Working at the table
After working with Adrie for some time, I learned a lesson:
A better way is to make such panels on a 'vacuumtable', which is in effect little more than a table that has an airtight surface. The panels are made by hand lay-up on the table and immediately covered with a bleeder cloth and vacuumfilm that is glued to the edge of the table with 'tacky-tape' (butyltape). After that vacuum is applied to the whole package and the resin is allowed to cure before the pressure is released.
I constructed my table with two simple and cheap 'board doors', available at the DIY-shop for about € 24 each. I glued them together obtaining a surface of about 6.5 * 6.9 ft. Big enough to make almost all of my flat panels. I covered the table with one layer of 450 gr biaxial glass and epoxy resin, to make it airtight. I ran a test before actually using it, and it turned out to perfom amazingly well: It took three (3!) days to lose the vacuum after I had switched off the pump.
I expanded the construction by adding a 'rig' for a tent, covering it. As soon as I am ready with the hand-layup and the vacuum is applied, I set up the tent and blow in hot air. In this way the epoxy cures really well and fast.
To connect the vacuumpump to the table I use a suction cup from Festo. As it will not 'suck itself' tightly enough to the covering film alone, I found out that an old CD will do the trick: Punch a hole in the film, stick the disk on it with tacky and the cup will have all the grip it needs.
See you next time!
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