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How to Build a Composite Clipboard Tools and equipment
Materials
Measuring tape
Tacky tape
Black sharpie
Flash tape (1")
Table saw or hacksaw
•
Masking tape (1") Drill and drill bits (5/32)
Bagging film Rivet puller Dr{fabric (graphite, fiber glass, fiber glass
roving. mat)
• 2~Jclamps
Parting film (perforated and non-perforated)
Breather cloth
•
Straight edge
•
Scale
• . Resinsystem
Paint brush
Vacuum source with hoses or venture
pump/vacuum gauge and vacuum
probe
2-4 mixing sticks
2 wax free cups (12 oz.)
Steel (37" x 32") and/or aluminum
(13W' x 10W') caulp!ates
Sweep
Sand paper and scotch bright (80 grit)
Safety equipment (dust mask, latex
gloves, safety glasses, and lab coat)
•
Clear gloss spray paint
Clip
2 rivets
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Planning
• Keep the area that you are going to work in clean
• Read and follow all Material Safety Data Sheets
• Always wear safety equipment when working with the resin system
Pre lay-up
You will need your steelcaulplate that will act as
your tool. The caulplateVfillbe placed on a level
surface preferably a \fIIqrk~~ple/bench, Layout
some parting film overthel~ork table/bench to
keep it protected frol)1 any.r~$jn that may spill
and or drip,
.
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You will creat~a['lOctagon witllitbe. tackyJap(:;.so
the resin andvacuumed:air doesnqtescape,
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You must cut a pi~G~of R~thpg filmrtnat is 21%" x 19", The dry fabric (2 graphite, 2
fiberglass, 1 fibergl~s$ rbVin~mat)\ViUibe13~u x 10", The perforated parting filmand
bleed~rwill also need to be cut 21'Yz,i: x.19'!.Your non-perforated parting filmmust be cut
toextendat least 3/4"pa~t YOtJrp~rforatedparting film and bleeder. The edgebleeder
must.becutat a minimtHtl;of Z;.'(ou nlu$tcutthebreathercloth to cover the area inside
of.the t~cky tape. The baggif}g film must'be cut
tothe size of your tool'80Jhat it extends over the
tacky tape.
/'
.
Place th~ parting film onth~ inside of the tacky tape making it centered and taping it down with flash tape. Draw an outline on the parting film for the placement of the dry fabric and resin. • You will need to place the edge breather around the parting film. You will place all of your materials on the tool the
way it would be laid-up. By doing this you will know
what order the material is going to be laid-up.
Perforated parting film, bleeder, non-perforated
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parting film, caulplate (optional), breather, and bagging film.
Be sure to have all materials in order before lay-up.
• Have all vacuum hoses, vacuum probes, and vacuum pumps prepped and ready.
Do a dry run to get a feel for how the lay-up will take place.
Mixing Resin
Before mixing resin be sure to read and follow all mix ratios, gel time, cure time, and
safety procedures.
Be sure to wear proper safety equipment; rubber gloves, safety glasses, lab coat. (tie all
long hair back)
You will want a 40% resin to fabric content. Do not add the weight of the resin cups.
When pourin~'resin 8purpart,aand partbinseparatecupsal1pfollow the Jl1ixing ratio in
directions. Remember you only have a'certain gel time once the two are mixed together.
Set a timer or have clockCnearby to be sure you are nleetingthe timedrequlrement.
k
Mix part a and partb tOgether but dbn'!whip,iLWhippingitwillcause umvanted .air
bubbletin resil"JrScrape the stick, sidesofJhe cup, andchcingethe cup togetaJull
complete mix. Mixtheresin together for at least 2 minutes.
lay-up
Pour the resin onto the middle of the parting film and spread it with the paint brush
making sure that the area is covered. Do not pour all of your resin but enough to cover
the area and saturate your first ply.
Place your first ply (dry graphite) onto the resin. This is will be the tool side meaning it
will be the smoothest and less sanding will be done on this side. Working it from the
inside to the outside, use your sweep to saturate the material. Make sure the material is
fully saturated.
Pour some of your resin onto the saturated graphite and brush the resin to cover the
surface
Place your second ply (dry fiber glass) on top of the saturated graphite. Make sure all
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your ply's are centered as much as possible.
Again you will sweep the resin from the inside to outside to fully saturate the ply. You will pour and brush some more resin onto the
second ply. You will place your third ply (fiberglass
roving mat) onto the second ply. Like the first and
second ply's you will sweep the resin from the inside
to outside to fully saturate the ply.
• Repeat the process until you have reached your 5th and final ply.
Once your ply's are saturated you will place the perforated parting film over it. After the
perforated parting film you will place your bleeder fabric over the perforated parting film.
Next will be the non-perforated parting film. You will want this material to extend onto
your edge breather. Your second caulplate is optional in lay-up. That would be placed on
top of your perforated parting<fiJrn. Place the breather over the entire surface inside the
tacky tape. This process is the s.ame exact process used when you did a dry run.
Vacuum bagging
Your vacuum probe and vacuum gauge should
already be plac~d in their desired area? ...... .
(opposite ()fe.ach<ottler.to reach rnaximum ..
vacuum readi'ng) .. .
Remove all of the paper covering the tacky tape.
You will need· to pull the bagging film tight over
the tacky tape.
• You will need to cut slits in the vacuum bag in
order to connect your vacuum source and
vacuum gauge.
Connect hoses and turn on the vacuum pump to
vacuum any air out.
Feel out the tacky tape to be sure that no air is
escaping from the vacuum bag.
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•
Let the vacuum work for the cure time on the resin.
Clean up
When cleaning up you do not want to throw the resin away before its cured. It may
cause fire and is toxic to the environment when not cured.
Your resin cups, popsicle sticks, and sweeps should be set aside until any leftover resin
is cured. Gloves may be thrown away and lab coats may but hung up. Debagging
Before debagging make sure that the resin has completely cured. You do not want to
debag your part before the curetime.
Turn off the vacuum pump.
Pull the bagging film off the tacky tape.
Peel backyoor bre~ther,periorated parting film, bleed~r,al1d non-perforated parting
film.
You're part should be ready forcutting. sanding, and drilling.
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• T~row away any material that has cured resin on it. Any material that does not have
cured resin on it is still reusable.
Cutting, sanding, and drilling
• When cutting the part you don't want to
cut it without marking it Use masking
tape to cover the area where you are
going to cut.
Use a sharpie and a straight edge to
mark the part where you want it to be cut.
After marking your cuts you will cut your part with a table saw, air saw, or jigsaw.
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Once the part is cut you will sand (80 grit)
and deburr the edges and corners of your
part. You will also round the corners of your
part.
When sanding the part you want to get rid
of the resin ridges, built up material, or any
part defects. You do not want to sand to the
point where you reach the ply's.
After sanding the part you will paint on a
clear coat to give it a glossy look.
Before you drill the part.Jake the clip and
clamp it at the top of thePCirt and mark it.
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You can drill the holeswithHhe clip still clamped so that itif~xa9toryou can remove the clip apddrilJ the holes. Use a rivetingJ:>pller ,~o ri~~t th'C clipto the part. You wijlwant to·use.cJamps tot)old the clip in place. Once you(clip is [iv,et~dohtothe part your clip board isread to be used.
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