Making your own fiberglass tailspring

Mike Kimball · Post by **Mike Kimball** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:43 pm

FWIW I would recommend S-glass, not the E-glass that you can get at hardware
stores. Probably want to alternate each layer in different directions too.
I guess you could use the dimensions of the spring already in use to figure
out how thick to make it. If you really wanted to experiment you might
alternate different layers of S-glass with Kevlar, leaving the outside
layers in Kevlar for it's impact resistance. I would lean toward a higher
percentage of S-glass. But with Kevlar being twice as strong as S-glass you
could make a smaller, lighter tailspring with equal strength if you wanted.
Or make one with the same dimensions and it will be stronger, lighter, and
privide impact resistance to those rocks you're going to through at it. Use
epoxy resin. You shouldn't use polyester resins with Kevlar.

Mike
044SR

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of Bob
Patterson
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 7:10 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: [rebel-builders] Rebel tailsprings - was Empty weight

Changed the header - again !

Yes, it shouldn't be too hard to build fiberglass tailsprings - you
could lay up double or triple width & saw them apart ...

We're not Rambling yet, Tim - we leave July 12th, for a one week
trip to Quebec City & Canada'a east coast, if the weather's good ...
http://prosumers.ca/Ramble08

Everyone's welcome - still time to join in !!

Anna & I will be at Oshkosh, and hope to get together with
everybody, as usual ! :-) Maybe we'll try one more time
for a get-together at the Beer Tent ....

--
......bobp
bobp@prosumers.ca
http://www.prosumers.ca
http://bpatterson.qhealthbeauty.com
http://apatterson2.qhealthzone.com
http://apatterson2.ordermygift.com

-------------------------------orig.-------------------------
On Tuesday 24 June 2008 02:35, Tim Hickey wrote:

Anybody ever try to lay up a fiberglass spring?

Shouldn't be all that hard. We just need to find an ol VariEze builder and
turn him loose.

By the way, I will be putting together a master list of those planning to
attend OSH 08 in the next several days. Last year we had a very good
discussion with Mr. Murphy for an hour or so. I hope that we can do so
again.
Bob P. Can you help set this up? ( I think Bob is Rambling, but he will
get this sooner or later.)

Tim Hickey
R808

----- Original Message -----
From: "Drew Dalgleish" <drewjan@cabletv.on.ca>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 7:35 PM
Subject: Re: [rebel-builders] Empty weight

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schaumr · Post by **schaumr** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:43 pm

All,
My kit came with the current solid aluminum tailspring...how many of you are
flying with this part? Is the consensus that this is an inferior spring material?
Not having ever seen the fiberglass counterpart, can someone tell me
whether this was a solid part, or hollow and formed around a mandrel or
something?
I'm also wondering about the wheel- and fuselage-attach areas and the
reinforcement required when you put bolts through it. Were there any hard-
points imbedded in the lay-ups?

Rob
Rebel 786

On 6/24/2008 11:53 AM, mkimball@gci.net wrote to rebel-builders:

-> FWIW I would recommend S-glass, not the E-glass that you can get at
hardware
-> stores. Probably want to alternate each layer in different directions too.
-> I guess you could use the dimensions of the spring already in use to figure
-> out how thick to make it. If you really wanted to experiment you might
-> alternate different layers of S-glass with Kevlar, leaving the outside
-> layers in Kevlar for it's impact resistance. I would lean toward a higher
-> percentage of S-glass. But with Kevlar being twice as strong as S-glass
you
-> could make a smaller, lighter tailspring with equal strength if you wanted.
-> Or make one with the same dimensions and it will be stronger, lighter, and
-> privide impact resistance to those rocks you're going to through at it. Use
-> epoxy resin. You shouldn't use polyester resins with Kevlar.
->
-> Mike
-> 044SR
->
-> -----Original Message-----
-> From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
Bob
-> Patterson
-> Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 7:10 PM
-> To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
-> Subject: Re: [rebel-builders] Rebel tailsprings - was Empty weight
->
->
-> Changed the header - again !
->
-> Yes, it shouldn't be too hard to build fiberglass tailsprings - you
-> could lay up double or triple width & saw them apart ...
->
-> We're not Rambling yet, Tim - we leave July 12th, for a one week
-> trip to Quebec City & Canada'a east coast, if the weather's good ...
-> http://prosumers.ca/Ramble08
->
-> Everyone's welcome - still time to join in !!
->
-> Anna & I will be at Oshkosh, and hope to get together with
-> everybody, as usual ! :-) Maybe we'll try one more time
-> for a get-together at the Beer Tent ....
->
-> --
-> ......bobp
-> bobp@prosumers.ca
-> http://www.prosumers.ca
-> http://bpatterson.qhealthbeauty.com
-> http://apatterson2.qhealthzone.com
-> http://apatterson2.ordermygift.com
->
-> -------------------------------orig.-------------------------
-> On Tuesday 24 June 2008 02:35, Tim Hickey wrote:
-> > Anybody ever try to lay up a fiberglass spring?
-> >
-> > Shouldn't be all that hard. We just need to find an ol VariEze builder and
-> > turn him loose.
-> >
-> > By the way, I will be putting together a master list of those planning to
-> > attend OSH 08 in the next several days. Last year we had a very good
-> > discussion with Mr. Murphy for an hour or so. I hope that we can do so
-> > again.
-> > Bob P. Can you help set this up? ( I think Bob is Rambling, but he will
-> > get this sooner or later.)
-> >
-> > Tim Hickey
-> > R808
-> >
-> >
-> > ----- Original Message -----
-> > From: "Drew Dalgleish" <drewjan@cabletv.on.ca>
-> > To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
-> > Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 7:35 PM
-> > Subject: Re: [rebel-builders] Empty weight
-> >
->
->
->
->
->
-> -----------------------------------------------------------------
-> List archives located at: https://mail.dcsol.com/login
-> username "rebel" password "builder"
-> Unsubscribe: rebel-builders-unsubscribe@dcsol.com
-> List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-> -----------------------------------------------------------------
->
->
->

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