Practical Boat Owner t http://www.pbo.co.uk 65
EPOXY VACUUM INFUSION
PEEL PLY AND INFUSION
1
Next to be draped in is a layer of
peel ply, cut in half, taped in place
and overlapped in the middle to allow it to
slide and settle under vacuum.
2
The manifold that removes the air is
then placed around the edge of the
flange, fitted with junctions and held down
with small tabs of vacuum tape.3
Plastic T-junctions are inserted over
the manifold, which is essentially a
multi-stranded plastic cable, which resists
crushing under pressure.4
The next layer is the re-mesh, which
also incorporates the release film.
The mesh will allow the resin to move
easily and consistently through the hull.
5
It doesn’t drape easily so needs
strategic cuts along the outer edge- three in each side and one each side at
bow and stern are usually enough.
6
Now the distribution mesh is
trimmed to a critical point, 50mm
below the gunwale. A marker pen is used
to mark the line before cutting.(^7)
The spiral epoxy delivery hose is laid
along the centreline and fitted with a
T-piece, to which the epoxy inlet will
attach. Small pieces of tape hold it down.
9
With bag trimmed, two large pleats
were made at each end and smaller
ones along the flange. The air junction
was exposed, sealed and connected.
8
The clear polythene vacuum bag is
now laid over the top of the mould,
and cut with about a metre of excess
overlap at each end.
All the consumables you need for a
successful lamination or infusion can
be purchased through authorised West
System distributors such as Marine &
Industrial (www.marineindustrial.co.uk
Tel: 01692 406822) who also carry a
wide range of follow-on consumables
such as epoxy primers and paints.
Vacuum pumps can usually be found
from specialist infusion outlets online,
or for very reasonable money on eBay.
While a full size industrial-grade pump
can costs upwards of £5,000, a DIY
pump can be yours for as little as £50
second-hand.
The consumables themselves, such
as the plastic pipe and peel ply are
also fairly cheap.
About Pro Set
Pro Set products are part of the West
System International range of epoxies.
They are formulated for use in the
production of high performance
composites intended for demanding
environments. Using these epoxies is
well within the capabilities of the DIY
enthusiast, and the team at Wessex
Resins freely share their knowledge
and advice.
Buying the materials