J.Kahn wrote:
Bob Kuykendall wrote:
Earlier, wrote:


I'm thinking like making a stick rib.


Maybe try making the rib out of straight pieces, and let the rib truss
lock in the curve for the upper and lower cap strips. I bet that'd
work.

Also, Graphlite comes in a variety of round, square, and rectangular
cross-sections. I think the standard round sections go down to 0.020";
it might not show on the Web but Jim Marske can get it for you.

Thanks, Bob K.

Go to this page on graphlite
http://www.aist-nara.ac.jp/~rieken/projects/composites.html The
stuff is rolled into coils for shipment. Scroll down and check out the
flat version bent by hand into a half circle.


Yes, mine came rolled into a circle. When you cut the tape
it straightens back out. I want it to hold a curve by itself. If
I have to add other materials to hold it into the curve I want
that kinda defeats some of the advatange to using it in the
first place.

If you are using a material to reinforce something, pre-stressing
the reinforcement may or may not be a good idea, depending
on whether it is pre-stressed in the same orientation as the
applied stress, or contrary to it.

For wing spars, it may be helpful to droop the rod down as it
runs along the spar flange from root to tip. The leading edge
of a stick rib would be another matter.

Yes, there are other ways to make ribs.

--

FF