The primary rudder got it's second layer of unidirectional carbon today. As in, it got a 6-inch wide "tape" of it on the second side. One side already had carbon. This time I was a bit more generous with epoxy. Mentally processing what went less-than-optimally with the E-rudder, I also coated that whole side of the rudder with a light layer of epoxy. Hopefully that will seal the wood and it won't absorb so much on vacuum-bagging day, which is Saturday afternoon. I'll flip the rudder over tomorrow morning and give the other side an overall coat, as well. It's pretty cold in my garage so I bet the epoxy will still be forming a few chemical bonds, come Saturday.
I actually aligned it with the wrong edge...set back from the trailing edge instead of the leading edge. Fortunately I caught the goof pretty quickly, pulled it off and squeegee'd it back on again.
THIS time I will cut the cloth, peel ply and bleeder fabric BEFORE setting up the blade. I also have my friend Greg from church coming over to help. I put the non-glassed rudder on the bathroom scale today and it weighs 46 pounds. From the Class Rules..
"2.7.A.1. The minimum weight for the rudder assembly (rudder blade, box, gudgeons, tiller, normal hardware, and corrector weight, if any) is 61 lbs. "
Last edited by AlanH; 01-24-2018 at 12:10 PM.
1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"