Carbon fibre and keel install

[landrover]

Hi All,

Been a while since i posted. Took the plunge and set my keel in place on my cvx 16 with the pl premium adhesive. At 1/8th inch gap, it's a good solid filler with strength and give. My next question is about laying up the fibre glass. I've done one pass with csm using a 2 inch wide cloth for the length of the keel. However, i do have a box of carbon fibre off-cuts,probably enough to encase my stringer twice(small keel). Enclosed are some pics of a roven weave,and another fibreglass cloth that is two layers stiched together. My question is should i now do full passes with traditional cloths(which ones?) or can i get away with doing passes of carbon fibre which would require fewer layers and is easier to work with. I would continue to do as i have done at the one end, meaning stich in the keel on alternating sides til well covered.The resin i have is a waxed poly, in case that matters.Also, i redid the transom, but have not encased it yet, carbon fibre there too? Thx

Landrover

 

[Coho Ghost]

Re: Carbon fibre and keel install

Landrover,

You mentioned you used waxed resin It will have to be WELL sanded and washed with acetone before adding more laminations. You must have layed up the csm with poly or vinyl ester resin. Carbon fiber is best used with epoxy resin and vaccum bagged. Epoxy does NOT work over poly or vinyl resins. I'm not sure you will gain much from the carbon fiber, as super as that stuff is. 1708 bi-axial might be a better choice.

Hopefully some other forum experts will chime in who have a lot more experience than I with what you are doing. Ondavar are you out there?

Coho Ghost

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Carbon fibre and keel install

OK you asked...

Get ride of the waxed resin, it will cause you nothing but grief since now that you laid down the first layer of glass you need to go back grind the entire thing before putting down another layer. This will need to be done whenever you add another layer over what you?ve already done.

Using carbon with polyester resin doesn't really get you anywhere, the polyester isn't strong enough, nor does it bond well enough to C/F for it to work well, you need to at least use VE for any benefit.

Cloth is OK for some things, but it isn't very strong per layer because its so light, you should use mat and roving, or something like 1708 on stringers.


Seemed a little harsh, but really wasn?t meant that way.

 

[redfury]

Re: Carbon fibre and keel install

Save the carbon fiber for the dash!

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Carbon fibre and keel install

Landrover,

Epoxy does NOT work over poly or vinyl resins.

Coho Ghost

Epoxy will work over poly. Poly will not work over epoxy. However, nothing works over anything waxed.