DVE Wake build logs

[chrislandy]

OK, so I mentioned previously I have built and oven/vacuum press with a cassette.... so... here it is! The first board off the new setup. A few teething problems, the vac bag split at some point (most likely early in the cure due to all the bridging & voids)

The Oven, 3kw heater element in the bottom section with a CAL9400 process controller, 80deg C cure for 8hrs

The board & cassette in the oven after cooling down

The cassette, ready top be split apart

I got a little carried away and forgot to take some photos of the cassette strip down! So, this is the base, not too bad a finish on it straight out of the mould. I tried encapsulating some tissue paper under the bottom layer to test for using graphics next time.

You can see the voids from where the bag lost vacuum and the top layer of the cassette came away from the board. I need to get a 90deg fitting for the vacuum connector so I can keep the pump on during the cure cycle. The lighter patches on the glass are actually resin rich areas rather than voids.

The core wraps came away from the core when I was laying up which caused some of these problems, the normal adhesive I use had ran out so I had to improvise with a different spray adhesive to get me out of a spot.

More updates soon...

[gav wa]

what base material is that? It looks sick.
That base profile is pretty slick too, awesome work.

[chrislandy]

There is no special base material, it's just fibreglass with a complete covering of black tissue paper as layer 2. The finish is straight off the bottom section of the cassette (HDPE)

The board stats are:
Length: 1420mm (56in)
Width: 445 (17.5in)centre, 300 tips (12in)
Rocker: 75mm (3in)
Concave: 10mm (0.4in)
Untrimmed weight: 3kg (6.6lb)

This board has a foam core with 4 GF stringers and CF tape edge wrap

[chrislandy]

Well I managed to rescue the board a little, still not 100% finished but getting there. Just lacquer now and a bit of elbow grease.



I've got to work out a way not to damage the vac bag in the oven now (most likely caused when putting the thing in) so I can make the next board. I've stocked up on Aerofix 3 so I shouldn't have the same problems with fabric slip on the core this time.

[chrislandy]

So, last night was fun. Just picked this puppy up 64" 6 colour solvent printer

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digital print topsheets are go! (or will be once I've sorted the office out!)

[backyardskier]

Are you going to reverse print on clear topsheet with that printer?

[chrislandy]

Yup, got some socrep samples to run, the plan (at the moment) is to print on the reverse, white flood coat with epoxy screen printing ink then laminate it into the board encapsulating the graphic under the topsheet.

I may also be able to print direct to veneer then laminate the topcoat to the veneer

[dbabicwa]

Heh,

I see you've lifted your game a bit

Gee, Goz still in Nagano? Awesome!

Gav, did you two met in Jap?

Cheers

Dean

[chrislandy]

That's the aim D, it's a bit oversize but hey, it was a good price It'll print 1.6m wide, but I can't get topsheets that wide (I could print the whole thing sideways then!)

I will however be able to print wraps for quick graphic changes banners, posters, stickers etc so no reliance on signwriters/printers any more

Not going to get to play with it for a while though, got to build a new office to house the thing!!! It's 3.2m (10'6") wide

[chrislandy]

So after a week of printing on white vinyl and photo paper to make sure the thing worked and getting to know the RIP I decided to break out the clear topsheet

First trial prints done on Duraclear, next step is to do some bonding tests, then many, many more test prints getting the print settings correct! Then it's on to the softcap & hardcap topsheet samples I have