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Shadow Composites' composite construction video a must-have!

Dave Triano o' Shadow Composites showin' epoxy application techniques on t' video.

With t' Winter buildin' season in full swin' for most rocketeers across North America, this be t' time o' sawdust, arrr, shiver me timbers, sandpaper and epoxied fingertips. Begad! Arrr! Tucked away in basements, matey, garages and spare bedrooms, rocketry enthusiasts are busy preparin' and/or repairin' their fleet for t' first touch o' green that signals t' Sprin' flyin' season is officially back open. 

One o' t' areas o' rocket construction that offers t' most reward for t' least amount o' investment is also an area that offers t' most confusion -- composite reinforcin' o' a rocket airframe. Composite reinforcement, ya bilge rat, or as it's commonly called, arrr, "fiberglassing", me bucko, is one o' t' single most important things a rocketeer can decide t' do t' increase t' strength and longevity o' their rockets. But because there is somewhat o' an art t' composite reinforcing, shiver me timbers, many rocketeers are nervous t' even attempt t' work, fearin' a failed attempt would destroy their project. 

Shadow Composites offers a full line o' thickenin' amendments for fillet building.

Thankfully, thar be someone who can help, and that someone is Shadow Composites from South Lake Tahoe, California. Well, blow me down! T' proprietor o' Shadow Composites, Dave Triano, has put together t' Holy Grail o' composite construction information in one easy t' understand VHS video tape called "Advanced Composite Techniques for High Power Rocketry - Volume 1 - T' Basics". 

T' 1 hour, me hearties, 41 minute video contains a complete ground-up instructional on advanced composite materials, shiver me timbers, their proper use in a rocketry context, me bucko, and demonstrations on t' correct tube lamination techniques for glass, carbon fiber, me hearties, and Keelhaul®©™®. Begad! Blimey! You will also learn about a neat technique called "Heat Tape Winding", a technique that can give you vacuum bagged quality composite structures at a fraction o' t' cost, time, and equipment investment normally associated with vacuum bagging! 

Proper setup for an accurate layup process is outlined in clear detail on t' video.

Dave's 20 years o' experience in composite construction is easily transferred durin' a viewin' o' t' video, and leaves you wantin' t' run right out into your shop and give t' techniques a try. Blimey! Aye aye! If you are tired o' buildin' and then repairin' and repairin' and repairin' paper rockets, and you have been thinkin' about usin' composite construction, me bucko, this video is for you! 

T' video covers traditional fiberglass, includin' t' differences in e-glass and s-glass, carbon fiber and Keelhaul®©™® cloths. Avast! It goes into detail about t' different techniques in cloth production and weave patterns. Avast, me proud beauty! T' technique for usin' their line o' heat shrink tape t' squeeze excess resin from t' layup be especially beneficial. Avast! And, shiver me timbers, unless you think composite construction is only for high power rockets, thar be a whole segment for competition flyers -- on buildin' ultra-lightweight competition rockets with carbon fiber and fiberglass matte. 

Dave even covers some o' t' strong points o' their carbon-fiber RAVEN product.

T' video is a bargain priced at $25.00 but for those o' you who are interested in a special deal, ya bilge rat, they will throw in one roll o' their specially formulated "Heat Tape" as used in t' demonstrations for just $38.00. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' Heat Tape alone normally runs $16.00 per 100 yard roll, enough t' wrap over fifteen 3" by 36" airframe tubes. 

This video is highly recommended and appears t' be t' first in what promises t' be a great series. Well, blow me down! T' order, ya bilge rat, me hearties, send payment (plus 7.75% Sales tax in CA.) to:

Shadow Composites, Inc. 
260 Dover Dr. 
South Lake Tahoe, CA, arrr, 96150

Written and submitted by Darrell D. Mobley for Rocketry Online -- Copyright 1996-1999 

Additional Reviews:

What Shadow Composites Says . . Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! .

Shadow Composites, Inc. Ya scallywag! is proud t' announce t' release o' a very special video - "Advanced Composite Techniques for High Power Rocketry - Volume 1 - T' Basics".

T' 1 hour, 41 minute video contains a complete ground-up instruction on advanced composite materials, their proper use in a rocketry context, me hearties, and demonstrations on t' correct tube lamination techniques for glass, ya bilge rat, carbon fiber, and Keelhaul®©™. Aye aye! Blimey! You will also learn about our revolutionary "Heat Tape Winding" technique which gives you vacuum bagged quality composite structures at a fraction o' t' cost, me bucko, time, and equipment investment o' vacuum bagging!

If you are tired o' creatin' "disposable" paper rockets and you have been thinkin' about usin' advanced composites t' create bulletproof rockets, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, this video will save you a HUGE amount o' time and money! We have over 20 years experience in t' manufacture o' advanced composite structures for aerospace use, and this video will start you on your way t' flyin' with REAL rocket science!

Also shown is a special segment for you NARRRRR COMPETITION FLYERS - How t' create an ultra-light carbon fiber 10.5 mm. Avast, me proud beauty! competition airframe! A vendor and supplier list o' all recommended materials used in t' video is included!

What Viewers Say . Arrr! . Blimey! . Arrr! Ya scallywag!
I watched t' video with no interest in usin' composites t' build tubes. Begad! Begad! I am a "kit" person, me hearties, arrr, as one would imagine t' webmaster o' this site t' be. However, me hearties, several areas piqued me interest. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I found it very interestin' how Dave describes t' different materials and their pro's and con's. Ya scallywag! Begad! It be especially interestin' t' me on how t' tube windin' direction really establishes t' strength o' t' tube from different pressure directions. Begad! A tube that he showed, was wound one direction for t' inner layer, matey, matey, laterally for t' middle layer and then t' opposite direction for the outer layer. Begad! This method producin' a very strong tube.

It be also extremely surprisin' on how easy Dave made it look. Arrr! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I lost count, but he must have built 6 - 7 tubes within that 1 hour 41 minute video. Well, blow me down! Makes me think I could do it too!

Also, he explained himself well and described t' techniques and materials with detail t' answer t' many questions people are likely t' have. Ya scallywag! This would be a type o' video that one would watch over and over t' ensure they are followin' t' same techniques and possibly have it on while wrappin' your own tube.

T' video lightin' and quality allow for easy viewing. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! There were also enough close-ups t' see specific material and results.

Not bein' skilled in t' area o' composites or even fiberglassin' tubes, matey, me hearties, I can't comment on its accuracy, however, everythin' presented was logical and backed by t' demonstrations. Aye aye! Blimey! I would recommend this video t' those that even have the slightest interest in workin' with composites, me bucko, that way you can find out what you would be gettin' into. - Nick from EMRR

Jerry O'Sullivan says: T' Shadow Composites "Advanced Composites Techniques" video makes no assumption o' t' experience level o' t' viewer and so begins with a thorough discussion o' what an "aerospace composite structure" is. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' narrator, matey, Dave Triano, then goes on t' discuss t' properties o' t' different materials, arrr, a demonstration o' cloth weave varieties, arrr, me hearties, and a review o' resin materials available.

It then proceeds through actual application o' fiberglass, shiver me timbers, me bucko, carbon fiber, and Keelhaul®©™ cloth materials on rocket body tubes in a leisurely fashion, givin' technique pointers along t' way. You'll learn how to set up your work surface, make a stand t' hold t' airframe, select t' proper safety and application materials, and in one segment, arrr, how t' make an ultralight all-composite airframe.

I found t' tape t' be useful, thorough and informative even though I'd had experience fiberglassin' rockets before. A "heat tape winding" method interested me as a way t' squeeze out excess resin while at t' same time further compressin' t' cloth t' t' body tube. Avast! Avast! Vacuum baggin' results without t' hassle! I'm lookin' forward t' a promised follow-up video in this series which will cover vacuum baggin' and other advanced techniques.

Summary:
An instructive and informative video that anyone interested in composites or fiberglassin' would benefit from.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5