3D Demystifying Vacuum Bagging of foam wings!!

I have one "dumb" question, if I may. Would there be any reason NOT to use ZAP's Z-Poxy Finishing Resin? Has anyone here sheeted wings with it?

I only ask because I have a bunch on hand and ZAP's advertising recommends it as being "great" for sheeting foam. If it's NOT up to the task, I'll just order some West Systems.

Very helpful thread, by the way and GREAT new site. I'm new to the site, but I've been building and flying for 45 years now. In all those years, I've just never tried vacuum bagging. My current 43% Carden Edge project will be my first attempt. Already have the ACP setup. Just need to decide on a glue and go for it I guess!

Thanks a million for the excellent tutorial, Terry!

Jim

I have used the zap resin in the past and it works great. If yoh have it, use it.

I can't say for certain on the zap. I've used it for a few things (not sheeting) and the one only two comments I can share is that it took a very long time to cure and did not dry to quite the hardness of West or Fibreglast. Also check the expiration date, I used some to glass a canopy deck that was over a year old and it stayed "gummy" and made a HUGE mess.

I would recommend doing a small sample on a piece of scrap foam if anything.

Terryscustom said:

Also anyone that is doing this process soon (especially if it's your first time ), please post pics!!!

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Terry, You and the Law can take pics of my first build, I would be more than happy for you to post them. If any of you others remember from way back in this forum..... I said I have always been an ARF guy, if I can do this... You can too! Looking forward to the build Terry, Thanks! PUT YOUR ORDER IN NOW IF YOUR INTERESTED!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY WILL GO FAST!

This thread was not really geared as a promotion for my Viper, but as a help for everyone building any type of plane. I just happened to be building the final proto for my Viper. I hope to be sheeting wings for my CAP project by New Years so I'll post some pics of that just to keep the thread alive.
I'm really glad it helped a bunch of people and thanks for all the calls and PM's, really made it worthwhile showing the process.

Very interesting Terry! Great video explaining your techniques. I have wondered for a long time how this is done and you laid it out in terms that are easy to understand. Thanks for the effort and great video!

Terry, where are you getting your unidirectional carbon? I see West Systems sells unidirectional tape. Is this essentially the same thing?

JMZ said:

Terry, where are you getting your unidirectional carbon? I see West Systems sells unidirectional tape. Is this essentially the same thing?

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No, for reinforcing wings the fabric does not do as well unless you use quite a bit and the pattern of the fabric will "ghost" through the sheeting and show up on your covering sometimes (found that out the hard way).

I use the unidirectional stuff from ACP and the .007 stuff works well. http://www.acpsales.com/.007-Unidirectional-Carbon-Fiber-Laminates.html

Well, it is plainly obvious that I will never build wings without a vacuum system again. So, I figured it was time that I made my system a little more permanent.

My mom had this old air compressor and the thing would literally run for 10 minutes solid just to pump up this 10 gallon tank. So all the workings were stripped off and I made a little manifold system to hook up my pumps. Now, I like the idea of having redundant pumps in case one fails or a switch fails and I have left something in a bag overnight, or I leave the shop for a few hours and return to unhook the bags. so I made the manifold with the following:

1 - ball valve to close off and maintain vacuum in the tank but disconnect all other hoses and pumps
2 - A "tee" to separate the pumps.
3 - One common vacuum gauge
4 - Duel electronic vacuum systems, one for each pump
5 - One mechanical safety valve to prevent the system from vacuum over 12 Hg
6 - One line exit to hook up a daisy chain hose to hook up four bags.

I'm cutting wings for an Extreme Flight Edge this week and will look forward to trying this baby out! It was much much easier to sequence the electronic switches the way I wanted with the pumps using a common tank.

Nice Terry! I want to build one myself. I would like to try it on my next build what ever that may be.