Carbon fiber 42” bar

[mettee]

I finally found my solidworks models for the bar cut designs.

I was going to pm you a DXF file but they might be corrupted. I will install solidworks and see if I can get some usable stuff from them.

 

[huskyhank]

What mettee is saying will make the bar stiffer for sure and not much heavier if at all. It will be more likely to keep the inserts in place too because less flex keeps the shear down. The center of the bar would look like a trellis or truss.

 

[davidwyby]

What mettee is saying will make the bar stiffer for sure and not much heavier if at all. It will be more likely to keep the inserts in place too because less flex keeps the shear down. The center of the bar would look like a trellis or truss.

Yes...and the pockets could be machined out like a dovetail for better retention.

 

[huskyhank]

Yes...and the pockets could be machined out like a dovetail for better retention.

Yes sir!

 

[mettee]

If you mill the bar and leave webbing there won't be a need for any kind of mechanical retention. I'm leaving out some detail.

The carbon does the work on its own.

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

What source did you use for the carbon fiber panels? I have an empty mill and several bars that need a diet...

 

[davidwyby]

What source did you use for the carbon fiber panels? I have an empty mill and several bars that need a diet...

McMaster…$.

try Summintracing

 

[huskyhank]

I’ve bought from these folks:

https://www.cstsales.com/

 

[huskyhank]

If you mill the bar and leave webbing there won't be a need for any kind of mechanical retention. I'm leaving out some detail.

The carbon does the work on its own.

I think this will prove correct. ^^^^^^^^^

 

[davidwyby]

Update:

I haven’t forgotten this project, still have a
Pile of new bars to do once we nail down the process on the test bar. Myself and my CNC guy have just been real busy work and otherwise.

 

[Billy Currie]

I was thinking about doing this a while back, but I learned early on that Kevlar would do better than carbon fiber. Carbon fiber will breakdown over time when in an oily environment. However, it will work great for about a year or so.

 

[Willard]

I was thinking about doing this a while back, but I learned early on that Kevlar would do better than carbon fiber. Carbon fiber will breakdown over time when in an oily environment. However, it will work great for about a year or so.

Good point Billy, I thought the same also with my latest hotsaw project. The carbon fiber sheet I bought for this project is 6K high gloss exterior which should offer better durability from oil , uv and scratch resistance. A good coating of epoxy on the cut edges should seal it up nicely.
The 2 other saws with their matte CF may get a heavy clear coat finish or a thin layer of clear epoxy.

Best epoxy I know of is this stuff.

 

[davidwyby]

I was wanting a lighter bar than the 32” Stihl for my 288…so I drug the 30” test mule project back out. Also, we are milling the rest of the new bars at work. I did a lot better on the epoxy application and setup this time. Last time after it popped out I realized I hadn’t gotten 100% adhesion due to the quick JB I used on one side setting up too fast.

 

[Squareground3691]

I was wanting a lighter bar than the 32” Stihl for my 288…so I drug the 30” test mule project back out. Also, we are milling the rest of the new bars at work. I did a lot better on the epoxy application and setup this time. Last time after it popped out I realized I hadn’t gotten 100% adhesion due to the quick JB I used on one side setting up too fast.
View attachment 343516

Any idea of weight amount reduced ?

 

[davidwyby]

@Squareground3691 a lot.

I think this is a 34” with 32” bar size pockets in it.

 

[davidwyby]

The CF weighs almost nothing.

I think I have the weights written down for the 30” at work.

 

[Squareground3691]

The CF weighs almost nothing.

I think I have the weights written down for the 30” at work.

I have about half dozen Oregon RW bars different lengths how’s the weight compared to them , the carbon a lot stiffer than the aluminum inserts on the Oregon RW bars .

 

[davidwyby]

CF is inherently lighter and stiffer than aluminum. I have one alum oregon bar but it is 36”. Will do some comparisons with the 34”.

 

[davidwyby]

The aluminum bars don’t seem to like being bent real hard and I’m sure the CF won’t either.

 

[davidwyby]

Probably will not be the final design of the bar, but I added some tiny screws in the ends of the panels to help retain the ends.