ski press construcion

[mammuth]

Building my new press right now.

Never worked with heating mats, so i have no experience handling the sandwich this way.

What puzzles me:

The build of the stack is clear.

The lower mat + alu sheet can stay in the press during layup. But what about the upper mat & alu sheets (everything below the cat track). How is the handling? Put them in after putting in the ski sandwich? Or fiddling the ski sandwich in between? Fix the alu sheet + mat somehow to the cat track?

And ... for same reason ... better to have the connections on the heat mats on the small ends (like most have it) or on one end of the long side?

[chrismp]

Like you're planning we leave the lower aluminum sheet and heat blanket in the press most of the time. Everything else is sandwiched on top of the layup and put in the press all at once.

[mammuth]

Ja, that sounds easy with your type of table on press construction (which is quite nice). But if you do it in separate places it sounds like a hassle (heat mat & sensor cable).
Depends if i do a cage style press or a open frame one, calculating material right now.

[chrismp]

I've done layups on a separate table with this press as well, but I always have someone to help me load the press as it's nearly impossible to do alone. When doing layup on a separate table, I just roll up the cable for the heat mat and put it on top of the layup until I reach the press. Thermocouples go in when everything is loaded into the press.

[richie]

I modified my press as a clamshell with air rams to open it up and a big 1" locking pin to lock it. This means I can load by myself very accurately positioning the cassette on to the profiles.

The heat blanket is sanwiched between 2 more sheets of steel 0.8mm gauge, and attached to underneath the cat track, so it stays in the press. I do not have a bottom blanket only top.

This works well for me was some effort to put together but paid off in ease of use.

[mammuth]

Did see your video (i think it was you) a few days ago. Very nice work!

Was into cage building (for weight and movability) but got a nice offer for i beams. Need to decide which route to go.

Btw. another question.


With 6bar you create a pressure around 0.6N/mm2. Will this force be applied to upper and lower beams or only half (0.3N/mm2) to every beam?

[mammuth]

Hmm, think my tread title is too common

Anyways, it looks like i will go 380mm wide with the press. Using two 5" hoses they will be a little bit wider when flat. Will this be a problem or should i try to make the molds and press a little bit wider then the flat hoses?