Springfield Flyer.

[Peter Jack]

Just remember Mike, they use a lot of bead and very little resin. They knead the mixture for quite a while to get it consistant. It usually kicks in half an hour or so and the driver gets out then they leave it till the next day to trim and fit.

After the seat's trimmed they cover it in gaffers tape for testing to see if any more trimming is needed. Once it's satisfactory they then cover it in Nomex fabric.

I think the preponderance of beads to resin is what gives the seat its energy absourbing qualities.

Pete

[tauruck]

Spot on.
Thanks Pete.
My supplier gave me the right amount of resin and it has a pot life of 1 hour.
I'm going to skip the tape on this one. My other seats for the F2 cars were done that way.
Once I'm happy with the trim we'll go straight to the nomex.
Caren Vosloo of Gelvenor textiles sent enough material for 5 seats.

[tauruck]

I received a care package from Buddy 10 days ago.

There are lots of really special members on the forum and I would like to thank Buddy and the guys from Flatcad for the gesture.

I'll wear the shirt on special occasions. It deserves that much. It's awesome.

We're trying to find a pole long enough for the flag but for now it is folded correctly and has pride of place.

God Bless you my friend.

[38flattie]

Good luck Mike- it warms my heart to know another American flag will soon be flying across the pond!

[tauruck]

Thanks Buddy, just let anybody try touch it.

My helmet needs to go back for paint so Ashley asked that I don't peel all the masking off of it.
I guess the view I had after poking a hole will be similar to when the car is built.
I needed to see where I fitted based on the air pipe connector on the helmet.
I'm good, plenty space and I can still see over the dash.

[tauruck]

I got the bag of expanded beads for the seat today.
It's the right stuff. The beads vary in size and they are the graphite variety.

More than I need for a seat and we'll make sure we don't lose any in the transfer to the vacuum bag.
Trying to clean them up is a mission I'm told.

I'm too tired to start on the process right now but i'll get into it tomorrow morning.

[tauruck]

I made a seat for the liner.

Not easy I might add.

Putting a vacuum bag together was a pretty standard procedure.

Mixing and kneading went fine.

[tauruck]

Putting the bag full off expanded beads into the driver's cell was difficult.

I opted to rather mix too much material and I overestimated the size of the area I had to work with.

My biggest problem was doing this seat pour on my own.
Definitely a two man operation.

I was dripping with perspiration and must have jumped out and back in 40 times.
Move material, jump in, wiggle about, not right so back out and it went on and on.

The Epoxy sets up in 15 to 20 minutes and is cured in 60 and I could feel the heat through my suit.

The seat feels really good. Nice and snug.

Good thing I never had visitors.

Imagine walking into a shop and finding a guy in a race suit and helmet sitting in an unfinished car making all kinds of weird noises.

Those weren't engine sounds, they were screams of pain and frustration.

[tauruck]

Some other pics of the adventure.

Vacuum pump and bag of beads ready for epoxy.

I'm not totally happy with my work.

I made mistakes on the processes I carry out daily.
The vacuum bag one way valve wasn't properly protected by breather material
forcing me to reopen the sealed bag and  I don't think I had good vacuum thereafter.
The bag material may have been of a too heavy material.

I'd like a second go at making the seat but I'll wait and see how #1 turned out. Maybe I get lucky?.

[SPARKY]

ahhh---  the primal scream of a frustrated builder-fabricator ---  I have heard that from time to time :

Mike,  here's to hoping you do not have to hear that very often  

[tauruck]

Hey Sparky, thanks.

I made a second seat today, better than #1.

Less screaming but I think third time lucky.

I made another mistake today. Too much resin this time.

There must be a famous pie called "Grandma's Best Apple" or something somewhere and us mere mortals jam the stuff down our necks
without a second thought.

We never ask how long it took for her to get the recipe just right.

I might be howling at the moon before I'm done.

[tauruck]

Kneaded beads in the bag.

Vacuum formed seat under cure.

[Buickguy3]

Mike, Now you know why they sent you 10 times more pellets than needed. 
   Doug 

[tauruck]

The seat kicked me in the butt.

Doug, my research showed that BASF manufactures the beads.
They sponsored the coatings, abrasives and paint for the car.
I called my rep about the beads and to cut a long story short
the factory here that manufactures them gave me a bag full.
The missus went to collect because she's a rep and was in the area that day.
When she got home I thought she'd had her windows on the Chevy tinted.
That bag invaded the car.

Pouring seats isn't easy and guys that sell the "kits" don't tell you about the pitfalls.
You won't get it right first time. How many guys that drive race cars have composites experience and the equipment
that goes with it?. Not many.
Right now I'm that guy at Belmont Park that thinks he knows horses, chasing the money he lost.

[tauruck]

salt fe·ver
elevated temperature in an infant, following a rectal injection of a salt solution.
See also: thirst fever.
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012