Building the F-22

We set up the rudder a few weeks ago with the 3mm wax sheet, wood molds, fillets, etc – but I can’t seem to find a picture of it.  This morning it was finally time to start construction.

Here’s the cassette with all carbon layers specified on the first page of construction and peel-ply in place.

Everything came out great, except there was a problem with the sheet wax.  I thought what we got was coated with a release that resin didn’t adhere to already.  Turns out I was slightly mistaken…

Cassette removed from rudder

Here you can see the mess of wax inside

It seems that boiling-hot water pouring through the cassette dissolves the wax enough to get it out.  We did most of it but the cassette was heating up so much it was starting to soften one of the flanges since it wasn’t 100% cured.  Will finish it next time.

Here’s the rough-cut/faired cassette ready for the next steps

Also did a little more fairing on the starboard side of the hull – no reason for a picture until we laminate it.