1/96 Project 1710 Beluga

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Yes I should, but no, I can't. For some strange reason its just not here - don't know why, but its not.

Then use talc or phenolic micro-balloons. Hell ... ground up Kangaroo hide mixed with powdered Kiwi beaks -- whatever thickens the resin!

Its a Sherman tank turret I helped a neighbor with.

David

[HardRock]

I've been having a play with the practice hull while I wait for a new lot of silicone to arrive. Its going together quite well so far.

[bwi 971]

Yes I should, but no, I can't. For some strange reason its just not here - don't know why, but its not.

https://shop.classic-boat-supplies.com.au/epoxy-resin-fibreglass/west-system-epoxy/west-system-403-413-microfibre-blend/

grtz,
Bart

[bwi 971]

[QUOTE=HardRock;n125345]So I took Bart's advice and started with three beers. Not long enough - more beers required. Strangely, things began to get fuzzy. She Who Must Be Obeyed enquired as to my disheveled state and I proudly told her, "ITS BART'S FAULT"!

LOL

grtz,
Bart

[Subculture]

Yes I should, but no, I can't. For some strange reason its just not here - don't know why, but its not.

Listed at this website under fillers and modifiers

- http://www.compositeswarehouse.com.au/resin/

Silica is best as a thickener for a gelcoat, micro-balloons certainly thicken, but if you have reason to sand the castings, you tend to get lots of tiny pinholes in the surface as you break into the balloons, which then need to be filled. Talc can pile on the weight a bit. The main issue with silica is it's not the easiest thing to mix evenly into the resin- the pros have special equipment to provide plenty of shear as it's mixed, so it's difficult to get the same results as a premixed gelcoat, that's been my experience anyway.

[HardRock]

Thanks for the info.

[HardRock]

I've sourced some silica but it will take a while to get here. Meanwhile I'm cracking on with polyester gellcoat and epoxy backing. Seems to be OK as far as detail goes and it is VERY hard.

[HardRock]

Test fitting some of the bits that I made earlier whilst the upper mould dries.

[HardRock]

Fitting the tail feathers today. Not perfect but OK. One of these days I'm going to buy a pressure pot and a vacume pump and and elephant and a merry-go-round and a new Ferrari etc etc.



The control surfaces look pretty small but I'm assuming that this boat will be very slick in the water and won't need much in the way of deflection to get it turning and diving.




And the messy bit.....

[HardRock]

I keep busting off those fiddley little pointy bits on the stern planes. This is the fix -



A bit of filing and filling and it looks OK and is much stronger than before.




She is slowly coming together.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Next time you cast up the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, prepare the tool by placing strands of carbon fiber at the tips to give the resulting cast part strength in that area.

David

[HardRock]

Yep, I thought about that and about placing a brass rib in the mould but it kinda got lost amongst everything else.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Yep, I thought about that and about placing a brass rib in the mould but it kinda got lost amongst everything else.

Good man. This project is moving along very well. It's a beaut.

David

[HardRock]

I've started on the upper moulding process. This is the first shot out of the mould. It has a few faults where the gell coat has pulled away from the substrate.







Meanwhile; its amazing what strolls through you shed on hot days down here.








And, meanwhile the Beluga build goes on (in the background).

[bwi 971]

good Job sir.....interesting to see that you use peacock’s to keep you workspace tidy......are they barbie proof?

grtz,
Bart