Vacuum Bagging Foam Wings with Balsa
2:26: Tracing and cutting balsa
7:34 Hinging sheets and adding glue
16:12 Insert into vacuum bag
22:33 Remove from Bag and clean up
This is a LONG lightly edited video of vacuum bagging foam with balsa laminate. When i was just getting interested in vacuum bagging it was very hard to find information let a lone a start to finish video of the process. They are out there but hard to find or only parts of the process. This is what led me to go purchase some tutorials on the subject. So while i don't have a ton of experience in the process i did want to get this out there for anyone else that is looking to get into it.
If you are interested in more information on the pump setup, this video was actually made as part of a vacuum bagging build log over in the flitetest forums:
forum.flitetest.com/index.php...
In this video i use balsa sheets but you could also use any "thin" plywood that will bend around your curves.
First i took 3 sheets of my balsa and taped them together as seen in the previous post just above
Next i traced the wing shape onto the inside of the balsa. I made sure the leading edge was flush and than added about 1/4 of an inch to the trailing edge. The leading edge will get sanded back and some stronger leading edge stock glued to it so the balsa sheets do not need to be touching.
Than i used a razor blade to cut them out.
Next i placed the top and bottom pieces on the foam and got them into the position i want them to be, taping the trailing edge with a few pieces of tape creating a hinge.
Than open up the balsa and lay it flat on a surface you dont mind getting water and glue on.
Using a squeegee begin applying a very thin layer of gorilla glue over the entire surface. You can apply a lot of pressure, you want the barest amount of glue. You can see the wood surface change color like its getting wet. Make sure its everywhere especially the edges.
Once both insides are coated place the foam in between, position them correct and tape the leading edge with 2 or 3 pieces of foam.
Cover the entire top and bottom of the wing in paper towels. This absorbs the excess glue and creates a path for all the air to escape to the vacuum. The paper towers create a big mess later but is very easily removed with a foam sandpaper block.
Next draw enough vacuum down to remove the excess air but still be able to position the wing in the bag.
Place the wing in the upper and lower wing beds to keep it straight and true and place weights on top.
Draw full vacuum. For my white foam i did 6-8 inches of mercury. My automated on/off switch has an upper and lower range. If it drops to 6 it than pumps up to 8.
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Seriously, though, this is exactly the kind of video that somebody just starting out needs. Something a lot of people new to vacuum-bagging are surprised by is the tiny amount of glue that's required to do the job. As you show so well, you really can scrape the skins almost dry when you're using vacuum clamping. Atmospheric pressure is overwhelmingly powerful but also completely uniform, so adhesion is perfect and there's none of the glop, goo, spill, mess and excess weight you get when trying to compress things with tons of weights. On behalf of anybody who hasn't vac-bagged before, THANKS FOR THIS UPLOAD.
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
Thanks man, that was exactly why I made it. it's taking me a couple years of researching too kind of accumulate all the knowledge in the confidence to try it and then I realize that it's actually pretty simple, there's lots of things to learn and get better at, but the process is pretty simple it was gathering all that information and one place that I had found hard.
Great stuff! I particularly like your helpful 2-legged workshop supervisor - I normally just have a furry 4-legged assistant (miaow!) who comes to oversee operations, knock things over, nibble holes in gloves, unravel long lengths of carbon fibre tow, fall asleep on foam cores, sharpen claws on balsa skins, etc, etc, etc... ;-)
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
Hopefully she will be helping me when she gets a little bit older.
Well done i need to try that
Great share, thanks...
@thenatedog
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you
Where to buy and what is called the buckle of the bag thank you for the info
It looks like you have done this 100 times. I am really impressed and I learned a lot from watching this. This video will be super helpful for those of us who wants to do this. What is the white tissue like material U put on before the bag?
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
Paper towels 😀 it's used as a breather cloth to let the air go to the pump from all sides of the plane and it also absorbs extra glue and it's really really easy to sand off if it gets stuck
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/fWuO1NSFqs-Zmag.html
@HavardStreAndresen
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the link. I hope you post even more from your builds.
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
@@HavardStreAndresen mostly post in Instagram and than when I have a bunch of footage make a KZread video. These wings are for a Jart slope soarer. I am also trying out a "lost foam" fuselage for it. forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/lost-foam-fuselages-jart-fiberglass-fuselage-build-thread.55671/
hi bro what a glue name
What glue is used. Thank you
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
Epoxy
The little art piece that showed up should 100% end up copied onto the plane as nose art. 😊
Weight and wing area?
@thenatedog
2 жыл бұрын
Sorry, this was a few years ago. I dont remember.
can i use white glue 505
@thenatedog
5 жыл бұрын
Probably?