Re: [Paddlewise] Making graphite Greenland paddles?

Wayne Smith provided me with the name of the guy that I (probably) talked to
at DPR; Bill Whitcomb.  I'll contact him first & see how things go.  For all
I know, I might be getting in over my head.  (Putting computers is one
thing, playing with sharp tools & potentially allergenic substances
(epoxies) is another matter. <g>)
Thanks for your help, Ross will be '2nd opinion' man.

Niels

> At 11:07 PM 1/11/02 -0500, Niels Kistrup wrote:
> >At the Delmarva Paddler's Retreat, someone mentioned that a graphite
paddle
> >could be hand-made by making a Greenland stick out of either balsa wood
or
> >foam, then coating it with graphite.  [This gives the impression that
heat is
> >not needed.]
> >
> >
> >Question:  Where do you find graphite in a liquid form, such it can be
> applied
> >like a paint or a resin?  If I can get a particular product name, I
should be
> >able to contact the manufacturer to find out how to work with it.
>
> I am just guessing here but I can't imagine liquifying graphite fiber.
The
> more likely procedure would involve carving the paddle out of balso or
some
> other soft wood, laying on graphite fiber cloth over the wood and filling
> in the weave with epoxy resin.   It would be fairly easy to do if one
> constructed the paddle leaving the balsa blank inside.   It would also be
> possible to coat the balsa blank with mold release or thin plastic and
> layup one side at a time and then put them together without a wood core.
> Seems like a lot of work.  BTW, Ross Liedy has done quite a bit of work
> with carbon fiber cloth for cockpit combings.  He could probably provide a
> source for graphite cloth (check out his website to get his email address
> at http://ross.secant.com).  Look at the section on building the Outer
> Island and you'll find a link which shows how he contructed the cockpit
> combing using carbon fiber cloth.  BTW,  I just finished getting the forms
> all attached and aligned for the Outer Island I'm building last night.


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