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I did a Google search on "high temperature laminating epoxy" and came up with a huge amount of hits. I particularly liked what I saw at De-Comp Composites... http://www.decomp.com/indexA.htm. Once there and poking around I noticed that some of their product line is used by Boeing... quite the recommendation. Down in the hi-temp laminating area I spotted all sorts of resin systems, all requiring post cure, and all with very impressive strength numbers. I clicked on their link to a hi-temp flame retardant system (http://www.decomp.com/laminate/htlfr.htm) which is good to a HDT of 375F, has a mixed specific gravity of 1.11 (figure 11% thicker than water... excellent for layups) and thought it would be an ideal candidate. Post cures in a kitchen oven (if the parts will fit and the Missus doesn't mind) is actually quite simple, as is vacuum bagging. You don't actually need a real vacuum pump, as you can pull a good vacuum with a shop-vac or on the intake side of your air compressor. I buy my bagging supplies from FibreGlast Developments (hardware & fittings, bagging plastic, sealing tape) but I get my peel ply from Aircraft Spruce and my breather ply from Joanne Fabrics (polyester fiber-fill batt insulation). ACS is also a reasonbly priced source for carbon fiber ($16.95/yd is excellent). I have paid as much as $37/yd for wider crow's foot weave, but that is a bit of a specialty product... much stronger than plain weave, goes around curves really well and pleasant to work with... it's just expensive. Attached is my latest CF creation.. it's a ventral fin I added to the tail of the IVP I've been talking about. There are 14 plies around the edges and there's about no deflection when you beat on it. It's basically 4 plies CF each side over a hardwood-strengthened foam core with the edges wrapped and the whole thing peel plyed. I really enjoy composite work, and am always happy to talk about it. Enough for now. Thanks for listening.
<Marv>
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