|
In a message dated 3/8/04 5:11:39 PM Pacific Standard Time, alexforeman@mailworks.org writes:
Shawn - Thank you for the comprehensive responce. I will take a close There are no absolutes that I can give you. There are multiple methods of working with fiberglass and which one you choose to use depends on the service and structural requirements of your sub and what tools/skills your willing to buy/rent/learn. The two methods of working with FRP that I've used have been with a "cutter", spraying into molds (like fiberglass shower stalls are made), and in matte form over a frame and/or foam core (e.g., surfboards).
For an ambient, you're fairly alleviated from the requirement that the fiberglass be load-bearing in terms of a pressure hull ... it just has to be watertight. When my design was still an ambient, I seriously considered a nalgene "skin" (think whitewater raft material) over a space frame to keep the weight to a minimum.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend FRP for 1-atm applications because it's not a homogenous material. It's been done, but the tendancy to fracture with impact would be a very real concern. For an ambient, though, FRP would be my choice simply because the skills are relatively easy to learn and the tooling minimal unless you go the cutter and mold route.
Let me know if you have more specific questions and I'll try to answer them for you or point you at sites with better information.
Warm Regards,
Shawn
***** "Call nothing thy own except thy soul. Love not what thou art, but only what thou may become. Do not pursue pleasure, for thou may have the misfortune to overtake it... Live in the vision of that one for whom great deeds are done ..." Man of LaMancha, D. Wasserman |