Carbon Fiber
I just heard the following from Gordon Composites:
We have recently had to change our supplier for carbon fiber. Toray and Grafil, both who make a very good T-700 fiber, are no longer able to supply us. Boeing and AirBus have locked up contracts with them for a very long time. Our carbon is now a larger toe made by Fortifil. Physical properties are approximately 15% lower in flex modulus and flex strength. The finished look after sanding is also noticeably different. Most of our carbon customers are testing the Fortifil strips to see if it still works for their applications.
I wonder how this is going to affect the archery industry, as Gordon is the industry leader. Anyone try the new Fortifil strips? If so, what do you think of their performance?
T
We have recently had to change our supplier for carbon fiber. Toray and Grafil, both who make a very good T-700 fiber, are no longer able to supply us. Boeing and AirBus have locked up contracts with them for a very long time. Our carbon is now a larger toe made by Fortifil. Physical properties are approximately 15% lower in flex modulus and flex strength. The finished look after sanding is also noticeably different. Most of our carbon customers are testing the Fortifil strips to see if it still works for their applications.
I wonder how this is going to affect the archery industry, as Gordon is the industry leader. Anyone try the new Fortifil strips? If so, what do you think of their performance?
T
Dear Thomas Duvernay,
[/quote: I wonder how this is going to affect the archery industry, as Gordon is the industry leader. Anyone try the new Fortifil strips? If so, what do you think of their performance?]
Your post on this subject was in 2005, long before I knew anything about bow making. I started making bows on 2010. I bought a few fibre-glass strips along with some carbon-fibre strips by Gordon Composite on 2012. I think the carbon strips that I bought must be from Fortifill as you mentioned. I haven't use them yet, because I really don't have any clue on how to use them. My question is how do I glue the carbon strips?, is it suppose to be on the belly or on the back of the bow? Is it suppose to be under or on top of the fibreglass strip? or do I need to use fibreglass strip at all if I decided to use the carbon? Does KAYA and Hwarang horn bow replica utilize carbon-strips from Gordon Composite only?
So far I just make my Turkish bow replica using fibreglass strips (0.050inch/1.27mm) and wood (1.40mm) only.
BTW here's some info on my Turkish bow replica; Length NTN unbraced 50inch, length braced 46inch, 35lbs@30inch. Core and siyah wood is Cengal Wood (Neobalanocarpus heimii, speific gravity 0.75/0.91) as we don't have Hard Maple here. I bend the siyah pieces by boiling and bending it on forms as I think I is a good practice for me to make a real horn bow later.
I hope to hear any advise from you or any experts. Thanks.
[/quote: I wonder how this is going to affect the archery industry, as Gordon is the industry leader. Anyone try the new Fortifil strips? If so, what do you think of their performance?]
Your post on this subject was in 2005, long before I knew anything about bow making. I started making bows on 2010. I bought a few fibre-glass strips along with some carbon-fibre strips by Gordon Composite on 2012. I think the carbon strips that I bought must be from Fortifill as you mentioned. I haven't use them yet, because I really don't have any clue on how to use them. My question is how do I glue the carbon strips?, is it suppose to be on the belly or on the back of the bow? Is it suppose to be under or on top of the fibreglass strip? or do I need to use fibreglass strip at all if I decided to use the carbon? Does KAYA and Hwarang horn bow replica utilize carbon-strips from Gordon Composite only?
So far I just make my Turkish bow replica using fibreglass strips (0.050inch/1.27mm) and wood (1.40mm) only.
BTW here's some info on my Turkish bow replica; Length NTN unbraced 50inch, length braced 46inch, 35lbs@30inch. Core and siyah wood is Cengal Wood (Neobalanocarpus heimii, speific gravity 0.75/0.91) as we don't have Hard Maple here. I bend the siyah pieces by boiling and bending it on forms as I think I is a good practice for me to make a real horn bow later.
I hope to hear any advise from you or any experts. Thanks.