Fiberglass Stringers

General Discussion
1

Does anyone ever do fiberglass stringers?

I have had fiberglass rail rods, back in the early 90’s, but never fiberglass stringers.

2

This one has 4 oz uni-directional CF tape as the perimeter stringers. The center is just a glue line. I don’t recommend it for shaping unless you’ve got tyvek coveralls and full face respirator. I had itchy, gray dust over the entire shaping room by the time I finished shaping this one.

3

…shapes easy…rides nice…prone to failure…

4

What about a a few layers of fiber glass laminated either side of the stringer?

5

OK… but roving laid in along both sides, under both the deck skin and bottom skin, beefs up the I beam effect, and really adds strength, if that’s what you’re after.

6
Quote:

…shapes easy…rides nice…prone to failure…

Is there a reason that it is more prone to failure? Is it less prone if done with epoxy since it is more flexible?

What type of failure? Do the boards just snap easier?

7

My experience has been that the fiberglass stringers are more prone to buckling and snapping.

What resists buckling, fatigue, and ultimate failure (snapping) is the “I beam” created by the bond between the skins and the stringer - the more hardy this structure is, the less the materials fatigue from stress, and the longer it lasts. Because a fiberglass stringer is so thin, the structure created is relatively weak, when compared to, say, a 3/8 wood stringer. The wider the stringer, the stronger the bond between the skins and stringer, the less fatigue, etc.

8

We talked about the board breaking part of this at length last year on a thread

called ‘‘best way to prevent breakage’’. I’ve been fascinated by the mechanics

of failures for about twenty years.

9
Quote:

‘‘best way to prevent breakage’’.

What was the consensus of that thread? Surest way to prevent breakage would be don’t ride 'em? har har

10
Quote:
Quote:

‘‘best way to prevent breakage’’.

What was the consensus of that thread? Surest way to prevent breakage would be don’t ride 'em? har har

I think '‘don’t ride ‘em’’ came up, and I’m not sure consensus was reached (is it ever on sways?)

I went through the mechanics of how ‘‘conventional’’ boards break, and a Phd engineer backed me up,

so at least the two of us reached consensus.

11

There you go!