carbon fiber wing wheel dolly

On Jul 28, 8:42*am, Tim Taylor wrote:
On Jul 28, 8:37*am, Bob Kuykendall wrote:





On Jul 27, 10:14*pm, Brad wrote:

ya know, that is a pretty cool looking contraption, but from a
homebuilder point of view, making it out of aluminum tubing, extrusion
and flat sheet is much easier and less labor intensive. might be a bit
heavier, but not much. of course the wing cuff would be composite!

Actually, the carbon has some pretty compelling advantages. It is a
lot lighter, so that it is easier to stow, carry, and attach.

I think that carbon sleeve over EPS or EPP rod would indeed do the
trick for the arm. If you were serious about it, you'd have a high-
pressure female mold, and mold the part by inflating a plastic bladder
inside the sleeve material, but the male molded part would be almost
as stiff and easier and cheaper to make for just one or two.

As Dave points out, it can be made springier, so that the goofy steel
spring and shock absorber isn't required. The way it grabs the axle on
only one side of the wheel is a neat trick, but the greater bending
loads makes the axle heavier than if the arm were forked.

As Andy points out, the leading arm might be divergent, but I don't
think that it is actually unstable except at very high speeds and
loads.

Thanks, Bob K.

I like the whole concept except the fact I then will need to add
weight to the wingwheel or tip on that side to prevent the other wing
from hitting the ground. *Similar to when you tow out with water.
Sometimes lighter is not better.

Take something you're going to carry out with the glider anyway - like
a parachute - and make a way to securely lay it atop the wing glove.
Make it short enough the glider tilts toward the wheel.

On Jul 28, 7:37*am, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

I think that carbon sleeve over EPS or EPP rod would indeed do the
trick for the arm. If you were serious about it, you'd have a high-
pressure female mold, and mold the part by inflating a plastic bladder
inside the sleeve material, but the male molded part would be almost
as stiff and easier and cheaper to make for just one or two.

All far too complicated!

When I built my wing wheel I prototyped the legs with 3/4 inch
schedule 40 pvc pipe. The idea was to get the geometry right then
make to final legs from aluminium square tube. It turned out the sched
40 pvc was perfect for the job. It is dimensionally stable, has just
the right amount of spring, and does no damage anything it bangs or
rubs against. The protype legs have lasted 8 years. They will be
changed this winter for a design that allows height adjustment but
I'll use the same material.

Andy (GY)

On Jul 28, 10:35*am, Andy wrote:
On Jul 28, 7:37*am, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

I think that carbon sleeve over EPS or EPP rod would indeed do the
trick for the arm. If you were serious about it, you'd have a high-
pressure female mold, and mold the part by inflating a plastic bladder
inside the sleeve material, but the male molded part would be almost
as stiff and easier and cheaper to make for just one or two.

All far too complicated!

When I built my wing wheel I prototyped the legs with 3/4 inch
schedule 40 pvc pipe. *The idea was to get the geometry right then
make to final legs from aluminium square tube. It turned out the sched
40 pvc was perfect for the job. *It is dimensionally stable, has just
the right amount of spring, and does no damage anything it bangs or
rubs against. *The protype legs have lasted 8 years. *They will be
changed this winter for a design that allows height adjustment but
I'll use the same material.

Andy (GY)

How about pictures Andy, Any place you could post them for others to
view?