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<h1>How To guide</h1>
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<div align="right"><b><font size="3"><span class="write"><b><font size="3"><span class="write"><b><font color="#CC9900">>></font></b>
Pages <a href="vacuum-bagging.htm">1</a> <a href="vacuum-bagging-2.htm">2</a>
<font color="#CC9900">3</font> <a href="vacuum-bagging-4.htm">4</a>
<a href="vacuum-bagging-5.htm">5</a> <a href="vacuum-bagging-6.htm">6</a><b><font size="3"> <span class="write"><font color="#CC9900">
</font><a href="vacuum-bagging-7.htm">7</a></span></font></b></span></font></b></span></font></b></div>
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<h1>Vacuum Bagging a High-Performance Wing</h1>
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<td width="318"><img src="vacuum-bagging/spartestfit.jpg" width="300" height="225" border="1"></td>
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<p class="write">Cut your spar and trial fit it to the
cores. If it sticks up 'just a little bit', you'll
have to sand the skins later and compromise strength.
You might be planning to fly it with a 400 this season,
but what about next year when you need a home for
that new brushless motor? If the spar is recessed
in the cores, then your glue has to do more of the
work, not ideal.</p>
<p class="write"> Put the cores in the beds and sand
the 'angel hair' off of them with a paper towel, no
sandpaper here. Failure to do this will mean a poor
bond and you know what that could mean!</p>
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<p class="write">Cut your fiberglass. Make sure that
you cut pieces a least an inch larger than you need
in all dimensions-most gets cut off of the TE anyway.
This way you are not in trouble if you missed a little
when you laid it out. Remember to get this right because
you won't see the glass inside the wing later on.</p>
<p class="write">Get all tools and supplies ready before
you mix the glue. Don't start mixing the resin and
hardener until you are doubly certain that you have
EVERYTHING you need in arm's reach and that your bagger
is set up, waiting for you to drop the wing in and
seal it off. You'll also be needing a set of wax paper
pieces that are slightly larger than the skins.</p>
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<p class="write">Get a timer and set it for the rated
pot-life of your glue. You'll need a glue with a pot-life
of 20-30 minutes. If you are new to your glue, mix
up a trial batch and see how long is stays liquid
in the cup. If you find that it cures too fast, there
are two things that work to fight it. Try reducing
the hardener content by 10%, or pour the glue onto
a paper plate. Epoxy glues have an exothermic reaction
when mixed, meaning that they give off heat. Heat
causes the glue to cure more rapidly, so spreading
out the glue on the paper plate keeps it cool. Refrigerating
the resin and hardener probably won't work for you..
I've tried it on HTR-212 and West Systems and it got
too thick to mix.</p>
<p class="write"> Mix about an ounce(one pump each in
my case) of the glue and mix thoroughly. Keep your
fingers (they are warm, remember?) away from the cup
as best you can and you'll be rewarded with a longer
working life. That extra minute might be valuable
when you are stuffing the wing into the bag, all taped
together and in place when you realize that the cores
are upside-down in the beds!</p>
<p class="write">Get a timer and set it for the rated
pot-life of your glue. You'll need a glue with a pot-life
of 20-30 minutes. If you are new to your glue, mix
up a trial batch and see how long is stays liquid
in the cup. If you find that it cures too fast, there
are two things that work to fight it. Try reducing
the hardener content by 10%, or pour the glue onto
a paper plate. Epoxy glues have an exothermic reaction
when mixed, meaning that they give off heat. Heat
causes the glue to cure more rapidly, so spreading
out the glue on the paper plate keeps it cool. Refrigerating
the resin and hardener probably won't work for you..
I've tried it on HTR-212 and West Systems and it got
too thick to mix.</p>
<p class="write">Mix about an ounce(one pump each in
my case) of the glue and mix thoroughly. Keep your
fingers (they are warm, remember?) away from the cup
as best you can and you'll be rewarded with a longer
working life. That extra minute might be valuable
when you are stuffing the wing into the bag, all taped
together and in place when you realize that the cores
are upside-down in the beds!</p>
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<p class="write"> </p>
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<td width="318"><img src="vacuum-bagging/pouringglue.jpg" width="300" height="225" border="1"></td>
<td valign="top" width="310"> <img src="vacuum-bagging/spreadingglue.jpg" width="300" height="225" border="1"></td>
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<td colspan="2">Pour a ¼" bead of glue along
the center of the skins and start spreading it outward
with a squeegee or credit card. Work diagonally. Remember
that the clock is ticking, but get as much glue off
as you can. Ideally, you want to be able to touch the
skins and not leave a fingerprint. Believe me, it WILL
stick! I have photo proof of this later on.</td>
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<a href="vacuum-bagging-4.htm">Next</a><b><font color="#CC9900"></font></b><b><font size="3"></font></b></span> </font></b></td>
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<font color="#CC9900">3</font> <a href="vacuum-bagging-4.htm">4</a>
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<div align="center"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font size="2" color="#CC9900">Home
of the Sliver 400, the US Nationals winning S400 pylon racer, specialists
in fast composite electric model planes<b>.</b></font></font><font size="2" color="#CC9900"></font></font></div>
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