Kevlar and CF over foam Tunnel project

[MikeP]

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[Slideblues]

WOW so its a JD, KCFOF,KOP,KOBF,CFOO 30 tunnel,

Ha,Ha, I'm gonna call it TOT ( Tricked Out Tunnel )

Keep em commin Dude!!!!

Gene ;D

 

[MarkScott]

Mike,

I'm sitting here in a pool of drool :-[ Man, that is some sweet work there

As promised, see the process to create a table for hot wire use: http://www.intlwaters.com/yabbse/index.php...id=2645&start=0

Mark..

OB Nut Racing: Table, here I come........

 

[GTR]

Mike,

Certainly the most exotic tunnel seen here by a long way. Maybe you should call it the mPFC tunnel - for Foam Composite tunnel.

This is once again an incredible project from you.

GT 8)

 

[Bruce Burns]

I am looking at using some Kevlar or CF on a boat and have got a few questions about it.

Which is easiest to cut when it’s dry the Kevlar or CF?

How do you cut them?

How strong are both materials are compared with 1/16 ply?

Which would you say is better?

Thanks

Bruce

 

[MikeP]

Hi Bruce,

Kevlar is a pain in the a$$ to get clean edges after sanding on them.

Kevlar is cheaper, easier to layup, weighs the same as CF. It's plenty strong. I don't know how it compares to 1/16 ply.

CF is really easy to use in the cured sheets and you can get a razor sharp edges on the running surfaces that hold up.

I cut kevlar with sissors, but after that you are stuck sanding it down and and the fun begins.

I cut CF with a dremel cutoff disc.

My opinion... CF, Kevlar, fiberglass, plywood it's all good and plenty strong for R/C boating. Just build something you will enjoy. (I would start out with CF)

-MikeP

 

[MikeP]

I did some cutting today, found that using a mechanix glove really works killer. Much easier to cut and no blisters. I got after the CF with sissors and it works good.

 

[MikeP]

Finally finished with the Kevlar, decided to finish up the radio stuff while the boat was still small.

 

[MikeP]

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[MikeP]

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[Propjockey]

Very trick, Mike!

Like so many others have said, awesome work!

Have you tried a pair of bandage shears? The kind Paramedics use to cut through clothing, seatbelts, etc.

 

[MarkScott]

Mike,

Again, nice work! ;D Some questions as it appears you are the guru with the use of CF... I'm working on Wade's design of the 'Bored At Work' tunnel. I've got a foam cowl plug made, but wondering how bad will it be to do a vacuum bag setup for this? With all the curves and such, my thoughts would be that the CF wouldn't lay right.. What's your experince with this?

BTW, will you design you own cowl or use a commercial one?

Mark

OB Nut Racing

 

[MikeP]

Propjocky, I have EMT shears they cut short pieces good but on the long cuts there design won't let them feed into the material. The longer sissors cut cleaner and straighter.

Mark, I am going to make a cowl not sure right now about the vacume bag. Just have to see how it looks.

If you leave the back open on the mold the bag would work much better.

-MikeP

 

[MarkScott]

Mike,

Check out what I have so far.. It's still a solid piece of foam, but I can create a cavity on the bottom side.

Mark..

 

[MarkScott]

Front view..

 

[MikeP]

Hey nice looking cowl, looks just like the drawing.

What you have is a plug, now you need to seal and polish it. I used epoxy with silica but anything will work that you can seal and polish. Then you need to make the mold from the plug.

-MikeP

 

[MarkScott]

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I was search'n yesterday for doing the vacuum process.. Don't have the $$ to get 'starter' kits that I saw.. The CST site was reviewed also. Their article on building a mold was very interesting. Would the mold process work for this? I've never built a mold or used a vacuum system, so I'm really a llama when it comes to this.

Currently, I've got West System epoxy, but need to get some of the silica. What else might work?

Mark.

 

[Propjockey]

Would an old refridgerator motor make a decent vac pump?

 

[MarkScott]

PJ,

One of the sites I visited they show'd how to use an old fridge pump. This site only described how to build up the unit, not the actual usage nor show'd the bag etc... Guess I need to keep dig'n..

Anyone have a good site to show an actual vacuum setup????

Mark.

 

[MikeP]

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