Report #9: Prototype applicators

This report prepared by MMA engineers:
                                                1/C Foley
                                                3/C Holcroft
                                                3/C McQueen
                                                2/C Pike

The cadet engineers have chosen the two top candidates for adhesive applicators. They are a dual-sponge applicator and a plastic bag applicator.

dual-sponge applicator and plastic bag applicator, with rubber stopper shown above

Two silicone adhesives being chilled before application.

 We tried two types of silicone, RTV and QUICK CALK. They were tested
under water, and ice was also added. The temperature got as cold as 1 degree
Celcius in the (ice) bag and 2 degrees Celcius outside the submerged bag.
Both of these new adhesives proved to be failures. (The reasons for adhesive
failure are uncertain...Maybe... the temperature was too (low) or it was not
given enough time to adhere to the rocks.)

This week our objective was to come up with a practical applicator that works 
under deep sea conditions.  I feel that our best applicator was the syringe
type.  The applicator will have two chambers with parts A & B each in their
own chambers.  Alvin's (robotic hand) can depress the plunger and both parts
(will) mix into one chamber and (then exit the mixing chamber and) apply the
adhesive onto the sample.

On the theory that duct tape can solve any problem, the intrepid engineers modified a SmartGlue dispenser for use underwater.