Does anyone have any experience in repairing carbon fins? I chipped a small piece of my carbon Volt last week sailing down at pelican point and was hoping this could be fixed..

Thanks in advance

use metal knead-it or araldite if your using araldite wait till it cures to a paste texture and don't use 5 min , sand a bit short of the fin and finish with a Stanley blade don't sand the original fin

I've found a product in the local hardware, it's called "vital steel epoxy" comes in small tubes like araldite, but is a paste rather than straight resin so it can be used to build up low areas without running.
It sets in 30min if it isn't too cold. So you can use keef's blade method after an hour or so. I prefer a sanded finish, you have to wait a bit longer to do that as it will clog sandpaper if it's not well cured.

That doesn't look like major damage, but I'd add a few fibers of glass in the voids to increase the strength of the repair.

It's hard to see if they are big scratches coming off the leading edge and the chips. If they need to be repaired as well, you probably have to sand over the top of them first so the new resin will stick.

Please take second glue make powder of grillcoal. At first second glue and than the powder. There it is black,see you later nothing. I do it so
over 20 years. Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber. Wolfgang

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Lessacher said..

Please take second glue make powder of grillcoal. At first second glue and than the powder. There it is black,see you later nothing. I do it so
over 20 years. Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber. Wolfgang

+1

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boardboy said..

Lessacher said..

Please take second glue make powder of grillcoal. At first second glue and than the powder. There it is black,see you later nothing. I do it so
over 20 years. Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber. Wolfgang

+1

Boardboy,
Can you explain Lessacher's preferred method. Is it just some epoxy and graphite powder mixed together?

Mike, Can't get any Vital Steel epoxy around these parts and for internet order a $4.60 57gram tubes of the stuff costs $25.00 to post. Is there a retailer in Perth / WA?

what he is saying is if you mix ground fiberglass filings with the resin then the resin has had a second cure, its then a compound cure and it cures rock hard , the best way to do it is lay masking tape underneath the fin add the mix to the repair and wait till its tacky then stick a bit of masking tape over the repair and run a profile gauge over the it to get the foil back , when its set don't sand use a long Stanley blade and scrape the excess resin to blend with the fin
if you add a little bit of airosil to the mix it makes it really creamy and for some reason harder to sand

Keef,
I have reread and reckon Lessacher means superglue ([one] second glue) then sprinkle ground up charcoal over the top. I'll PM boardboy for confirmation.

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sausage said..

Keef,
I have reread and reckon Lessacher means superglue ([one] second glue) then sprinkle ground up charcoal over the top. I'll PM boardboy for confirmation.

no what he means is the mix is like supa glue , just try it do a test , let some resin set no glass, the grind it down and remix let it set then try and sand
if you want a really hard mix add some tungsten carbonate

How I interpreted this:

Mix epoxy, add ground carbon (use parts of old masts, fins etc and grind with a file to create ground carbon).
Mix it all up nice and good, should be nice and thick. Apply to damaged area.
You can shape as it sets. I use a pocket knife and use that flat edge and sort of rock it along the sides to keep side profile consistent without the need to sand. You can then sand the edges as this is just the epoxy mix you have applied, not the original fin.

Far out its hard to explain something so simple in writing.

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sausage said..

boardboy said..

Lessacher said..

Please take second glue make powder of grillcoal. At first second glue and than the powder. There it is black,see you later nothing. I do it so
over 20 years. Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber. Wolfgang

+1

Boardboy,
Can you explain Lessacher's preferred method. Is it just some epoxy and graphite powder mixed together?

Mike, Can't get any Vital Steel epoxy around these parts and for internet order a $4.60 57gram tubes of the stuff costs $25.00 to post. Is there a retailer in Perth / WA?

sausage just get the metal kneed_it you can get it at Bunnings ,autopro, mita10 , it sets in 5min , if you cant find any send me a PM ill send you some to replace the one I borrowed at green is
"edit " http://www.selleys.com.au/putty/epoxy/knead-it-steel/

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sausage said..

Keef,
I have reread and reckon Lessacher means superglue ([one] second glue) then sprinkle ground up charcoal over the top. I'll PM boardboy for confirmation.

When you google a translation of 'Sekundenkleber' it is 'superglue'.

Grillcoal is coal what you buy to BBQ with in Europe. Not to be confused with BBQ Beads, which are typically used in webers

yes dale that is wolfgangs translation of resin that has been recycled , if you recycle carbon that was layed up in epoxy you use epoxy resin and you are compounding the cure , if it was vinyl ester you use vinylester resin , that's why he calls it supa glue , you can use carbon fillings with the opposite and it will be stronger but not as strong as if you use the same same

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sausage said..

>>>>>>

Mike, Can't get any Vital Steel epoxy around these parts and for internet order a $4.60 57gram tubes of the stuff costs $25.00 to post. Is there a retailer in Perth / WA?

Sausage, I just buy it at the local hardware, it's a very small shop but well stocked.
Dot says it should fit in a $5.00 post bag, I'll send you some, whats your address?

Keef, I prefer it to kneedit because it's a bit more runny, and I think you can mold it better.

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keef said..

yes dale that is wolfgangs translation of resin that has been recycled , if you recycle carbon that was layed up in epoxy you use epoxy resin and you are compounding the cure , if it was vinyl ester you use vinylester resin , that's why he calls it supa glue , you can use carbon fillings with the opposite and it will be stronger but not as strong as if you use the same same

No Keith, its literally SuperGlue. In Wolfgang's post he says in Germany it is called 'Sekundenkleber'. Sausage is right, it is (one) second glue in this context.

Wolfgang's English is pretty good. If he meant to say resin, he would have.

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Lessacher said..

Please take second glue make powder of grillcoal. At first second glue and than the powder. There it is black,see you later nothing. I do it so
over 20 years. Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber. Wolfgang

ok lets break it down
ok so he says please take second glue when do we make the first glue
at first second glue then the powder if he is talking about adding powder to the supa glue how long do you have to mix it before it hardens , the supa glue i'm familiar with hardens within a minute
Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber maybe they do a 2pk in Germany , either way we will find out because I imagine he will reply

make powder of grillcoal WAMBO I FIGGURED IT OUT what he does is crushes char grill granite rock to a powder and mixes it with resin , WOW how good is that you learn something every day

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keef said..

sausage said..

Keef,
I have reread and reckon Lessacher means superglue ([one] second glue) then sprinkle ground up charcoal over the top. I'll PM boardboy for confirmation.

no what he means is the mix is like supa glue , just try it do a test , let some resin set no glass, the grind it down and remix let it set then try and sand
if you want a really hard mix add some tungsten carbonate

it would be the same as tungsten carbonate

Select to expand quote

keef said..

Lessacher said..

Please take second glue make powder of grillcoal. At first second glue and than the powder. There it is black,see you later nothing. I do it so
over 20 years. Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber. Wolfgang

ok lets break it down
ok so he says please take second glue when do we make the first glue
at first second glue then the powder if he is talking about adding powder to the supa glue how long do you have to mix it before it hardens , the supa glue i'm familiar with hardens within a minute
Second glue is in Germany Sekundenkleber maybe they do a 2pk in Germany , either way we will find out because I imagine he will reply

make powder of grillcoal WAMBO I FIGGURED IT OUT what he does is crushes char grill granite rock to a powder and mixes it with resin , WOW how good is that you learn something every day

keef said..

sausage said..

Keef,
I have reread and reckon Lessacher means superglue ([one] second glue) then sprinkle ground up charcoal over the top. I'll PM boardboy for confirmation.

no what he means is the mix is like supa glue , just try it do a test , let some resin set no glass, the grind it down and remix let it set then try and sand
if you want a really hard mix add some tungsten carbonate

it would be the same as tungsten carbonate

Okay, here is my interpretation, as Sausage says, 'second glue' is (one) second glue, i.e. superglue.

So it should be something like:

Please take super glue, make some powder from charcoal. At first use the superglue and then add the powder. When you do this it goes black, later you will see nothing. I have done it this way for over 20 years. Second glue in Germany is called SuperGlue. Wolfgang

I'm sure Wolfgang will look at this in a few days and go, no, no, no, I meant...

Thanks guys - I'm with Nova on this one Keef regarding interpreting Wolfgang's method but reckon Mike's epoxy paste sounds like the easiest and hassle free option (as opposed to mixing up resin and grinding down carbon etc)

Keef, thanks for the offer but have unsuccessfully used knead-it before and find it falls out unless you have a really big nick / chunk to fill

Mike - have PM'd you and thanks for your very kind offer.

Mike,
Thanks for sending paste epoxy - works a treat and saves the hassle of mixing up some epoxy too.

No worries Brian, so the parcel arrived safely, not oozing epoxy out of the seams?

Sausage got it exactly right in interpreting what Wolfgang is trying to say.
having spent the first 28 years of my life in Germany, i think i got a fairly good handle on german translations.

Boogie

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sausage said..

Keef,
I have reread and reckon Lessacher means superglue ([one] second glue) then sprinkle ground up charcoal over the top. I'll PM boardboy for confirmation.

If the base is to thin or to short,I use always second glue . Thin like water.it goes better through the powder. Please not mix. At first second glue where you have the problem, than the powder,than sec.glue and so on.If the base is to thin,sec.glue and the powder with a riddle on the base. I use a riddle when I give tea in a cup,and nothing of the open tea
should come in the cup.I think its better to try than that so many people write something. The powder is made out pieces of that what you use when you make fire for a barbecue. In german: GRILLKOHLE. I make the powder with sandpaper 50-80. Wolfgang

Das R'a'tsel der Grillkohle ist gel'o'st - Tee in der Tasse ist in der Post..

Hello Lads ,

best and easiest way to get ground carbon/graphite to mix in with resin to form a paste is go to the local hardware or locksmith and buy graphite/carbon powder used for lubricating locks . Matches really well with carbon fins esp ones made by Boogie many moons ago .

If you add in Calcite powder (used in glazing pots) it makes a better paste and is harder.
My fin gelcoat is resin/85% calcite/33% graphite.....makes a nice repair paste for tip damage.