Carbon Fiber Parts, Pieces & Other Questions

Maybe too many questions for one thread, but answer what you can. Any info will be appreciated.

Carbon Fiber Leading Edges: There are a couple of individuals on this website producing the leading edges, but is there anyone who has built a set of Cub wings using them? If so, I would like to hear what you think about working with it. End product; Pro's, Cons? Is it a full wrap leading edge - all carbon?

C.F. Tank Covers: I've only had my hands on one set. They seemed sharp / rough around the edges. Thought they might cut fabric after a while. Again - anybody out there using them over a period of time? How are they holding up; cracking, splitting at screw holes, cutting fabric?

C.F. Floor Boards: All the floor boards I've seen have a "foam type core". Why is that? Has anyone layed up C.F. boards - no foam core? Is this possible or does it not work. Warp, crack, not lay flat - curious.

C.F. Ext. Baggage: Right now, I'm curious about the one Randy/Plaschem out of Anchorage is building. Is anyone using this on their cub. How did you secure it to the frame. Does it rattle / make noise? If installed in a new experimental fuselage with no fabric - is installation the same? On a new fuselage, is it easy to remove once fabric on?

Cub Crafters C.F. Wing Tip Bow Assembly: Will this fit a "standard" cub wing? Has anyone used them on anything other than a Carbon Cub?

Cowlings: Selkirk is the first one that comes to mind. It looks like a good cowling, it just looks a little different than a standard cub cowl. The right & left nose bowl air intake holes look smaller as well as the bottom cowl has none at all. When I spoke to them about a year ago, I was led to believe that the way the complete cowl attached to plane was different than a typical, certified cowling. My point is that even though I'm building experimental, I still want all of the "bolt on" parts & pieces to be inter-changeable with standard Cub parts & pieces. If I bend up a cowling 50 miles northeast of McGrath, it's possible to find Cub parts in McGrath. Worst case scenario, I call Kracke at Atlees and he sends me cowling pieces that bolt right up to my experimental. So my question is; do you guys know anyone building C.F. cowls that bolt right up?

Paul Romine: Paul still around? I haven't seen him post in a while. I'd be curious to find out how all his carbon fiber parts & pieces are holding up and who did his C.F. work.

That's about it for now. Any direction, advise or input would be appreciated! Thanks!

Roger

I have not ever used carbon fiber but I work with fiberglass and core materials every work day. The foam core is used to give the composite panel stiffness. The thicker the core the stiffer the panel. Core materials also come in many different densities which effects stiffness and compression.

I am using the CF tank lids from Randy @ Plaschem. They are 1/2 the weight and seem to be functioning very well. I filed the bottom edge before instalation so it would no trub the fabric. I am also ulsing the CF floor boards on foam core. They are good and saved 6# over my original ones.

I have not seen Paul Romine here in a long time. He is a drag racer. I saw him a couple of years ago at a race and visited with him very briefly in the pits. He could talk much at all because he and his crew were working on getting the car ready for the next round of racing. To my knowledge, he built all of his own Carbon Fiber parts.

Roger, come by the shop some time. I can answer some of your questions and give you some samples to play with. Plaschem/6E concepts 1415 Spar Ave Anchorage, AK 99501 907-274-5505 ex 225

Thanks,

Randy

Is cubcrafters the only company producing the carbon fiber wing tip bows?

8856Charlie said:

Roger, come by the shop some time. I can answer some of your questions and give you some samples to play with. Plaschem/6E concepts 1415 Spar Ave Anchorage, AK 99501 907-274-5505 ex 225

Thanks,

Randy

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I stopped by last week to chat with you. You were in the shop working and I didn't want to bother you. I'll come by again. I really would like to get some answers on this stuff or quit thinking about it! Thanks!

Roger