GB's Super Strong Dart

The Dart glider has the Bucks-Composites materials system used to cover the wings and V-tail. I have used super lightweight glass fibre woven cloth and epoxy resin and hardener.

To join the two foam veneered outer wing panels I jigged up and bonded in place the two outer panels with epoxy resin and hardener (foam friendly) and then allowed to dry. Then I cut three strips the length of the join of the wing two lots (for topside and underside) of super lightweight glass fibre woven cloth at 20mm 30mm 40mm wide then starting with the underside of the wing supported 75mm high on the masked bench.

Lay the strips of glass cloth over the join starting with the 20mm wide laid down first then the 30mm followed by the 40mm wide strip then lay down the super lightweight glass fibre woven glass cloth on the entire underside of the wing with a overhang of about 50mm weighted down with clothes pegs 75mm apart this will make the glass fibre cloth hang down half way around the leading and trailing edges. Then wet out with activated epoxy resin and hardener starting at one end roll the activated resin and hardener with the Bucks 50mm foam roller through the super lightweight glass fibre woven cloth making sure a little extra pressure is a applied over the join area for the activated resin and hardener is pushed through the 3 extra layers on the join.

The roller may leave surplus resin on the wing which can be easily mopped up with absorbent paper. Once complete on the underside then leave to cure which normally takes 24 hours. When the wing has cured the surplus glass fibre cloth can be gently sanded away. Now repeat the process on the other side which will be the top side of the wing. When fully cured the wing needs to be sanded, using a 400 grade sanding pad used wet with a few drops of washing up liquid in the water as this will help prevent the sanding pad from clogging.

Now leave to dry then a final coat of resin and hardener needs to be applied with a Bucks resin spreader card to fill the weave of the glass fibre cloth. The reason for using 3 layers under the super lightweight glass fibre woven cloth is to produce a strong join with no ridge and there is no sudden sheer point this make an invisible join with no step.

The resin I recommend has a long working time of 50 minutes and cures in 24 hours, please make sure that if a large quantity of resin and hardener is mixed then this needs to be put in a tray (larger area) to lower heat generation and this will give you a longer working time.