I agree. In the “early days” of kitefoiling, DIY your own foil was almost a necessity. Very few (crappy) models on the market, expensive and hard to get too! To obtain something solid and functional…requires lots of effort and “technology” well beyond 3d printing.
I started with shaped plywood and carbon wrap on vaccum bag, to upgrade to epoxy resin molds shaped on styrofoam cut wings and mast (hot wire and templates cnc cut, like airplane modelers do, inserted on vacuum sack over a support), then I had cnc cut split molds, out of MDF… stuffed with carbon cloths, and cured with a diy “owen”… Then…all of a sudden…All the world had gone crazy with kitefoiling and any company was building HF, copying each other but also doing very good products cheaper and cheaper every year…so what’s the point in DIYng something if you buy it ready and better for less money? Once built the first couples the “builder monkeys” on your shoulder leave you alone and free to move on the next crazyness, the next almost-impossible-project to build a “no more without it” toy!
Don’t know where are you located but there’s plenty of good aluminum mast to use for our project, very unexpensive, often used.
Wings… you can try to design your own, those are relatively esier to build, with the help of a 3d printer.
Im located in denmark and cant seem to find any masts for a decent price. Cant even find a single used one.
I hear ya with higher costs but the mast is a critical issue art of the efoil setup. If you mast breaks during use its going to be a desaster for your board, wiring, electronics and safety in my opinion. If you are going for durability and safety you beed a quality mast, motor, esc, and battery.
At this point slingshot and ride engine have the strongest masts we found and super affordable. We had issues with china brand, and also hears issues with other us brands from backers. Let me know If you need one.
Do you have these masts?
Where are you located?
May make a diy 3D printed one and see how I goes otherwise I probably need to buy one.
I just like the hole diy aspects
Check also RL Boards, masts are very well built, and comes relatively cheap. Any brands offer at least one aluminum version of kite foil and almost any brand sell mast or mast plus attachement plate as spare part.
There’s no point in doing a 3d printed mast, it’s a very long and rather expensive task (lots of plastic, should be 100% infill rather rigid, but no PLA if you don’t want a melted mast next summer, when you forget it in your car!).
I really don’t see 3D printed mast working well and you can get a good one for $100-200 delivered within a few days which is nothing really or a critical part of this device. I bent a good aluminum mast, and take a look at the new lift efoil mast that just snapped and its built super tough Broken Lift Efoil - Products - FOIL.zone
Guess buying is the way to go then
@Gobbla which coupler did you order from Amazon? Can you provide a link please? I am finding the infamous blue fixed coupler to be impossible to mount without a wobble. Thank you!
I m using same as this one,
https://www.amazon.fr/BephaMart-Aluminium-Flexible-araignée-connecteur/dp/B074ZZ96N4/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?__mk_fr_FR=ÅMÅZÕÑ&qid=1538862370&sr=8-16&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Spider+coupling&dpPl=1&dpID=41tiAGsD81L&ref=plSrch
You can use it like that 8-8 or drill it to 10
Thanks Gobbia. Did it fit within the standard sealmount?
Sorry I m not sure to understand your question. With this coupler you can connect reducer to your proppler axes. Thrust bearing can be in contact with it. There is some standard sealing you can use in your design with this coupler.