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Make an Ultralight Short Carbon Fibre Tarp Pole (23g)This project is one of two for a Carbon Fibre Tarp Pole Set and is the lighter and shorter version of the Short Aluminium Tarp Pole Project.
Warnings1. This project saved just 6g in weight compared with the actual pole that it replaced. It cost about 3 times the price and is probably 2-3 times as strong... 2. Before you even consider this project please take a look at the Carbon Fibre Tarp Pole Set notes. Carbon Fibre is not a material that you want to be working with as a first project. This project may also need access to a drill press. I use a cheap bench-mounted chinese one. A domestic drill, even in a stand will not be good enough.... Materials
Construction1. Cut the Carbon Fibre tubing to size. I used a Dremel with a cutting disk rather than a hacksaw. 2. Check that the Aluminium tube will slide over the Carbon one without much resistance. If it does not then you will need to drill it out using an 8mm drill. 3. Drill the center of the 8mm Aluminium rod to a depth of just under 1cm with a 4mm drill. 4. Check that the 8mm rod will fit inside the 10mm aluminium tubing and drill out the tubing if required. 5. Cut the 10mm tubing and the 8mm Aluminium rod in half. 6. Fit the drilled 8mm plug into one end of one piece of the 10mm tubing and then fit the 4mm rod into it to create the top of the pole. Use epoxy resin. 7. Lightly coat one end of the carbon fibre tubing with epoxy resin and slide the Aluminium tubing over the top. [This creates a good strong tube at the top and encourages load transfer through the tube. 8. Fit the remaining 8mm plug into the remaining piece of 10mm tubing using epoxy resin. I've not glued this to the carbon fibre tube but instead left it as a friction-fit. This will allow me to use the pole as a modular component at a later date. |
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