Newbie to vacuum infusion.

First Stop Introductions
#1

Howzit guys.

Complete noob here when it comes to resin infusion. Have done a fair amount of wet laminating with polyester…geez I hate that stuff! Nothing serious though…just some bodyworks repairs on my car and playing around with rc race boats.

So I decided to take the next step and start designing and making my own rc race boats. Thanks to the rand\dollar exchange it’s not cost effective to import a boat from overseas…shipping alone is more than the boat itself!

Why epoxy? Well all my polyester boats have pulled\warped that I have owned so far. Then the fun starts…not running or reacting like it should during a race. Flip it over and check with a straight edge…yes, pulled\warped.

I had one boat which didn’t have this problem…it was made out of carbon fiber. Made locally in Cape Town, South Africa. That thing was straight from the day I got it…and if I check it now I can promise you it’s still straight. So yes, epoxy for me please.

Anyway…because of the racing spirit in me, I find myself looking into epoxy resin infusion.

Have yourself a great day guys…njoy!

#2

Just be aware that epoxy does still shrink and can warp. It’s critical to be sure everything is well and truly cured before demoulding, which usually means an elevated temperature cure cycle. If you can’t get some heat into things, leave it in the mould for a few weeks prior to demoulding, especially if it isn’t the warmest time of the year where you are (not sure where in SA you are).

Demoulding too early, or if the temperature gradient changes relatively sharply, can lead to a warped part no matter what resin or reinforcement it is made with.

Similar story with an unbalanced layup, but for something with the size and geometry of an RC boat hull I doubt you will notice anything there.

#3

Hi Hanaldo,

Thank you for your reply. Much appreciated.

I had an email conversation with another rc boat manufacturer some time ago. According to him almost all demold to early. Now I don’t know if this is the case with mine, but all I know is that polyester are the common denominator between both hulls that’s warped.

I had to go read up on the comment regarding the balanced layup. I always thought the same regarding the orientation of the laminate…and here I thought it’s my OCD kicking in!