wrote:

Morgans wrote:

wrote


Perhaps more to the point, I just suggested a rib as
an example. Being able to bend graphlite rod like
one steam bends wood opens up a lot of design
possibilites.

Imagine, instead of reinforcing other materials with the rod,
making a wing, or wing and fuselage built like a birdcage
and then covered with Dacron. Not the cheapest and
maybe not the lightest or strongest and certainly not
the most practical way to go. But an interesting concept.

How about using flat graphite stock and laminate the shape you want to end
up wit. That would eliminate purdy much all of the preload, no? g


The cat's meow would be pultruding it directly into the desired shape.
That's a bit beyond the capabilites of the homebuilder--I think.

Maybe not.

In normal composite work it's fairly normal to make primative molds or plugs
to make parts.

What's the diff?
The minor "preload" is between layers of the laminate.
Even wood laminates work that way.


On the bigger side, I've always thought a large "rigid" airship frame could be
built using geodesic methods.
Like a dome, but stretched out.
It's done by varying the strut length progressively.