All --
I have been making Diamond Airfoil Fins for my all my mach-capable HP Rockets -- usually from sandwiches of Balsa + ( FiberGlass -or-Kevlar ) Cloth.
I am working on a design for a 38mm scale model Vulcanite -- La Pequeña Vulcanita and after reading here on TRF, I realize how little I know about the best direction to align the fabric weave in the sandwiches.
Back in 1998 or so, I purchased 5-yards of 1.7 oz Kevlar Cloth and 5-yards of Cabon Fiber Cloth of a similar thickness ( don't recall the weight ) for my 98mm Min Diameter Level 3 Project ( El Mui Grande Vulcanite ).
I bought plenty of Kevlar and Carbon Fabric to spare so I could experiment with techniques.
Anyhow, I plan on making either a Carbon Fiber or Kevlar Core followed by step-wise layers of 1/32 Balsa and more fabric.
EDIT: I should add that I shoot for a max thickness ratio of 20::1 from root to tip or in this case from 0.1575 inch at the root to 0.0788 inch at the tip.
Q1: Kevlar or Carbon Fiber Core ?
Q2: Should I align the fabric weave with the leading edge or should it be at some other angle ?
A rough, but good enough sketch of the fins for La Pequeña Vulcanita are below.
Any and all opinions are welcome !
Thanks !
-- kjh
I have been making Diamond Airfoil Fins for my all my mach-capable HP Rockets -- usually from sandwiches of Balsa + ( FiberGlass -or-Kevlar ) Cloth.
I am working on a design for a 38mm scale model Vulcanite -- La Pequeña Vulcanita and after reading here on TRF, I realize how little I know about the best direction to align the fabric weave in the sandwiches.
Back in 1998 or so, I purchased 5-yards of 1.7 oz Kevlar Cloth and 5-yards of Cabon Fiber Cloth of a similar thickness ( don't recall the weight ) for my 98mm Min Diameter Level 3 Project ( El Mui Grande Vulcanite ).
I bought plenty of Kevlar and Carbon Fabric to spare so I could experiment with techniques.
Anyhow, I plan on making either a Carbon Fiber or Kevlar Core followed by step-wise layers of 1/32 Balsa and more fabric.
EDIT: I should add that I shoot for a max thickness ratio of 20::1 from root to tip or in this case from 0.1575 inch at the root to 0.0788 inch at the tip.
Q1: Kevlar or Carbon Fiber Core ?
Q2: Should I align the fabric weave with the leading edge or should it be at some other angle ?
A rough, but good enough sketch of the fins for La Pequeña Vulcanita are below.
Any and all opinions are welcome !
Thanks !
-- kjh
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