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Moldless composite mold

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4trade

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
595
Location
Lahti/Finland
Funny title...anyhow, i have been thinking to make composite turtledeck and tail fuse skin to my Cassutt. I can use that additional weight for tail because i will turbocharged my engine, and it will help to keep W&B in a proper limit. It will keep future maintenance easy and it is good looking too.

I have been bouncing around idea for moldless mold....composite work is one of a kind job, so i don´t need or want mold if i can avoid to build it.

My idea is that i build my turtledeck and tail skin like Rutan moldless planes. When i am that stage, that first skin layer is laminated, squeegeed and dry....i build (MIG weld) loose cage of tubing around it and fill that skin/ tubing space with construction foam. Then i take of my skin/ mold combination out of plane and turn it upside down. Now i got rigid first skin that work like mold too. I just need to add core material and squeegee inner layer of carbon fiber, and bulkhead.....after that i take that construction foam off with chemical or sand paper and my turtledeck is done. All i need to do is trim lines.

That kind of job cut to need mold. it is fast and It is cheap, just add few scrap tube and foam.

Any thoughts that this don´t work?
 
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