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Chapter Detail
Entry #: 2
Postdate: 2003-10-21
Well, I finished the first of the three practice layups called out in Chapter 3.
The layup is basically six plies of BID (not on a bias cut), that you finish off by trimming to a specific size and then weigh it. If it's within spec, you've done a good job. Mine was a little under weight, and upon closer inspection, I can see where a little more epoxy could have been used.
The biggest education here is that ANY deformation or wrinkle in the material you are performing your layup on (in this case, a garbage bag) will show all the way through the layup. If you look closely at the pictures below, you can see the fold-line where the bag was folded appear all the way across the layup. The surface MUST be smooth.
 | | Right after finishing the layup |
|  | | Another view |
|  | | After the trimming |
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Entry #: 3
Postdate: 2003-10-24
A couple of nights ago, I did the second of the three practice layups. This one is called a "confidence layup" as you can try to break it over a fulcrum point (like a broom handle) once it's cured. You shouldn't be able to break it.
The layup is basically a few layers of BID and UND with a carved piece of foam on top of that, and then a few more layers of BID and UND to top it off.
If you look at the photos below, you'll see that one end of my foam piece got a little chewed up. This was from letting the vacuum cleaner get ahold of it when trying to vacuum the dust out of it before painting on some microslurry. You might also notice that a few areas on the layup are a bit "wet". This was me trying to rush at the end of the pot life of the epoxy I was using rather than mixing a new batch.
The good news is I can put my weight on it and it doesn't break :-)
 | | Before trimming |
|  | | After trimming |
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Entry #: 4
Postdate: 2003-11-13
A few days ago, I finished the third of three practice exercises. This exercise is a book-end that consists of three seperate layups. It also gives you experience with joining fiberglass at angles and laying up around corners. As a part of the book-end, you add a photograph of your choice. The picture in mine is of the EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast which Sue and took a ride in on her birthday.
If you've already done this exercise, you'll notice quickly that I dished out a much larger area than called out for. This was because I didn't want to cut up the photo. You'll also notice some "lumps" on the sides of the photo. This was the result of my not having any 2" thick foam, and having microed two 1" pieces together. Making that angle cut through the two pieces was an adventure, and then trying to smooth out the dished area required the use of my dremyl.
I made a slight error on the second layup and left a wrinkle in the weave under the picture. The lesson here is to make sure you've got the fiberglass where you want it before applying the goo.
I guess I'm not that great of a photographer. The flash on my camera likes to cause major reflections off of things that you can't see on the little LCD display on the camera.
 | | The first layup. |
|  | | And now the front layup. |
|  | | The bottom side |
|  | | The finished product |
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