(6 days until the 2012 WHPSC)
Today we're going to make the lower streamliner "tub". Here's Doug and Dad glassing in a flange on the right body half. Notice the blue tape.
Flange before trimming. It will get trimmed at the blue tape, and the portion that's over the beige masking tape will be peeled up. This is another time-sensitive step. For the flange to be trimmed with a razor blade, it MUST be done when the resin is firm but still pliable.
Flange after trimming.
Catching some rays to fully cure the resin
I didn't get a picture of the excess flange actually being peeled up on the right body half, but here's Doug pulling tape on flange layup on left body half.
Where's the lower right half?!!
Here it is! (in the cradle)
Closeup showing flange
I didn't get a picture of the right half of the body being cut, but here's a picture of the left half being cut. Remember the horizontal black line in the body? Doug is holding the vacuum while my dad cuts through that line with a Dremel zip saw. They actually cut most of the black line yesterday, leaving thin spokes every few inches. Now that the flanges are laid up, they only have to trim the remaining spokes.
Closeup of one of the spokes being cut. This takes a light touch to avoid cutting too deep. We don't want to cut into the flange on the back side.
And now the other half is free to join its mate in the cradle
Now to join the lower halves. First, the halves are joined by a strip of biaxial glass
Doug places the last strip of biaxial glass
There are many ways to skin a cat, but we're running out of time - at the risk of extra weight, we're going with a plywood floorboard
Dad is spreading mishmash while Doug brings the floorboard over
Lowering the floorboard onto the bed of mishmash
And now, so weights...
... a LOT of weights!
After the mishmash cured, Doug and Dad lifted the lower body half out of the cradle for a picture
Floorboard before laying up with mat and cloth...
... floorboard after laying up with mat and glass
From the back
After trimming the flanges at the front...
... and the rear
After a hot coat with wax surfacing agent
Closeup
Meanwhile, the brake adapter
Six holes down, twelve to go
Oh, and this arrived today. Again, we're running out of time, and I still didn't have a 700c disc wheel for the back. But I got a smoking deal on this wheel, which I'll slap a couple of aluminum wheel covers on to fake it for this year.
Twelve holes down, six to go
Finished adapter with the countersunk holes run to their final depth
Locating the first hole on the wheel
Drilled...
... and tapped (thirteen holes down, five to go)
All holes are drilled and tapped or countersunk
Final surface prep with #80 grit on mating surfaces prior to masking, bonding with epoxy, and screwing together
Done-O-mundo!