ONE OF MANY WAYS TO LAY OUT A DUCT IN A HALF HOUR (!)....
IT WORKS FOR THE WEBERS!!
(A special thank you to Verdon for spending his Sunday morning on the computer with me to accomplish this page!)
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Regardless of what type of duct you want to end up with, it's in your best interests to find the easiest way to do it and yet the most efficient for your crafts overall speed! This particular duct was the beginning of the Weber WIG duct..... |
| Start with a good disc.......you can make one yourself, or get a template.....it should be collapsible for easy removal when your duct is completed. |  |
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It's time to lay out the strips of beadboard...here Vernon uses 1" and is literally strapping them together with inexpensive masking tape. |
| This particular duct requires four lengths of varying widths of 14 1/2" to 5 1/2", all four can be taken out of one 4' x 8' sheet of 1" beadboard. Since you need 2 of each length, you will need two 4x8 sheets to complete it. It makes a completed duct of 19" in depth. |  |
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Apply several beads of Great Stuff as you wrap each layer, but not including the very first layer....see next picture. |
| This is applying first layer which has no Great Stuff applied to it. Each succeeding layer will have to be glued. |  |
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The masking tape you see has
been applied to prevent breakage during bending. Two small ropes will then be applied around the unit and tightened and clamped to hold everything tight, then short layers of tape are applied to hold the ends together when you remove the ropes. Forgive the finger here because I'm pointing so the cameraman can focus on Vernon's activities....but he didn't catch the hint! |
| Before applying second layer,
ONE rope will need to be removed and nails inserted four
inches above the trailing edge of the first layer to rest
the second layer on. (note the nail in the picture) Second layer is applied resting on the nails and tied together with one rope. |
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Third layer being applied to rest on nails inserted in second layer 4 7/8" above trailing edge and tied together with just one rope. |
| Another view of third layer being applied. |  |
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Fourth and final layer evened up with the leading edge of the third layer and tied with rope to secure....no nails needed here. We leave one rope on each layer until everything is set up. |
| The duct is slipped on a spindle so that it can turn for glassing and shaping. |  |
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The inside surface aft of the disc is glassed, a heavy bar is used to stabilize the duct during glassing and just merely rests against the duct. |
| Shaping the leading edge is done with a special tool chucked in an electric drill... |  |
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which has been tooled to the final shape we want the leading edge to be. |
| Inlet radius rough finished....hot wiring of the rest of the outer surface has already been done. |  |
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Initially when applying masking
tape be sure to apply it where it will not interfere with
the hot wire. Masking tape does not hot wire readily. Duct is now removed from spindle and hand sanded. |
| ...and wallah, after a little more coaxing we will have THE END of a StarCruiser! |  |
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