Complex shape of Styrofoam and carbon laminate

   So, I've seen it often enough, but never gotten my own hands dirty.

I have a block of styrofoam I want to shape into a spinnaker chute and laminate it with carbon, so the question, what tools do I need to initially shape then sand the foam to the desired former, then is there any other preparation I need prior to laying up the carbon?

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iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Complex shape of Styrofoam and carbon laminate Posted: 02 May 14 at 3:08pm
	So, I've seen it often enough, but never gotten my own hands dirty. I have a block of styrofoam I want to shape into a spinnaker chute and laminate it with carbon, so the question, what tools do I need to initially shape then sand the foam to the desired former, then is there any other preparation I need prior to laying up the carbon?
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JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6660	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 02 May 14 at 3:38pm
	I've done this, it was a [vowed never to do it again] job. The way I did it was to finish the surface with plaster of Paris, then cover it with release agent. This was wrong!! If for some reason I had to do it again then - Probably do the mould in two pieces to avoid really difficult reverse curves. - Use parcel tape for final surface and across mould joins and not bother with release agent - forget about the idea and solve it another way. Since then I've always fabricated bits in place, not made a chute. To shape roughly, hand saws then hacksaw blade when closer, then surform then sandpaper. Edited by JimC - 02 May 14 at 3:43pm

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 14 at 11:41am
	Thanks Jim, it's either this or a complex bending of stainless steel tube, this is the mess I find myself trying to replace...
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JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6660	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 14 at 12:50pm
	That's the bow of an alto is it? Hmmm. Maybe even sucking of breath through teeth. I think I'd probably make up whatever I did in parts rather than a one piece lavatory bowl chute, but it looks to be an interesting project and I wish you the best of luck with it. Incidentally kite chutes are sonofabitches for getting rope cutting through. Probably why the mass market uses stainless tubes. I use a laminate with kevlar in in the faint hope that might increase the resistance to rope slicing its way through the layup. Goodness know whether I'm right or not. I also think its worth having graphite filler in the layup because I kid myself it reduces friction... Edited by JimC - 05 May 14 at 12:55pm

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 14 at 5:09pm
	Well it's what the bow of what my Alto has become, which is no reference to what an actual Alto might look like, as clumsy and cluttered as it is, it actually works better than it has ever done at this end, the back end is still problematic, but that's just a question of cable routing. So what I had in mind was something like the V2 device which was one of the more successful bits of that venture, it just needs scaling down to fit the Alto bow and be low profile in the middle to take the forestay. Edited by iGRF - 05 May 14 at 5:10pm
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