Playing with Infusion

[PonoBill]

I've been interested in making parts with infusion for some time. It's mostly used for molding, but it works with some cored parts as well--for example, the masts I did recently might have been good candidates. So I bought some infusion supplies, watched a few videos, and tried it.

Conclusion--works great, but the waste and expense is staggering. I'm used to tossing away peel ply and breather, and sometimes bagging material if I needed to make a bunch of bunny ears to get good flex, but infusion adds the epoxy feed tubes (plugged solid) the spiral distribution tubes, T-fittings, the flow material, and more peel ply to keep the tubes in place. Plus you glue the layers on with expensive spray glue (maybe regular old 3M would work) and there's a good chance your vacuum tube will get plugged too.

All that stuff costs money. My little experiment cost about 25 (hmmm, maybe more like 50) bucks in stuff thrown away and I filled half a trashcan.

I think I'm gonna stick to bagging wetted stuff unless I have something that really fits. If nothing else, I have some spiral tube, fittings, and flow material left. Fun to watch the resin flow in though, even if it was nerve-wracking to have one corner stay dry for a while when resin was going up my vacuum pipe and into my catch pot. I stuck my arm across the piece to block flow and it migrated to the corner. It would have sucked to have the first try fail when I was tossing all those "consumables".

[Bean]

It does seem like a great way to go for the right project.  I thought about it, like you, sat through some really great videos but decided my Onewheel fender is not the right project to get started on infusion.  Great insight on the consumables PB.

[Biggreen]

Thanks Pono. I have a buddy that's insistent that I start trying infusion. Me, I really don't give a damn. Not on my radar, at least at this point. I'm gonna show him this post, maybe it it'll get him off my back for a while.

And just for info. I just got 100 meters of 48" perforated peel ply delivered to my door for $136 from Aliexprecif anyone is interested.

[surfcowboy]

Not tthat hijack, but the Perr peel ply, that still peels? Seems like the resin would get into the perfs. Does it leave a smooth finish?

Seeing some of the kite board guys get those glassy finishes pulling the ply makes me jealous.

[PonoBill]

Peel ply always leaves a rough finish. The smooth side is the side facing the mold, which is gel coated. There's release peel ply and standard. The release stuff leaves a smoother but slightly greasy feeling finish. Regular peel ply leaves a uniformly rough surface and makes a great base for further glassing.

[jrandy]

The peel ply I get around here is a treated woven cloth. When it peels off the texture is a bit rough and easy to recoat like Bill says.
The perf ply is a film like a heavy plastic drop cloth with holes. It peels off too and the result is smoother.

[Biggreen]

Well I didn't mean to hijack Pono's thread, just thought I'd throw it in. I've been using the econo peel ply and that damn stuff is a chicken chokers paradise if you don't get it off right away. Otherwise you have both feet placed on the board and are pulling with all your might. The perforated falls off like Demi Moore's clothes in most of her movies and still leaves an easy finish. Now I'm a single guy and like a good grip workout as much as the rest, but hell, not that damn much.

Thankfully you're one of the more erudite of this Zoner lot, Pono. Guess I'd best leave it in your capable hands to raise us back up to a level most might deem more appropriate.

[PonoBill]

Sounded good to me. Tell me about the perf ply and Demi's skivvies again.

I like the perf ply for semi-finished stuff, but it leaves a lot of resin in place. Substantial difference in weight. But if it's not an issue, it's a lot simpler. Econo peel ply is tough. the first few things I bagged were with ripstop nylon, which feels close to permanent until you get a corner going. If you tear it and leave a patch behind you have to sand it off.