The cost of blanks here has sky rocketed over the last couple of years, and I don’t have much spare cash for materials at the mo.
I’m looking for a new project that won’t cost the earth or that I can spread the cost over a few months (I like to take my time), I’ve been weighting up my options and looking at materials v dif construction methods.
Initially I was thinking of going down the HWS route, but I also seen some low density EPS going cheap at the local hardware store so I’ve been lurking over at compsand, and learning what I can. I get the basic principles but all the consumables or pretty expensive.
I understand the advantages and basic principle of using a vac bag but I think it may be a little too expensive, and to be honest the actual finer points of the process go over my head. PLEASE help educating me if I’m wrong.
Though I do have a compressor that I may be able to use as a pump?? Need to check to see if it has a connection for the intake.
I was thinking about the similarities of Paul’s (HWS) method of making skins and applying them to a framework of wooden ribs to that of applying the skins on a compsand.
For any one not familiar with this, Paul tapes thin strips of decorative wood together then hand lams one side (inner glass), In this case this is done to hold the wood together, once cured Paul glues and clamps them to the interior rails and wood ribs with spring clamps all round the outside and weights in the middle.
My limited understanding so far is that on a compsand the glass is still wet when it goes into the bag and the vacuum helps create a superior bond by applying pressure evenly over the entire surface and allows resin to be squeezed from the cloth to achieve a lighter cloth to resin ratio. The Vacuum holds everything in place while the resin sets and resin also acts as the adhesive to stick the wood to the blank.
The pump needs to run for a long time while the epoxy sets. The strength comes from a good bond and the sandwich lay up of glass/wood/glass (like ply wood being stronger than regular wood of the same thickness due to alternate grain direction)
So I’m thinking whats possible on a limited budget and wondering it anyone else has tried this. Is it worth doing?
- Hot wire / shape blank from low density hardware store EPS foam.
- Add interior rails with 1/8 balsa.
- Tape and lay up and HAND lam skins with 1/16 balsa and 1 layer if 4oz glass, let cure, trim. (like Pauls method)
- flip skin so glass is on OUTSIDE (yes I know) and attach the skins to the blank with gorilla glue using clamps and weights. So the bond is between the wood and foam.
- OR alternately bag using a shop vac as the glue would set a lot quicker than the resin and it wouldn’t matter so much if things shifter a little
- build out and shape rails.
- Glass as normal.
Am I just completely missing the point and wasting my time and money on something that is ultimately going to fail the first time I take it in the water, or is this worth trying.
I know the above will not compare structurally to actually using better quality 2lb foam and a proper vac pump, but that’s something to move onto when I one day have more cash and a better understanding of the techniques involved, but for now I'm thinking poor mans compsand.
