Cheap and Efficient Fairings?

[Supercheeseman]

Any one got any Ideas how to make a Full Fairing for somthing like a Marauder. I was concidering a few different materials and techniques, but nothing I'm happy with yet. Carbon fiber is great but expinsive and I don't know how to work with it. I concidered like Chicken Wire and Plastic Wrap, but it seems kinda fragile....flimsy. Any suggestions?

[n9viw]

Check out http://www.rqriley.com/frp-foam.htm , he's done some fantastic stuff forming fiberglass over foam supports. You could do similar, but include a double-layer of release agent (read: plastic or shrink wrap) so the foam could be pulled away, leaving your curved panel.

[airjnke]

Howdy folks;
Super, you may already know this but the material Coroplast is a starting point for many fairing builders. Although the lines are a bit straight, it's easy to work with & cheap. After trying to figure it all out, I ended up getting a Windwrap fairing & will add a Coroplast tail box eventually. Here's some links I had stashed. Hope they help.
Take it EZ:
Dave

http://www.mueller-hp.com/ezsport.htm

http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whatsup.htm

http://www.merit.edu/~rjd/fairing_construction.html

http://www.recumbents.com/mars/projects.html

http://www.ihpva.org/people/tstrike/building/fairings.htm

[macka]

When I do composite work, I use close cell foam and hot wire shape it, then sand it. I then give it a coat of plaster, a final shaping, then I seal it with laquer (usually a base coat and a second to make sure it is truly sealed). I then apply 2 coats of release agent making sure I cover the mold completely with both coats. I then cut my material to fit the shape of the mold, taping the first layer on with masking tape (the pieces are joined to each other not the mold) I fit the second layer (and other layers depending on the piece) I do my layup in layers usually with woven roving cloth, allow a short dry time and while its still wet but not tacky, I apply my second layer. If I want a very smooth surface I wet sand the paint job after it has cured properly, and apply carnuba wax. This is a very rough thumbnail of the entire process, a good mold takes a few days to build and layup is at least a daylong process. Fairings are fairly simple, with a quarter an eggshell shape being common, and very aerodynamic. I've seen some nice molds made with parts made from wooden blocks.