Hi all.
about to make a few boards. Just wondering if anyone knows what product is best for 12'6 /14ft boards, carbon fibre cloth or tissue plus best weight GSM or 1k 3k etc?
is it best to use a layer of carbon and fibreglass cloth or just go full carbon?
Cheers
200gsm Aerospace Twill weave carbon and 100gsm twill weave fibreglass over the top to give it some impact resistance. Twill weave helps the fibre go around complex curves easily
Soller Composites in the USA for the Carbon
Easy Composites in the UK for the glass
I can't believe importing cloth from the states and UK is the cheapest option. There was a guy that built 3 boards recently. He imported a whole roll of carbon from china. Sure it's probably not Aerospace grade but I don't think it needs to be.
Don't use carbon tissue, 3k 200gsm plain weave will serve you just fine. Aerospace grade does play better.
Full carbon just comes down to cost. I've made surfcraft with 2 layers top and bottom of carbon using full laps and rail strength against impact is phenomenal (Unless you are Emirates Airlines who always find a way to f#$@ me). If used the right way carbon's impact strength is far superior to normal cloth - just remember the more you use the more expensive your project rapidly becomes.
There are some quality Chinese carbon producers now but the cost of CF in Oz is ridiculous. I've used both US and China with great success.
Twill does drape better but is also not as strong as the tight cloth of plain weave - and fibres open up too much if you are not careful. A race SUP is far from a complex curve shape so plain weave should be fine. Some producers manufacture cloth 60-62" wide but at a similar linear cost so these may be manipulated to reduce cost overall (eg. making a lap seam like a stringer down the centre of your shape and using different cuts to maximise the cloth).
