Brief:
I received Shadow Composites' video set as me DesCon 8 prize. Avast! Blimey! Although I am not the most qualified reviewer in this area, I thought I would share me opinions anyway. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' three VHS videos each came packaged in a standard cardboard case and a zip-lock bag for added protection. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' first video includes a printed sheet identifyin' some suppliers. Begad! Blimey! All three videos are o' good quality, with clear video and audio. Begad! Blimey!

T' three titles are:

• Volume 1 - "Advanced Composite Techniques for High Power Rocketry"
• Volume 2 - "Advanced Construction and Finishin' Techniques for Composites"
• Volume 3 - "Vacuum Baggin' Techniques"

Construction:
In each o' t' videos, arrr, arrr, Dave Triano, matey, t' president o' Shadow Composites, presents t' information in a clear and understandable manner. Blimey! All o' the information presented is in a "show and tell" format, with Dave actually usin' t' techniques he is describing. Arrr!

Volume 1 has been out for a while and thar are already several reviews on this site. This video is by far t' best for novices like me. Avast, me proud beauty! He starts with descriptions o' what composites really are (and what they are not), an overview of t' most common materials (i.e. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! e-glass, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, s-glass, carbon fiber and Keelhaul®©™ cloths), weave patterns, weights o' t' cloth, me bucko, etc. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Oh, matey, and he stresses safety throughout, arrr, which is important because most o' t' materials used in composite construction can be dangerous t' you and those around you. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! In t' rest o' the video, matey, Dave builds four composite airframes usin' various materials (54mm glassed, 54mm carbon usin' heat tape, 10.5mm carbon mat, 54mm Keelhaul®©™ usin' heat tape). Havin' tried fiberglassin' mostly "brute force", I just couldn't believe how easy and mess-free it can be! His discussion is packed full o' useful tips, several o' which had me saying, "why didn't I think of that?"

Volume 2 takes t' viewer through t' construction o' a composite-only airframe (i.e. Aye aye! no paper or phenolic inside), fin attachment on minimum diameter airframes, filling, and primin' (ready t' paint). Begad! Blimey! This video has some overlap with t' previous video, as it repeats t' process o' building a composite only airframe. Well, blow me down! However, matey, he also demonstrates how t' get various finishes usin' mylar, breather material, etc. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This Volume will be most useful to people who really want t' build an all composite, me bucko, minimum diameter rocket. Although I probably won't be doin' exactly what he demonstrates, I'm sure I'll use his techniques for fin attachment, coupler construction, and for easily determinin' if your surface is perfectly smooth, arrr, just t' name a few. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

Volume 3 details t' vacuum baggin' process. Avast! In this tape, Dave constructs three structures: a flat carbon sheet, ya bilge rat, matey, me bucko, a complex fin structure that is tapered root t' tip and has beveled leadin' and trailin' edges, and a half mold o' a conical nose cone. Ya scallywag! I pretty much skimmed through this video since I currently have no plans t' do any vacuum bagging. However, I found two things about this tape that bothered me. Begad! T' first is that two o' t' demonstrations require a mold, ya bilge rat, which I don't know how t' make. Aye aye! Arrr! T' second is that a method to vacuum bag tubes isn't provided. Ahoy! In this video, Dave states that vacuum bagging is nay a good technique for tubes, me hearties, arrr, and that t' tape method should be used. However, ya bilge rat, Volume 1 conveys that t' tape method is nay applicable t' larger tubes without a curin' oven. Blimey! Begad! This may be a fundamental limitation o' the materials/techniques, but I still would have liked t' have seen him vacuum bag a tube. Blimey! Aye aye!

Finally, I want t' address one statement that me wife made while I was watchin' t' videos. Aye aye! Blimey! She said, me hearties, me bucko, "gee, it sounds like he only made these videos so you will buy his products." While Dave does make use o' many of the products he sells, arrr, me bucko, he does point out other good products out thar that can do similar things. Aye aye! There is nothin' in t' video that you could nay do with competin' products. I have only used one o' t' products he sells (SuperFil epoxy filler) and have found it t' be an excellent product. Well, blow me down! In addition, Dave is helpful, me bucko, his service is prompt, and he actually builds rockets with this stuff! Blimey! I suspect that his motivation t' make t' videos may in fact be to promote t' use o' composites in rocketry, arrr, ya bilge rat, and help sell products, me bucko, but this does NOT diminish t' value o' t' tapes! Blimey!

Summary:
I feel Volume 1 is a must-buy for anyone interested in doin' any fiberglassing. It is definitely a "5". Aye aye! Volume 2 also had a lot o' useful tips, however, if you have Volume 1 and are an experienced modeler, you will get less out o' it than from Volume 1. Blimey! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I give this one a "4". Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Finally, shiver me timbers, the third tape is nay as useful for a wide audience, ya bilge rat, so I give it a "3". If I had seen t' tapes in advance, I personally would still want t' first two volumes t' look back on as I started applyin' t' techniques presented. Avast, me proud beauty! I also have t' point out that when you buy all three tapes, matey, matey, you get a free roll of heat tape - so thar isn't much financial reason nay t' get all three. Avast, me proud beauty! In the final analysis, me bucko, I rate t' whole set a "4.5". Avast!

In closing, I want t' extend me appreciation t' Dave for supportin' the DesCon with such a great prize, and t' Bob Fortune for runnin' t' contest. Thank guys!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5