DIY mast & wing sheap

Hi, i just allways think about cost. My roule in life is " I want the best for free" (it never works btw). I find this site that can cut cost for mast and wing builders. This is just a start, please post if you find enything better/cheaper out there. It has to be.

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Is this shape ok?

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wow, yes perfect, list site. god work:grin:

These are sun shade louvers. This product is no longer available.
Problem is that you probably can’t buy them in short lenghts. Starndard profile extrusion is 6m.
There are many companies that produce them and also many companies that use them (mainly aluminium windows and door producers).
Good thing is that lenghts that we need are scrap for them so it can be very chap or even free :wink:
You just need to find them :smiley:

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Might be a good mold but you have to be careful with what aluminum the mast is made from. Ours is not a brand name mast and it does bend a little which is not good for handeling.

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Usually its 6063 T6 but wall thickness and other things are important too.

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On the site it says it is used 6060 T5 allow, it is used in marine(wather) sports as foil and rodder and the profile can be strengthened different ways. I was olso thinking it can be strengthened whith fiber(glas or carbon). But, maybe i do missunderstand. I am learning all the time.

On the site it does not show the thickness, but on the DAK drawings i can eyeball :expressionless: it to be about 2mm. That shoud be enough.
On this litle site you can se how to change the profile whith cutting and gluing. Very DIY frendly, but still not cheap enough :disappointed_relieved:

Yes, god idea, free is god :grin:

I bought my aluminum mast from Manta in Dubai. The sell masts that are not cosmetically perfect (labeled production scrap) for a pretty good price; currently $55 + shipping. I could not tell what was imperfect on my mast??

https://www.mantafoils.com/e-shop/Manta-aluminum-mast-production-scrap-p59642799

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The mast we are using has 3mm wall thickness and we can bend it with reasonable pressure on the main wing. This is one of our current concerns that we want to address.

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I don’t have a foil yet just wondering if all the masts are of the same size?

Have you ever thought about 3D printing your foil design? After you printed your foil you can put all the parts together and laminate them with carbon or polyester!

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if its used for external window mouldings it would have to be weather resistant and high quality alu! (im guessing)

@Winging_it, thx, very god informasjon. I follow you and your frend, working fast and hard, cudos :smile:

@Thomas_Romijn, Me no, what is the matrial cost for 3D print mast whith carbon/polyester?(no hours). :smile:

Well that depends on quite some thing, for instance the printing density and the internal structure you want to use.

I’d expect that you need around 2kg of PLA, what brings you to around a €50. You’ll also need the costs of the carbon, that’s always a hard one to make an indication about. I’d say that would be another €35-40. This offcourse strongly depend on what type of carbon you use.

You should check out our Facebook page where we posted some pictures about our hydrofoils.

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@Thomas_Romijn, Thx, more than god enough.:smile:

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Here is an idea I have been considering for making a carbon mast. With respect to the sketch below:

  1. Lay up several layers of carbon cloth on a bent piece of sheet metal. Use cooking parchment paper as a release layer. The parchment paper; used for cooking; is available at food stores.

  2. After curing, remove the carbon from the metal form.

  3. Install the motor wires, tack in place with hot glue.

  4. Pinch the trailing edge together and glue to form an airfoil shape.

  5. Fill the remaining hollow spaces with resin mixed with chopped carbon fiber.

Done well, this could make a lightweight, stiff, strong and a not too expensive mast.

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@Winging_it, wow simpel, warterproof and cheap. I love this idea, god thinking. can you estimate roughly the cost of carbon cloth and resin mix?
Thank you, keep it up :smile:

After looking at your perfect sketch, i am thinking maybe make 2 set of carbon shell, and then do as you say. Why? because i think after cureing the carbon vil be hard to bend, maybe crack, i have never workt with carbon so i realy don`t know.

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