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how to determine carbon content of a mast

 
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acctx



Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 76

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:35 am    Post subject: how to determine carbon content of a mast Reply with quote

no labeling of any kind. Is it possible?
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bred2shred



Joined: 02 May 2000
Posts: 989
Location: Jersey Shore

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:13 am    Post subject: Re: how to determine carbon content of a mast Reply with quote

acctx wrote:
no labeling of any kind. Is it possible?


Not with any high degree of accuracy as far as I'm aware. If you want a ball park, the best bet would probably be to weigh it and compare to the same size/type mast of known carbon content.

Otherwise, you can look at the cut edge of the mast (the base, tip, ferrule) and examine the layup. The carbon will be black. Any glass would be clear/translucent or possibly another color if pigmented resin was used to build the mast.

For example, on my Nolimitz masts, it's very clear from looking at the edge of the mast that there is a thin inner layer of glass (translucent/white), a thick section of carbon (black), and then an outer layer of glass (grey/translucent) - kind of like looking at growth rings on a tree.

sm
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rigitrite



Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 520
Location: Kansas City

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You have to bite it, kinda like the old-timers did with a gold coin to make sure it was real.
Real windsurfers can determine carbon content to within 3% using this method.

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3-phase



Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 481

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing

Weight is the best way to check that.

Jurg
www.windsurfdeal.com
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

simple answer . NO
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I second weight.
4 lbs for a 460 is close to 80%, unless it's under, then it's more.
5 for a 50%.
6 for a 30%.
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spennie



Joined: 13 Oct 1995
Posts: 975
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Biting is good, but that 3% inaccuracy will make some posters (posers?) to this Forum crazy.

The most accurate way is to lay the mast on a smooth level surface, then bash it with a sledgehammer until all the fibers are separate, then count each fiber.

Or you could just not worry about it at all, since you're not racing the World Cup, and the difference is subtle.

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acctx



Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 76

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spennie wrote:
Biting is good, but that 3% inaccuracy will make some posters (posers?) to this Forum crazy.

The most accurate way is to lay the mast on a smooth level surface, then bash it with a sledgehammer until all the fibers are separate, then count each fiber.

Or you could just not worry about it at all, since you're not racing the World Cup, and the difference is subtle.


Im actually selling a mast and some of the buyers have asked.
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

using the weight comparison, you would need to use the quoted weight
or the actual weight to compare ,in that case the quoted carbon may be off

in either case the percentage of error ""could"" be rather high.

As a matter of curiosity what is the length brand and did you weight it ?

Are you certain it has carbon

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3-phase



Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 481

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

U2U2U2 wrote:

Are you certain it has carbon

Laughing Laughing Laughing
that's a good one you are right just because its black does not mean its carbon, often fiberglass is dyed black.

The weight system gets you in a a ball park, if the mast has the correct IMCS rating (you can measure that) then if its 1.8 kg and a other suppliers 100 % carbon 430 cm mast is the same weight you are pretty close to have a similar content. Only Carbon fiber can achieve such stiffness with light weight aka less material. So less Carbon = more weight to get the same stiffness.
Aloha
Jurg
www.winsurfdeal.com
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