Understanding Aircraft Composite Construction
by Zeke Smith
245 Pages               $29.95

An up to date book for the non-engineer builder which offers an understanding and the basic techniques of a variety of composite working procedures including moldless, sandwich, and vacuum bagging techniques, building for strength and rigidity, getting a smooth finish, and methods of use of advanced materials. Well laid out with lots of drawings.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strong Materials
Basic material principles         1-1
Forces in a solid                 1-3
Strength                          1-6
Griffith's model                  1-10
Why things break                  1-11
fractures                         1-12
toughness                         1-14
strain energy                     1-15
Forces In Structure
beam theory                       2-1
the simple panel                  2-7
extending the panel               2-8
multiple loads                    2-11
bending                           2-11
shear                             2-13
buckling columns                  2-16
Nature of Composite Materials
introductory puzzle               3-1
2 phase material                  3-2
crack stopping                    3-7
compression loads                 3-8
ductility                         3-8
"soft" failure                    3-9
fatigue failure                   3-11
environmental effects             3-15
The Structural Sandwich
2-D beam to the 3-D panel         4-1
the structural sandwich           4-6
failure modes                     4-8
stiffness in sandwich structures  4-11
complex loads                     4-14
handling loads                    4-16
Structural Matrices
fiber choices and bonding         5-1
glass fiber                       5-2
ceramics                          5-5
bonding to the matrix             5-5
fabrics                           5-7
weaves                            5-9
adding resin                      5-12
types of resin                    5-15
post curing                       5-16
two part resins                   5-18
inhibited resins                  5-23
Core Materials
wood                               6-1
foam                               6-2
honeycomb                          6-5
Joining Structures
adhesive joints                    7-1
bushings and attachments           7-6
bonding lay-ups                    7-9
Solid Core Structures
flat sandwich structures           8-1
solid core airfoils                8-2
Moldless Tools & Techniques
Rutan's construction manual        9-1
tools and supplies                 9-4
handling and cutting fiberglass    9-6
handling resin                     9-10
non structural fillers             9-11
structural fillers                 9-12
foam blocks                        9-13
hot wire cutting                   9-15
repairs                            9-21
finishing                          9-22
Moldless Layup Techniques
building a foam core wing          10-1
moldless wet layup                 10-5
filling foam core surfaces         10-8
finishing                          10-13
Hollow Structures
curved surfaces                    11-2
the hollow wing                    11-6
molded skin structures             11-7
hybrid designs                     11-15
the flutter problem                11-16
Mold Making
the sheet mold                     12-2
forming a male plug                12-3
making a female mold               12-7
adding a bonding area              12-9
Using Molds
layup in a female mold             13-2
vacuum bagging                     13-4
the vacuum system                  13-10
Vacuum Bagging Procedures
the flat sandwich                  14-1
long leading edge skin             14-4
upper wing skin                    14-7
Conclusion