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Well I made Landing gear, hinges and safety plugs. The bell cranks were a bust so I had a pair of Windy wheel pants and I think I can do a lighter job. So I searched youtube and found them making real airplane wheel pants and now I am laying up the mold. They will be a Crossfire shape and I will make both styles Glass and CF.
Here is a picture of the plug. I will make 4 sets so I can make two pair of wheel pants at a time.
(http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=35011.0;attach=144883;image)
3 coats of wax applied and first coat of PVA
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Wheel pants update. Well I have made the first mold. I am not quite happy how it turned out. Seems I didn't get the points quite right. So I am going to redesign how the plug is made and try again. I need to wait on my vacuum bagging plastic to get here anyway.
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Always shooting for better ways I am making a new plug and mold. I will be infusion molding these for the lightest results. My first attempt at making the plug mold was not as good as I would have liked so I am doing it all over a different way. Here is a picture of the second plug and I will post a picture of the mold made from this later today.
(http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=35011.0;attach=144993;image)
I did make a 1/2 a pant from the first part as a test. That 1/2 was 4 grams. SO I am looking for each pant to weigh around 10 grams ready to paint. There is a lot of work that goes into making parts I can tell you that. I would guess 6 hours a side for each plug. First you have to make the pant, then finish it. Saw it in Half. finish the backing board and glue the half down to that. Finish sand the total plug and wax. Then PVA and clay edges. then the resin poor and glass.
Next comes de molding and waxing the 1/2. that just one side and next comes layup and bagging. I guess after the first one is done it should be a breeze. I will receive my infusion supplies next week.
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Robert, I think it's pretty cool for you to show the process along with your trials and sometimes even when things don't quite go as planed.
Thanks
Bob
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Robert, I think it's pretty cool for you to show the process along with your trials and sometimes even when things don't quite go as planed.
Thanks
Bob
I will be selling these and if someone wants to spend the time to make their own it would be better if they don't make the mistakes I have. I am a mechanic not a mold maker so this is a learn as I go. I will tell you this I am going to make a set as a experiment with silkspan outside and .02 CF second layer to see if that works. I figure as long as I don't slam it against the ground in a landing that should be fine and weigh nothing. I know that by making my own landing gear they are just as strong and I can vary the weight. So I will be trying different stuff on the pants too. Here is a picture of the first molds and the second poor.
(http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=35011.0;attach=144999;image)
If this mold has nay inclusions I will wait until bagging supplies arrive and bag the mold too.