New Aluminum Masts

[DN5135]

I'd say that any one interested in this blank wants a recreational mast and would not need any reinforcement.

I have had a few over the years and they were fine. I do have a glass DN mast for now. My next project is to build a Skeeter wing mast using a prepreg glass process. I had just brought up the over coating info out of interest in what others have done.

[Geoff Sobering]

My next project is to build a Skeeter wing mast using a prepreg glass process.

Cool!

I hope you'll post some reports about how it goes. I'm particularly interested in how one works with prepreg in a "homebuilder" environment.

Cheers,

Geoff S.

[DN5135]

I have sold all the Kenyon Extrusions. The last one went at the NEIYA swap meet yesterday.

On the prepreg, We are forming a foam core with an aluminum sail tube. The prepregs will be wrapped over the foam and both over and under the tube.

I am undecided between shrink tape vs. vacuum bag. We do a lot with various shrink tapes where I work. Although there are a fair variety of shrink force and % available, I am unsure if I can get a uniform enough pretension by hand. Also, With the long crossection of a wing shape, I'm concerned over the compaction force available at the middle of the sides where the bending stresses will be greatest.

We are building a curing box using construction isoboard. The heaters will be electric baseboard strips and i will rig a controller with thermocouples. The heating profile is important, you need to provide enough time for the resins to flow and the air to bled out before reaching cure temperature.

The first mast or 2 will be throw aways. I'm using prepregs and scrim that are available to me as product that is nearing end of shelf life. I have 5%zero/95%90 and 50/50. both are about 12 oz fabrics.