5 foot composite plug

[paradigmdesign]

Here are some of the photos of the plug for the 5 footer.  Just to mention, it is actually a 4'6" blade, the radius is 5'.  This is the foam part of the plug after its first sanding.  It is still missing the top 4" at the tip.  Now it is time to putty and glass it.

[paradigmdesign]

[willib]

looks neat ,

what are the spars made of?

[cdog]

Looking good!

If I understand correctly this is how you make the mold, or plug as you call it, not what the inside of a finished blade will look like? I guess I'm asking will the finished blades be hollow, or do they have some inner structure?(Yes I will likely lead the class in the stupid question department!)

Thanks for the update,

 Cdog.

[paradigmdesign]

Super high-tech balsa dowel rods.  They aren't spars as much as allignment rods.

[paradigmdesign]

Not a stupid question.  You are correct in your assertions.  The plug is used to make the molds for the exterior shell.

The first run of blades will start out hollow after infusion, aside from spar caps, then will be filled with poar foam.  The second run of blades I would like to be hollow with a "rectangular" spar (more for developing designs for larger blades).

[willib]

You seem to be using a different type of foam , what kind is it?

i cant tell by the color

on mine i use epoxy between sections

[paradigmdesign]

Yes, it is polyester tooling foam.  You can't sand the pink crap, and I was tired of breathing in toxic melting plastic fumes. We are also using West Systems epoxy (plus microfibers) to bond the sections together.