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High Country added a post in a topic How to build an instrument panel mold??? 14 Mar 2014

My kit came with the nose fuel tank and tiny panel that accompanied it so no i don't currently have a panel to use for a mold. I'm mostly wanting to use CF to keep it light not so much for the look although I do like it. I also already have all of the carbon fiber and resins to go with it so cost at this point is marginal probably even cheaper than buying a piece of aluminum. I remember someone on here a couple years ago did this only using fiber glass but the mold was the same concept I have already cut a mold out of 1" particle board and sanded it so it is already real smooth and will give me a nice 1" deep parameter around the panel. from what little i have found so far it seems that 4 coats of mold release wax and a layer of PVA before doing the layup should? give me a nice smooth finish as the wax should fill in any minor blemishes. does this sound correct to any fiber glass guys... Ed I know you always have some good wisdom to share. thanks for the input

-Robert-

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lostman added a post in a topic How to build an instrument panel mold??? 14 Mar 2014

I just painted my fiberglass panel to make it look like carbon fiber. It actually came out really clean and looks good. If you are starting from scratch I wouldn't hesitate to do what Dholly showed in his post above. I've seen the vinyl carbon fiber look and it comes out very nice and clean. In a lot of ways it's much easier, for sure cheaper and requires much less time to complete. Not to mention that when you work with real carbon fiber it's tough to get it smooth, the lines straight, and everything nearly as clean as the sticker.

I build a complete mold and carbon fiber cowling for a BD4. I was into it over 250 hours by the time I had it pulled off the mold, and that didn't count time to fit it to the airframe, do fasteners and the like. Not too many of the lines were straight (due to the way the fabric moves when laying it down), and I was still going to just paint it. The only reason I did it from carbon fiber is that I wanted it strong and very light weight without having to do so many layers.

If you really want to go the carbon fiber route you will have to have an extremely perfect mold, whether it be out of wood or your choice of material doesn't really matter. The other option is to go ahead with an aluminum panel and overlay it with carbon fiber. This also works well and you only have to have the one layer to deal with, the backer is already smooth and there is much less hassle to it.

I still have one small piece of the carbon fiber I have left from doing that cowl a few years ago and when I rebuild Pursang I plan to use the current panel as a mold and lay it up over the top. It needs to be updated and I'm also installing a transponder and a newer radio so I'll have to fill in a couple places first. At least I already have a good mold for mine, that's the bigger majority of time for creating good pieces. I've worked a lot of fiberglass and it's very similar but you sure don't have to have as many layers to make something rigid and strong with carbon fiber.

Keep us updated, I'd love to see what you come up with.

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akflyer added a post in a topic How to build an instrument panel mold??? 14 Mar 2014

Do you have a fiberglass dash now? if so, you have the perfect mold. Making the mold right is the only way you will have a nice smooth dash. You can make it out of wood, but you need to fill every nook and cranny and make it as smooth as possible. Every blemish in the mold will show as a blemish in the dash. I can't help you on the CF, I have only worked with fiberglass, but I am sure the mold requirements are about the same.

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dholly added a post in a topic How to build an instrument panel mold??? 14 Mar 2014

Or...

Hereâ€™s the outcome: http://www.carbonfiberfilm.com/blog/airplane-dash-re-finished-using-3m-di-noc-carbon-fiber-vinyl/

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High Country added a topic in Technical tasks 14 Mar 2014

How to build an instrument panel mold???

so after taking the last several months off from working on the avid I'm finally back to it again, scheduled to be in paint the first of the month I'm ready to make my instrument panel and am wanting to use carbon fiber but have no experience with anything like it. from what I've read and the videos it looks to be pretty easy but the part i'm still not sure of is the mold. I was hoping to just cut out the shape I want into a piece of wood attach it to another piece of uncut wood for a backing and use it as a mold, will this work or am I looking at problems. do I paint the wood before applying the wax or just put wax the raw wood?

what I'm thinking so far is wood mold- couple coats of wax mold release- PVA - resin - carbon fiber - resin - carbon fiber etc - 4 to 5 coats worth.... does this sound correct?

hope to be flying by May

-Robert-

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SuberAvid added a post in a topic Not Funny 14 Mar 2014

Sounds like he was a little low on ammo and he should have extended that escape tunnel to Nevada.

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SuberAvid added a post in a topic Fat Avid weight and balance 14 Mar 2014

Absolutely don't add 30 lbs of unuseable ballast, use it to pack your survival gear in the rear most baggage area. I don't have any lead weight in the plane and I am always trying to figure out what weight I can get rid of.

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Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Airventure 2014 14 Mar 2014

1. Whisky + Coke (+ optional grenadine) = Cynthiana (Named for Cynthiana Kentucky, our last overnight stop on the Kittyhawk trip last year)

2. RIght on brother!

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lostman added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration 14 Mar 2014

Good stuff. I like seeing progress, even if it's not mine at times! Keep going now you got the momentum this year.

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lostman added a post in a topic Not Funny 14 Mar 2014

Wait, what's a flight plan?

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lostman added a post in a topic Super disappointed with AC Spruce Transaction 14 Mar 2014

I've done some checking locally but everywhere "local" is at least 45 minutes away and in the city. Most of them are wholesalers or producers only. I sent out a few emails to see if any of them will sell me a sheet. It will cost me almost as much is diesel for the truck to pick the stuff up that way though. I might still be better off ordering off the internet with shipping costs.

I understand how bad the highway robbery is with shipping now days. It's terrible. What I still can't understand is the fact that diesel is something they used to throw away as a byproduct of making gasoline, now it's almost a dollar higher per gallon! That's why I bought a diesel truck in the first place, it was quite a bit cheaper. Plus when I use it I really tow a serious load down the highway. I just don't use it enough to hardly even keep it running most of the time. And it hurts when you fill up a 30 gallon tank at over $4.00 a gallon!

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Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration 14 Mar 2014

Finally warm enough to start working on the Mangy again. Over the last couple of days we re-fit the cowling. There's lots of holes to patch and maybe some more tweaking, but it's on and pretty close.

Profile:

Form this angle it looks like a turbine...

This is the before photoâ€¦.

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1avidflyer added a post in a topic Super disappointed with AC Spruce Transaction 14 Mar 2014

Look for it on line. Polycarbonate is the material name. Lexan is just a brand name. I'm sure you can beat ACS's prices. Also, check out a commercial glass installer locally. Have them include it on their next regular shipment to avoid the freight perhaps... Shipping is now highway robbery. Just got 4 gallons of Poly-Spray today from Wicks (10% off in March sale) and the freight from Illinois to Mn was $32 and change. Jim Chuk

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lostman added a post in a topic Super disappointed with AC Spruce Transaction 14 Mar 2014

That explains the good prices! Wish I knew someone or had family in the business locally! I could buy one sheet and have four windshields worth of lexan instead of having to source it every time I need to replace it.

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EDMO added a post in a topic Not Funny 14 Mar 2014

JJ,
If you haven't fingered it out yet - you find a lot of "non-conformist rebels" in EXPERIMENTAL pilots - specially on here!
guys who hate being passengers on somebody else's flight plan!
EDMO

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lostman added a post in a topic Winter Rivers Tour 14 Mar 2014

I have the semi-retired part down (at least right now since the wife is working and I'm not), but the money part is another issue. I'm selling my motorcycle and other plane to help pay for some of the Pursang. That's the only way we could do anything with it.

I also am working on a deal so that I am able to hangar the airplane instead of tying it down outside. Back to flight instructing for the local airport to pay for hangar space. I wouldn't mind keeping the plane outside, but it leaks like crazy when it rains. I found that out in Utah when we had one of the hardest rains I've ever seen on the desert. It was coming up sideways with 60 MPH winds, it drove it all over and inside the plane. It's still drying out I think! It soaked the wood (pressboard type) that John used for the floors and they are all sorts of warped and ruined now. I have to replace them with ply now. I'm thinking Luan with one layer of fiberglass over them to help keep that from happening again.

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lostman added a post in a topic Not Funny 14 Mar 2014

Oh so very true!! This rings of too much truth to not be funny! Thanks for the laugh!

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lostman added a post in a topic Just joined the Fat Avid Club 14 Mar 2014

Sounds like great progress. I'm just waiting for pictures of this project that wasn't supposed to be a project. I know how that feels all too well this week!

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EDMO added a post in a topic Just joined the Fat Avid Club 14 Mar 2014

I will correct myself - the trailing castering nosewheel is probably not as bad as the steerable on sand and rocks, but you still got to keep the weight off of the nose and use brakes for steering - but hey, you can lock-up the mains and not usually flip over on the prop!
EdMO
Added: I burned flat spots so bad on the mains of a Cherokee once that were so bad that the mechanic said it was a wonder that the tires didn't blow - didn't nose over tho!

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akflyer added a post in a topic Just joined the Fat Avid Club 13 Mar 2014

Sounds like a plan, I was just pointing out issues I had with the direct link. I'm glad that my BIL at the time quit filming just before we landed on a cyder blow to do a little caribou hunting. The landing was perfect, the roll out not so perfect! The take off... enough to scare the shit right outta just about anyone. ... now get it in the air and then get back to work on the magnum!