Interior / Upholstry All RV´s are made simple. What i mean is that the way the RV's are designed, the builder has total freedom regarding the interior design. This also keeps the kit prices down. Many builders paint the interior, this keeps the weight down, and is relatively easy and inexpensive. We have chosen something very didfferent. We are building glasfibrepanels to fit inside the cabin. They will be covered with a thin layer of foam and upholstred with leather or fabric. The little extra weight shouldnt't be a problem since our engine is lighter than the factory demo. To make the panels we need a mold. To make a mold we need a panel? What we do is to make an exact model of the panel we want, in clay. Not ordenary clay that you can bake in an oven. But special clay used in the autoindustry to make models of cars. This clay dosn't dry out like normal clay. And can be reused. The first thing to do, is to decide how you want the panel to look, Just roughly. The clay is then heated to 55-60 degrees celcius (135fahrenheit). When heated the clay becomes soft. When the clay is soft, we mold a rough shape of the panel. When this is done, the clay has to cool down. When cooled down, you use several different tools to get the shape you want. The surface also has to be smoothe to be used for the making of the mold The advantages of using clay, is that you can add layers relatively easy. When the panel is done its time to make the mold. The mold is made in glasfibre. When the mold is done its easy to make the panel that we want in the aircraft. We have thought about selling panels to RV10 builders. It takes a lot of work to do just on, and since its easy to make them form our mold we might as well sell some if possible. 24/11 The panel in the left passenger side is beginning to look nice. 5/12 The claypanel is done. My dad is making the mould on this picture. Fo easier release of the mould when it has cured, we prime the clay with wax and releaseagent. The black stuff he is applying, is gelcoat. When the gelcoat has cured for a while, glass is applied together with polyester. The polyester and the gelcoat is toxic and a protective mask is a must. The fumes are so powerfull that the activated carbonfilters has to be replaced every twenty minute. 7/12 Despite the use of wax and release agent, the mould was stuck to the clay. We had to scrape it off. Now the mould has to be polished. 12/12 The mould is ready and the making of the panel is in progress. we use epoxy instead of polyester to make the finished panel. Epoxy is lighter and stronger, and most important, we can work with it without protective equipment. Except gloves. Vax and releaseagent is applied before the resin. 21/12 The finished panel is set up in the plane, it came out nicely. 4/1 The panel for the other side is also done now but!!!, we have decided not to use them and use anothersolution instead. The fact that I have spent more than a month doing them is just tough luck. On the other hand, it would be silly to use something you don't really like. Se what we are doing instead under the submenues.