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fiberglass tank update

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wdaniell.longport(at)gmai
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:33 pm Post subject: fiberglass tank update

Light at the end of the tunnel.



This is not for the faint of heart.  That said it was made considerably worse by doing it in Florida summer, on a full day's work I lost about 5 lbs.

I originally planned to make front and back and then the base/sides and glue it all together.  This is impossible.
I then did what I should have done in the first place and made a plug of XPS.  Sounds easy when said like that but oh boy.  Getting the plug out was a nightmare despite (supposed) release tape.  lesson learned:  make the plug hollow.  Front and back and then build the sides so that you can break out the plug without effort.  
I used EZ Poxy and Rutan cloth.
I glassed the inside with three layers.   It is quite heavy, I am guessing maybe 50% more than the original,   (can anyone send me the weight of a plastic tank ?) but very solid.  However I guess it will crack in the case of a crash.  
This tank holds 15 gals.   5 gals up to the top of the "hump",  5 gals up to the bottom of the shelf and 5 gals in the shelf.   I could have made it a bit bigger but it fist in the door sills.
I have decided to go with the original outlet fittings so that I can inspect the finger strainers as part of the annual.  I have heard of fiberglass tanks shedding.  The fiberglass outlets for the fittings will be floxed/glassed in place.  I will use the original 1" hose arrangement to hold the aluminium outlets in place.
Filler is next.
I am putting an inspection hatch in the top.  

I asked Europa for a quote the day after I discovered the leak.  I am still waiting for the quote, let alone the delivery time.  

Thanks to Chuck Reinas in CA.

Will

William Daniell



LONGPORT



+1 786 878 0246

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peterz(at)zutrasoft.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:52 pm Post subject: fiberglass tank update

I will measure my tank's weight this monday.... if you haven't received the number by then.

cheers,

PeteZ



On Thu, Sep 15, 2022 at 5:48 PM William Daniell <wdaniell.longport(at)gmail.com (wdaniell.longport(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Light at the end of the tunnel.



This is not for the faint of heart.  That said it was made considerably worse by doing it in Florida summer, on a full day's work I lost about 5 lbs.

I originally planned to make front and back and then the base/sides and glue it all together.  This is impossible.
I then did what I should have done in the first place and made a plug of XPS.  Sounds easy when said like that but oh boy.  Getting the plug out was a nightmare despite (supposed) release tape.  lesson learned:  make the plug hollow.  Front and back and then build the sides so that you can break out the plug without effort.  
I used EZ Poxy and Rutan cloth.
I glassed the inside with three layers.   It is quite heavy, I am guessing maybe 50% more than the original,   (can anyone send me the weight of a plastic tank ?) but very solid.  However I guess it will crack in the case of a crash.  
This tank holds 15 gals.   5 gals up to the top of the "hump",  5 gals up to the bottom of the shelf and 5 gals in the shelf.   I could have made it a bit bigger but it fist in the door sills.
I have decided to go with the original outlet fittings so that I can inspect the finger strainers as part of the annual.  I have heard of fiberglass tanks shedding.  The fiberglass outlets for the fittings will be floxed/glassed in place.  I will use the original 1" hose arrangement to hold the aluminium outlets in place.
Filler is next.
I am putting an inspection hatch in the top.  

I asked Europa for a quote the day after I discovered the leak.  I am still waiting for the quote, let alone the delivery time.  

Thanks to Chuck Reinas in CA.

Will

William Daniell



LONGPORT



+1 786 878 0246

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

barp99(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:18 pm Post subject: fiberglass tank update

I just weighed my bare tank, 6.390 Kg or 14.07 pounds. 

     

     Don't feel bad, I am still waiting on a Europa order I placed over a     year ago, nothing fast happens there. 

     

     Cheers,

     Brian Phillips

     Oz.   

     

     On 16/09/2022 7:51 am, Pete Zut wrote:

     

      	  Quote: 	
		                         I will measure my tank's weight this monday.... if you           haven't received the number by then.

         

         

         cheers,

         PeteZ

         

       

       

                On Thu, Sep 15, 2022 at 5:48           PM William Daniell <wdaniell.longport(at)gmail.com (wdaniell.longport(at)gmail.com)>           wrote:

         

          	  Quote: 	
		                          Light at the end of               the tunnel.

             

             

             

             This is not for the               faint of heart.  That said it was made considerably worse               by doing it in Florida summer, on a full day's work I lost               about 5 lbs.

                                             I originally planned to make front and back and then                   the base/sides and glue it all together.  This is                   impossible.                 
I then did what I should have done in the first                   place and made a plug of XPS.  Sounds easy when said                   like that but oh boy.  Getting the plug out was a                   nightmare despite (supposed) release tape.  lesson                   learned:  make the plug hollow.  Front and back and                   then build the sides so that you can break out the                   plug without effort.                   
I used EZ Poxy and Rutan cloth.                 
I glassed the inside with three layers.   It is                   quite heavy, I am guessing maybe 50% more than the                   original,   (can anyone send me the weight of a                   plastic tank ?) but very solid.  However I guess it                   will crack in the case of a crash.                   
This tank holds 15 gals.   5 gals up to the top of                   the "hump",  5 gals up to the bottom of the shelf and                   5 gals in the shelf.   I could have made it a bit                   bigger but it fist in the door sills.                 
I have decided to go with the original outlet                   fittings so that I can inspect the finger strainers as                   part of the annual.  I have heard of fiberglass tanks                   shedding.  The fiberglass outlets for the fittings                   will be floxed/glassed in place.  I will use the                   original 1" hose arrangement to hold the aluminium                   outlets in place.                 
Filler is next.                 
I am putting an inspection hatch in the top.                              

             I asked Europa for a               quote the day after I discovered the leak.  I am still               waiting for the quote, let alone the delivery time.  

             

             

             Thanks to               Chuck Reinas in CA.

             

             

             Will

             

             

                                                                                                                                                                William Daniell

                           

                           LONGPORT

                       

                       +1 786 878 0246

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

wdaniell.longport(at)gmai
Guest

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2022 6:03 am Post subject: fiberglass tank update

Brian thanks

William Daniell



LONGPORT



+1 786 878 0246

On Thu, Sep 15, 2022 at 6:20 PM Brian Phillips <barp99(at)gmail.com (barp99(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		                     I just weighed my bare tank, 6.390 Kg or 14.07 pounds. 

     

     Don't feel bad, I am still waiting on a Europa order I placed over a     year ago, nothing fast happens there. 

     

     Cheers,

     Brian Phillips

     Oz.   

     

     On 16/09/2022 7:51 am, Pete Zut wrote:

     

      	  Quote: 	
		                         I will measure my tank's weight this monday.... if you           haven't received the number by then.

         

         

         cheers,

         PeteZ

         

       

       

                On Thu, Sep 15, 2022 at 5:48           PM William Daniell <wdaniell.longport(at)gmail.com (wdaniell.longport(at)gmail.com)>           wrote:

         

          	  Quote: 	
		                          Light at the end of               the tunnel.

             

             

             

             This is not for the               faint of heart.  That said it was made considerably worse               by doing it in Florida summer, on a full day's work I lost               about 5 lbs.

                                             I originally planned to make front and back and then                   the base/sides and glue it all together.  This is                   impossible.                 
I then did what I should have done in the first                   place and made a plug of XPS.  Sounds easy when said                   like that but oh boy.  Getting the plug out was a                   nightmare despite (supposed) release tape.  lesson                   learned:  make the plug hollow.  Front and back and                   then build the sides so that you can break out the                   plug without effort.                   
I used EZ Poxy and Rutan cloth.                 
I glassed the inside with three layers.   It is                   quite heavy, I am guessing maybe 50% more than the                   original,   (can anyone send me the weight of a                   plastic tank ?) but very solid.  However I guess it                   will crack in the case of a crash.                   
This tank holds 15 gals.   5 gals up to the top of                   the "hump",  5 gals up to the bottom of the shelf and                   5 gals in the shelf.   I could have made it a bit                   bigger but it fist in the door sills.                 
I have decided to go with the original outlet                   fittings so that I can inspect the finger strainers as                   part of the annual.  I have heard of fiberglass tanks                   shedding.  The fiberglass outlets for the fittings                   will be floxed/glassed in place.  I will use the                   original 1" hose arrangement to hold the aluminium                   outlets in place.                 
Filler is next.                 
I am putting an inspection hatch in the top.                              

             I asked Europa for a               quote the day after I discovered the leak.  I am still               waiting for the quote, let alone the delivery time.  

             

             

             Thanks to               Chuck Reinas in CA.

             

             

             Will

             

             

                                                                                                                                                                William Daniell

                           

                           LONGPORT

                       

                       +1 786 878 0246

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2022 6:52 am Post subject: Re: fiberglass tank update

Wow, that is quite the job Will. The good news is that at the end you will have a tank that will last you a lifetime. Hopefully!



Talking about composite tanks, and just out of coincidence, I asked GAMI about the compatibility of their new G100UL fuel with composite tanks. They replied that they have tested their fuel in the Cirrus and no problem. But who knows if their fuel has similar nasties as auto go-go pee.



For sure it ain't going to have Vodka in it.



Looking forward to hearing about your experience with this. Did you make drawings of the plug to share?



Chris

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

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