Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 21:49:21 GMT From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-ID: Organization: Negligible. Subject: Re: 1.5m Graphite Spars In article <18723@umd5.umd.edu> jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) writes: >Ferruling is a perfectly >acceptable method of joining spars, and I rarely break spars at joins. Hmmm... I have heard that Highfliers use *weak* Ferrules to join their leading edge spars, so that in the event of a bad crash, you are more likely to break $0.0n worth of ferrule rather than $n.00 worth of carbon spar. I don't *know* this, it's only what I've heard. Andrew -- andrew@tug.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 3 Mar 93 22:19:57 GMT From: salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) Message-ID: <1993Mar3.221957.25288@nic.funet.fi> Organization: Finnish Academic and Research Network Project - FUNET Subject: Re: 1.5m Graphite Spars In andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) writes: >In article <18723@umd5.umd.edu> jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) writes: >>Ferruling is a perfectly >>acceptable method of joining spars, and I rarely break spars at joins. >Hmmm... I have heard that Highfliers use *weak* Ferrules to join their >leading edge spars, so that in the event of a bad crash, you are more >likely to break $0.0n worth of ferrule rather than $n.00 worth of carbon >spar. I don't *know* this, it's only what I've heard. When I bought my 1st Phantom they (Nick Finnimore?) explained the same thing about the spine, which was (is?) made from two pieces. The "fuse" makes sense when I fly for fun or exercise, but for competition I rather have ferrule strong enough:-) Smooth Winds Simo Salanne = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: 5 Mar 93 23:14:26 GMT From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-ID: <18828@umd5.umd.edu> Organization: University of Maryland at College Park Subject: Re: 1.5m Graphite Spars In article andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) writes: >Hmmm... I have heard that Highfliers use *weak* Ferrules to join their >leading edge spars, so that in the event of a bad crash, you are more >likely to break $0.0n worth of ferrule rather than $n.00 worth of carbon >spar. I don't *know* this, it's only what I've heard. I think this is done by several companies. One problem, though, is that the ferrule can be glued on so tightly that you can't get the old one off. This can be compensated for by gluing the broken half of the ferrule onto the other spar and then gluing a larger diameter ferrule over the whole thing. I've broken ferrules on my NS Extremes and my Rev I. I'm quite certain that Rev *plans* for broken ferrules instead of spars. As I posted when I first broke the ferrule in that kite, there are two little slivers of viny tubing stuffed into the ferrule between the two sticks. I think this cushion helps break the ferrule... As for what Highfliers does, I can't say. I don't think I've ever broken a ferrule in my Phantom, though. I've broken a spine, a lower spreader, and two upper leading edges. On the matter of Highfliers replacement parts, last April I made the mistake of buying a replacement bottom spreader for my Phantom. Not only was it ridiculously expensive, but I noticed that the kite was flying funny after I put on the new spar. I checked and found the new spreader to be almost an inch too long!! Jeff -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | "Fairies are the perfect people to do this | |(suffering Bad Grammar) | sort of work. Biologically, their upper | |jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu | bodies are strong enough to wield a pickaxe...." |