Quote Originally Posted by Todd copeland View Post
John,
Its difficult to fully understand what you are outlining but I have a couple of questions that might help define the way to go. First, how fast is the airplane this is going on? How much strength you need determines the layups of glass, and the type and grade of glass to use. Let's assume you have this part of it determined for safety. I would radius the edges to the tip. This will help get a smooth transition "over the edge". If you have essentially 90* edges it is very difficult to wrap the glass over it. Second, I would cut the glass on a 45* to the weave so that it will wrap over the radius end edge smoothly and I would try to do one piece layups over the whole tip that way. If you need to break up the layers incomplete, I would stagger where the layers end in different locations so as to keep the "level" even and have less bodywork to do.
Are you going to remove the foam after it cures? How will you mount it on the elevator? If the foam will be remaining you also should use micro balloons on the foam to prepare the surface for the glass to bond to the foam. There are probably plenty of you tube videos on the subject and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
This will be an elevator tip on the STOL 750 - designed for "low and slow," it cruises about 75 kts. I intend to leave the foam except I will rout out about 1/2" of it on the inboard end from the hinge point to the aft end to allow it to slip over an elevator end rib with flanges facing outboard. The flanges will have nutplates on top and bottom for securing the tip. I do plan, after radiusing and sanding, to put down a micro slurry and then do the layup. Just talked to a friend with a Vari-eze and he essentially advised the same as you. I may try a one-piece drape-over initially and then if that doesn't work well, try multiple pieces with staggered overlaps as you suggest.
Thanks,
John