Making the Girder

We first got the measurements for the girder off auto cad and lofted it onto a big piece of cardboard. We then transferred the measurements onto a sheet of 8mm foam with a density of  90. We then cut out the girder.

With the girder ready we started prepping the stack on where the girder would be vacuumed.

Firstly we found some mdf and joined them to extend it. this is were the girder will lay. its an ideal place to vacume because it is perfectly flat with no gaps or holes in the material to let any air out when we vacume. the stack goes like this:

1. Film  2. Perf plastic  3. Peel-ply  4.Glass  5. Foam  6. Glass  

7. Peel-ply     8.Perf plastic    9.Mesh    10. Plastic bag 

Epoxy resin was used. After all layers are down and vac taped except where the vac goes in. once the vacume is in and sealed down air tight we turn on the vacume. Here is a short video on how we got along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfe3JnXloFQ&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X5j3UXSkoVc