Due to the success of the mini class in this years Worlds in France the US plans to include the mini class at the upcoming Worlds. Would any of you consider coming to compete?
Great decision......
And for those into Mini 5.6m Land yachts have a look at the face-book site.
www.facebook.com/
What'r yu gunna do?? Launch it, Fly it Sail it or just make it look purty??
Ron
PS; Even Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic) will be envious..
absolute full of envy....its near enough what my dooddlings are, great EYH !
but do tell what type of timber is being used for the snout and rear axle 
It's very traditional and extremly well made , by an artisan.. no doubt
US772, language out here a bit different, so i take it that it is a Fir tree, which i think we say Fur, or more commonly a christmas type tree, are you in timber? sorry lumber over there. So how many laminates, to what thickness 50mm, i mean 2inches or better?
would you have the botanical name for tree. Did you do all the laminatin youself or got it at a lumberyard. Sorry to be an inquisitive bugger, but it is very interesting and probably there are others learning also.......
Now there is a very interesting point.
Why Fir???
Were I to have been the builder, starting from SCRATCH, I would have seriously looked at Ash/Tassie Oak or perhaps If I could have laid my hands Hickory. The weight would not of amounted to much extra in that instance.. Strong and Flexible. I would also think that there are a few others that would be highly usable, Spruce for instance (Air Craft Building Material). ????
Ron
I thought tassie oak was rather short grained & unsuitable for axles.
Some of the better axles I've made have been of tropical timber ie 'meranti'. The best of the lot was ramin (same as school rulers used to be made of) - probably the best I've ever seen, but you can't buy it now.
The tropical timbers have an almost continous grain structure.
, but your right, regular 19mm planks laminate well, but make sure the laminating surface is rough , not smooth, even better is Ramin, maybe a combination of tassie oak on the bottom for tension and maranti ,or even a GOOD piece of pine, NZ red pine,huon pine,king billy,or hoop pine would all surfice on top for compression
heres the test for a good plank that I use.
when you find the plank stack, get 2 blocks about 75mm high( 1 brick) and place them on the ground at the distance your axle/spar will be. if longer than 2m perhaps go to 150mm.
place plank on blocks,stand in the middle and bounceif the plank occilates alot then its probably too springy, if it deadens straightawy or doesnt flex, too stiff, but if it springs a few times ,deadening after 1 or 2 springs ,probably just right, try it with 2 or 3 laminations for a bigger longer plank.
if the plank cracks or splinters then it was never going to be any good, so put it back in the stack. avoid knotty or split wood
when the staff ask what you are doing tell them you are testing the wood for suitability, explain the "science"and keep doing it
In the US sitka spruce is the king for construction purposes. Its the lightest wood for its strength and excellent bending characteristics. Its a conifer tree (has needles) found on the NW coast and mainly in Canada and Alaska. The only problem is that it is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I use clear fir ( also a conifer tree) because I there is a saw mill near where I live. I can buy the Fir fairly reasonable. The only thing is they only sell it in 16' / 4877 mm lengths. the last 2 boats I've made have axles 18' to 21.2' wide. I have to scarf the wood to make it longer. It take more time but I have more time than money.I laminate the axles using thickened epoxy. The 18' plank has 4 lamination's and the 21.2 has 5 lamination's of 3/4''/19mm thick stock. If I build a mini I will use wood for the axle. I heard some use snow ski's. In the iceboating world the rule of flex is 1'' of deflection/ 100lbs. 25.4mm to 45.36
Thanks US772. A great insight into the Axle Construction. Typical of you Yanks, very Anal when it comes to finish. Really I can't understand why the American economy is in such dire straights?? Anyone of you Northerners that is a member of this forum seems to be into competing with factories for finish More power to you, I haven't got the patients.
Miranti
Yuk! I wouldn't trust that stuff, it is only suited to Architraves and trims. It gives very little warning like Carbon Fiber it either has integrity or it doesn't. I would prefer something that at least gives some warning that it is about to finish up around your Ears.
Tassie Oak.. Sure it is Ash and when properly milled has a good long straight grain. As was mentioned in a prior post, it is used Bow Making. Thanks us772 Spruce is one that I had in mind and if I am correct it was used in the making of early Wood and Canvas Aircraft.
Ron
Yep it's used in aircraft. The Spruce Goose may be the most famous. It's also used in making musical instruments as well. I have used Poplar wood too with ash lamination's
on the out side.
Ha! That Bloody thing was all Engines and very little of anything else?? Hughes wasn't it? Someone like that anyway.
Ron
Wandering slightly off topic- the spruce goose being made of timber wasnt Howard Hughs choice, he wanted to use aluminium alloy, but the US govt said no- he had to use non-strategic materials.
Hughes knew it would be a tough ask to put the goose in the air- but he was never one to admit defeat easily.
