Durawax
This is a release agent. It is applied to the mould before
each ‘lay-up’ to ensure that the item produced does not
stick to the mould.
Sometimes a thin non-stick film is added to moulds to
avoid the part sticking – given the complex curved shape
of the moulds a wax release agent was selected.
Fibre glass
Chopped strand fibre glass mat (CSM)
The fibres within CSM are in random
orientation. This means that it has the same
strength in every direction. It is the cheapest
and easy to work with, as its orientation does
not matter. It is available in different weights.
300gsm (grams per square meter) is used to
produce the moulds and a thin ‘veil’ of
100gsm is used to join the sides and protect
the leading edge.
Woven cloth fibre glass (WC)
This consists of woven strands. It is very
strong in the direction of the weave but is
slightly more expensive and harder to
work with as the orientation of the weave
when the piece is cut must be carefully
chosen. The cut weave has a tendency to
unravel when it is handled in a dry state.
Only 200gsm is used here.
Thinners
Lacquer thinners are required to remove excess resin and to clean up any
spills, paint brushes, pots and tools. It is extremely flammable.
Wooden core root
A small amount of marine-grade plywood is
required to form a wooden core for the root of
the blade. This was built up from a number of
layers of plywood until the correct thickness
was obtained.
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