Preview: How to Vacuum Bag, Part 1 – Making a Wood & Epoxy Laminate

12 Responses So Far to “How to Vacuum Bag, Part 1 – Making a Wood & Epoxy Laminate”

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  Weaver Lilley says:

  Eric, thanks for the informative video. I am about to laminate the mast partner on my Caladonia Yawl which has checked. I’m a bit leery with the inexpensive vacuum pumps on the market and have decided to go with a vacuum method developed by skateboarders. They use an inexpensive hand pump on a bag equipped with a one way valve:

  http://www.roarockit.com/tap-kits.html

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  dave lathrop says:

  agree with all comments… really nice piece… one question… is it possible to vac bag something like a bulkhead or a cabin sole IN PLACE???? seems unlikely given the approach but is there something more for this need????

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    Thomas Dalzell says:

    Sure, the thing you have to understand though, is that while the pressure can come out even all over the part, it will not have the same effect. So if you had a hull section, square, 1 foot deep, and 2 feet wide, and you put a 1×2 bulkhead in there, 1/4″ thick, at say 14psi. You would have an increadible 8064 pounds of pressure bearing on the two faces of the bulkhead, but only 84 pounds pressing the bulkhead into the bottom of the boat.

    I have bagged decks and cabin soles in place, that is straightforward.

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  Reagan Tucker says:

  outstanding intro…is this technique the same as “prepreg” or the same as “Resin infusion” method? Keep up the excellent work.

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    Alan Mudd says:

    Reagan, “prepregs” are composite materials (like woven Kevlar, carbon fiber, or fiberglass) that already have the epoxy resin/hardener mix added into the fabric in order to control the ratio of epoxy to cloth. To keep the exothermic reaction (the cure) from occurring, rolls of prepreg fabric are stored in freezers until it’s time use them. Once the material hits air temperature the material begins to get sticky as the cure begins.
    Resin infusion is used in conjunction with vacuum bagging. It’s a technique where the resin is drawn from containers outside the bag, and into and through the laminate. It’s also used to precisely control the ratio of resin to composite material.

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      Reagan Tucker says:

      thank you very much for clarifying the different techniques. Very helpful.

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  Bob Burk says:

  Thanks, took a lot of the mystery out of the process.

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  Clyde Davis says:

  MONSTER THANKS GUYS !!

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  William McCaffrey says:

  Great presentation to get a beginner to understand the basic process. Well done. I think you should also mention that you can use re-usable bags that can be closed with a PVC C clamp. I do a lot a vacuum bagging and having reusable bags is a real time saver. Just a suggestion.

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  Peter Hendrickson says:

  Ever a treat to watch a master teacher on deck…full marks to the videographer to break down the trick-of-the-trade moves for the viewer.

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  Joseph Zawodny says:

  Very informative discussion and demonstration of the technique. I am one of those beginners who always admired this technique but was a bit concerned at the step by step procedures. Eric does a superb job describing the step by step process. I am very glad to be a lifetime member of this organization. Thank you very much.

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  donald wilson says:

  Great tip about the bubble wrap evac layer. Worth the price of admission right there. Thanks!