Chris TNR
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For all the rocket entusiasts that either have a wood lathe, are thinking of buying a wood lathe, or can even get access to one, this thread is for you.
Now I realize that everyone has their own technique when it comes to fiberglassing a rocket, which is a good thing. Not only does it add to the variety of methods, giving the builder options to what best suits them, but it would get rather boring if we were all doing things the same way
However I thought I would share this method of fiberglassing body tubes that has served me well for a few years now.
The whole secret to fiberglassing your tube on the lathe to first turn spindles (drive wheels) that can be pressed into the ends of the BT. Simple enough, go ahead and turn 2 spindles on the lathe for the I.D. of the BT. I like to make them out of 3/4" pine, gives them a nice fat edge for the tube to ride on. I then cut a 1/2" dowel rod about 3 inches shorter than the BT I'm fiberglassing which acts as an axle in between my 2 spindles. Cutting it a few inches shorter than the BT allows the spindles to sit slightly inside the tube so they don't get welded to the edges of the BT.
Press your spindles in (drive center side outward) with your dowel rod in between, and your ready to mount it in the lathe. After you have it in the lathe and everything is spinning squarely ( if you used your original drive centers it should spin squarely), now is when the fun begins..........
I like to start out by giving the BT a nice "soak coat" that really tends to give the tube more ridgity. On my L2 rockets I even applied 2 soak coats. Then apply your fiberglass. I draw a horizontal line across the BT from one end to the other with my yard sick giving the fiberglass cloth a nice straight starting edge to match up to. I apply a 1" wide strip of epoxy along the line I just scribed giving my cloth something to stick to, match the straightest edge of my cloth (or carbon fiber) to the scribe line, then continue brushing my epoxy as I rotate the tube a 1/4" turn or so. Allow a good cure.
The thing that makes this technique so great is the minimal sanding time in between coats. I take a piece of 80 grit, turn the lathe on, and in minutes the tube is completely sanded awaiting another coat of epoxy or layer of cloth. When it has enough fiberglass and epoxy (that will depend on you), I give it a finish sand (200 to 400 grit) and its ready for the paint shop.
I have yet to find a quicker and better way to fiberglass body tubes and motor tubes, and I have tried several techniques. As there may be better ways to actually apply fiberglass to your tubes, I can't find a better way to sand it! Fact is, the tube goes into the lathe a "bare" tube, and comes out a finished product with rock hard results ready for painting.
Hope this works as well for you as it does for me.
One K reload=$100.00+.....One L reloaod=$200.00+.......Wood Lathe=Pricless! (Ok, actually you can get a good one at Harbor Freight for around $100.00 ) Oh, I forgot to mention that you can turn "all" of your nosecones, tailcones, Centering rings, and bulkheads too Kinda makes ya think though, don't it!
Good Luck~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>=====> Fly High
Chris Emich
NAR #84102
Team Nitrus Rocketry
Machinist
Now I realize that everyone has their own technique when it comes to fiberglassing a rocket, which is a good thing. Not only does it add to the variety of methods, giving the builder options to what best suits them, but it would get rather boring if we were all doing things the same way
However I thought I would share this method of fiberglassing body tubes that has served me well for a few years now.
The whole secret to fiberglassing your tube on the lathe to first turn spindles (drive wheels) that can be pressed into the ends of the BT. Simple enough, go ahead and turn 2 spindles on the lathe for the I.D. of the BT. I like to make them out of 3/4" pine, gives them a nice fat edge for the tube to ride on. I then cut a 1/2" dowel rod about 3 inches shorter than the BT I'm fiberglassing which acts as an axle in between my 2 spindles. Cutting it a few inches shorter than the BT allows the spindles to sit slightly inside the tube so they don't get welded to the edges of the BT.
Press your spindles in (drive center side outward) with your dowel rod in between, and your ready to mount it in the lathe. After you have it in the lathe and everything is spinning squarely ( if you used your original drive centers it should spin squarely), now is when the fun begins..........
I like to start out by giving the BT a nice "soak coat" that really tends to give the tube more ridgity. On my L2 rockets I even applied 2 soak coats. Then apply your fiberglass. I draw a horizontal line across the BT from one end to the other with my yard sick giving the fiberglass cloth a nice straight starting edge to match up to. I apply a 1" wide strip of epoxy along the line I just scribed giving my cloth something to stick to, match the straightest edge of my cloth (or carbon fiber) to the scribe line, then continue brushing my epoxy as I rotate the tube a 1/4" turn or so. Allow a good cure.
The thing that makes this technique so great is the minimal sanding time in between coats. I take a piece of 80 grit, turn the lathe on, and in minutes the tube is completely sanded awaiting another coat of epoxy or layer of cloth. When it has enough fiberglass and epoxy (that will depend on you), I give it a finish sand (200 to 400 grit) and its ready for the paint shop.
I have yet to find a quicker and better way to fiberglass body tubes and motor tubes, and I have tried several techniques. As there may be better ways to actually apply fiberglass to your tubes, I can't find a better way to sand it! Fact is, the tube goes into the lathe a "bare" tube, and comes out a finished product with rock hard results ready for painting.
Hope this works as well for you as it does for me.
One K reload=$100.00+.....One L reloaod=$200.00+.......Wood Lathe=Pricless! (Ok, actually you can get a good one at Harbor Freight for around $100.00
) Oh, I forgot to mention that you can turn "all" of your nosecones, tailcones, Centering rings, and bulkheads too Kinda makes ya think though, don't it!Good Luck~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>=====> Fly High
Chris Emich
NAR #84102
Team Nitrus Rocketry
Machinist
