The recent computer rendering of the Mach 2's forward raked gantry and a post on Phil's blog about replacing the wand cable with carbon tubes to reduce weight have got me itching to mix resin and play with carbon. Unfortunately the outside temperature has also been falling. Snow flurries last night and with a northwest breeze today, the wind chill is in the teens (that's ~ minus8C for you metric folk.) This time last year, because I don't have a heated shop space, I was gluing rack tubes on the kitchen floor (did I mention that my wife is a saint?) so I may be back to the kitchen for the new bits. But first, I had to drag out the list of suppliers, that with Bill's help, I've managed to find. For those who may want the info, here it is:
Selected Sources for Home Builders:
Euro-Composites (Elkwood, Virginia) Nomex honeycomb core material
Composite Engineering/Ted Van Dusen (Massachusetts) Custom carbon rack tubes
Goodwinds Kites (Washington – Pacific NW) Small diameter carbon tubes.
Soller Composites (New Hampshire) Uni-directional carbon
McMaster-Carr (Chicago) Grade G10 Garolite rod/sheet; general industrial supplies
Applied Vehicle Technology (Indiana) Carbon cloth
Eastern Burlap (Norfolk) WEST epoxy resin/vacuum bagging supplies
West Marine (Annapolis) Starboard cassette material, Corecell foam, other supplies
Annapolis Performance Sailing (Annapolis) UHMW tape, other supplies & hardware
Aircraft Spruce (Georgia) Kevlar fabric
I get the majority of the supplies via the mail, except for the stuff from Eastern Burlap, a local business that I've used since the early '70s when I built my first boat, a Stockholm Sprite. I have found that when I'm in the build thinking mode, most of the time is spent contemplating design and process, and there's relatively little actual shop-time (or kitchen-time as the case may be.) So at this point I'm beginning to visualize, continuing to discuss with Bill, my advisor on all things Beaver, and post to and receive from Phil, Doug, Karl and the rest of the mothosphere blog comments about design and engineering.
The music is on, stay tuned.
Glen Hansard - Falling Slowly Lyrics
I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You'll make it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along
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