Recently I read this statement in a press release from a company that sometimes gives out questionable information about board construction. Is it true or is this an exageration? Thanks.
“Having Carbon on only one side is actually a detriment to the structural symmetry and integrity of the skimboard. If anything, that single sheet of Carbon makes the board weaker, because it changes the way the energy is transferred to the fiber, and focuses it onto that single sheet of carbon. The board would be stronger if a sheet of Eglass or Sglass was there in its place.”
impact might be another story but it also comes down to core construction and resin used…
Carbon is much stiffer and stronger in torsion than glass and will often outperform the resin system used with it if its anything other than an excellent vynal ester or an epoxy laminate…
One benefit, especially on something small and dense like a skimboard is that its a lot lighter in weight for the amount of strength you add to the board.
the perfect solution in my eyes would be a Carbon Kevlar twill or similar with epoxy vac bagged…
or maybe even prepreg with a nomex or aluminium honeycomb core - does anyone do that in skim boards? would be pretty strong but die badly if cracked through to the core.
Riffraff your correct in what you say .Yes we have built boards using carbon and nomex .To use for a skimboard is to light when you launch . For kiteboards its great apart from the price to customers .Dont use Kevlar its a pig to cut and sand . Hollow carbon nomex surfboard works .Two layers of 200 gram plain weave top and bottom UD in the length .5mm honeycomb for frame and underside . Comes in around 5lbs all up . Downside chips . I think the answer is carbon board with wood rails .
There is a theory that if you are going to use carbon you should use enough to take ALL the loads. The reason for this is that as the glass and resin stretch more than carbon, eventually the carbon will have to take all the loads when the glass and resin have reached a certain stretch (without breaking).
There are loads of laminate analysis programs with which one can build a laminate and play with fibre angles relative to load paths. Under all sorts of circumstances the addition of a layer of carbon in the wrong place or orientation WILL result in a laminate that will fail earlier than a plain glass lay-up.
“I think the answer is carbon board with wood rails”
now that would look fkn great… especially if the woodwork was stylishly grained and not too pail.
please someone with more money than me make one!!! I would be happy to help on one with advice/teaching on how to handle the carbon/honeycomb or other sandwich stuff - should mention I have no experience on surfboards but had more than enough in past jobs on auto/aviation parts both structural and cosmetic. I also have experience in how to get a “sanding not required” gloss finish using carbon/kevlar. Please someone make this board.
I can see that happening if an inferior resin system was used or if hand laminated but if your talking about using a good resin system and a good process like vac, RTM, autoclave or prepreg then I dont reckon it would be the case. If it was a hand layup then the resin will fail before the carbon 9x out of 10 which it turn makes the carbon shatter if load is still present or increasing. A few laminators Ive known can layout cloth to that saturation ratio by hand but they arent common and often are working in places that have the equipment to make their skills in that area not necessary. No computers used for that one… just my personal experience.
I posted that partly as a result of experiments we have done when making carbon chainplates on Minitransat racing yachts. Also there is a fantastic article in Professional Boatbuilder which I will try and dig up and put a link to. Where are you riffraff, I fancy doing a board like this and would love to collaborate?
Well the way we make our boards is different .Lay the panels up finished and flat ,then place over the frame and finish . Any one who covers up carbon ,its known in the trade as a bodge .If you lay the panels flat ,its easier to get the finish using polyester film .
At first ,yes but not any more .For hollow boards we are going to be using a press .Were waiting for the lay flat tube ,then away we go .Same method as snow boards but not so much pressure . Simple cheap and reliable method.
