less toxic as #asbestos.

  • Rarely the cost to do so is worth the effort, given those ain't straight but curved pieces of #plastic...

How to remove/demold a part from a fragile part. (Hint: You can create shear in more than one way, and it may be better than creating a peeling action with hammer and chisel.)

The blue Styrofoam that served as the form will be destroyed as it's removed from the fiberglass wingtip weel, but it's a one-off form/mold that lacked any taper.

(This is a follow up to universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/11 )

#avgeek #aviation #ElectricAircraft #ExperimentalAviation #homebuilt
#Glider #DIY #Wing #Epoxy #Fiberglass #Composite #Shear #Peel

Making a custom wingtip wheel for my glider's right wing.

The bottom of the wingtip was covered with clear packing tape, then lightly waxed.

Hot glue temporarily attached the blue Styrofoam mold/form, which also contains the 60mm diameter roller blade wheel.

The part is made from seven plies of 7725 weave fiberglass that will be cut into a triangular shape after wetting with epoxy.

No vacuum bag, so this is a hand lay up. I had to use some small pieces of metal to coax the fiberglass to stay in the correct place.

The garage will be heated overnight so that the part cures, then some tugging and a rubber mallet should separate the part.

#avgeek #aviation #ElectricAircraft #ExperimentalAviation #homebuilt
#Glider #DIY #Wing #Epoxy #Fiberglass #Composite

Making a fiberglass wingtip wheel for the glider wing.

1st photo - making the mold/form out of foam, with a 60mm diameter inline skate wheel in place. Note that the underside of the wing is covered with clear tape to protect it from epoxy when I lay up 7 plies of glass.

2nd photo - making the fabric template. A single piece of glass fabric (weave 7725 because it drapes so well over various curves and corners) will make the final part, but there will be an overlap along the trailing edge. I draped a piece of plastic over the foam form after it was hot-glued to the wing and then traced out the pattern, with some reference marks such as a center line.

3rd - Demolding the cured part by squeezing it so that it flexes/distorts a bit...and the epoxy at the base easily shears off from the waxed clear tape. (No need for hammer and wedges.)

4th - rough sanded final part.

#avgeek #aviation #ElectricAircraft #ExperimentalAviation #homebuilt
#Glider #DIY #Wing #Fiberglass #Epoxy #Composite

Sanding and contouring the patched sections of the vertical fin.

Coarse sanding to remove the highest spots of the patched area.

I can hold a straightedge just above the vertical fin and pass it over the patch. The rub marks show the highest area that needs the most sanding.

A straightedge laid along a chord with a light behind it. The sanded surface is convex, which is the desired shape.

In the last photo the micro is barely visible over the blue painters tape, so it's getting thin. I can see the black magic marker dots and dashes on the vertical fin, so I'm getting within about 0.005 inch of the desired contour.

I won't fine sand this patch tonight...too tired. But I can coarse sand another patch for a bit.

#avgeek #aviation #ElectricAircraft #ExperimentalAviation #homebuilt
#Glider #DIY
#Fiberglass #CarbonFiber #Composite
#Sand
#Painting #Primer

The glider fuselage is now supported at the front end by a steel octagon, braced with diagonal supports. Adjustable legs can give the octagon a wider stance for stability.

The tail boom has its own support that does not touch any exterior/paintable surface.

Now I can rotate the fuselage to easily work on the sides and belly.

With the fuselage on its side, I can use a straightedge and light to identify local concavities on the vertical fin. (My fingers can also feel these features.)

Filler material has been applied and pressed into the concavities. After it cures, I can sand to the desired convex shape.

Hooray! More sanding!

#avgeek #aviation #ElectricAircraft #ExperimentalAviation #homebuilt
#Glider #DIY
#Fiberglass #CarbonFiber #Composite
#Painting #Primer