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Need suggestions for repairing a carbon fiber wing

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canucck
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Need suggestions for repairing a carbon fiber wing

Postby canucck » Sun Jul 08, 2018 2:33 pm

Hi,

I hope that someone on this board can help me with suggestions for a repair. I have a carbon fiber wing that I have damaged through multiple impacts on the sand bar here at Souris, PEI, Canada. Essentially what has occurred is that a several inch long crack has opened up on the front of the leading wing; it is bigger than a hairline crack.
crack1.jpg
crack1.jpg (48.08 KiB) Viewed 3721 times
I have been researching what others have done across multiple forums, and hope that someone here can provide me some recommendations. I have found some possible solutions below, and perhaps one of these is the best, or maybe there is another solution that should be used?

1. Epoxy – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QV ... 5YGI&psc=1 – would this provide structural integrity, given that the crack is on the front of the wing? Looks like an easy solution.

2. Superglue with baking soda – this is a posting from kiteforum: “To repair dents and cracks in airplane propellers to include surfboard dents masts etc, superglue can be used. First fill the dent with superglue, then sprinkle finely ground Sodium Bicarbonate(Baking Soda) on the surface of the glue. The glue instantly hardens 5 times stronger then normal superglue. Next brush off the excess Baking Soda with a brush then file or wet sand. If the void is not filled apply the process again until void has been removed. The process is cheap, fast and effective.”

– Check out this video to see it in practice, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU2qph2vG9Y – I was thinking that I could fill the crack with glue, clamp the wing to squeeze the crack tight and then coat with baking soda.

3. Ground carbon with epoxy

4. Carbon mat with epoxy

5. Carbon tape and epoxy (https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-sys ... ecordNum=1)

6. Fiberglass mat with epoxy

Thanks for your help and expertise!

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Re: Need suggestions for repairing a carbon fiber wing

Postby rynhardt » Sun Jul 08, 2018 6:22 pm

Looks like the wing was made in two parts and have split on the seam. Just put a bit of epoxy in the crack and clamp the two parts together again, wipe off the excess.
For a stronger result you can put some reinforcement over the seam. Either glass or carbon or maybe even aramid if you want toughness.
For this you'll need to abrade the leading edge with something like 100 grit and layup like a 20cm wide strip over the crack. You can smooth out the leading edge with epoxy fairing compound and sand that smooth.

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Re: Need suggestions for repairing a carbon fiber wing

Postby Foil » Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:30 pm

rynhardt wrote:
Sun Jul 08, 2018 6:22 pm
Looks like the wing was made in two parts and have split on the seam. Just put a bit of epoxy in the crack and clamp the two parts together again, wipe off the excess.
For a stronger result you can put some reinforcement over the seam. Either glass or carbon or maybe even aramid if you want toughness.
For this you'll need to abrade the leading edge with something like 100 grit and layup like a 20cm wide strip over the crack. You can smooth out the leading edge with epoxy fairing compound and sand that smooth.
That sounds like good advice, maybe one day I will need to look at your post again to remind me.
brilliant stuff.

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Re: Need suggestions for repairing a carbon fiber wing

Postby Bradford » Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:54 pm

Is that a liquid force impulse?

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Re: Need suggestions for repairing a carbon fiber wing

Postby canucck » Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:55 pm

rynhart - thank you for the suggestion.

Bradford - yes, you have a good eye! I am very happy with the wings, and the damage is 100% my fault.


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