[TheForge] Re: Repairing pot metal: Is *anything* reliable?

[Cameron Stoker]

A while ago I did a little research on composite=20
foam/fiberglass/kevlar/resin construction and the most economical=20
source I found for aviation grade epoxy was online : =20
www.mrfiberglass.com

Many people consider West System epoxy to be about the best. All of the=20=

aviation grades are _much_ less viscous than the relatively cruddy=20
hardware store dual-syringe varieties. The stuff I've used (MAS) would=20=

saturate cardboard/paper quickly and seemed to have a thickness about=20
like light corn syrup.
You do have to be careful with this type of epoxy - keep it in a flat=20
pan while applying and only mix small batches. The reaction generates a=20=

lot of heat and will catch on fire if it doesn't have enough surface=20
area to cool the mixture.

I wonder about the possibility of wrapping a few layers of some high=20
strength fiber around the circumference of you part - seems like that=20
is the best place  to do the reinforcement since that is where the=20
highest centrifugal forces will be. Carbon fiber probably offers the=20
most strength in the thinnest layer.

Do a search for rutan composite construction for a gazillion DIY=20
aircraft pages.

				Cameron Stoker
				cameron@stoker.net
				"May you run like a vicu=F1a!"
				pgp key @ http://keys.stoker.net=