Carbon/Cuben Snowshoes

I'd think the plastic versions might be ok provided they don't see a major impact. Tough application though.

Any idea if anyone does a fiberglass elbow? If not, one could easily make a simple 2-piece mandrel and lay up their own pretty quick and dirty. Couple wooden dowels or something, some fiberglass cloth and some adhesive……????

Just thinking out loud.

Steven,

the other day I came across some guys claiming to have an easy way of aluminium welding. It is called "HTS 2000". I have no experience at all about this. When I read about it I only bookmarked it with the thought I might need it some day to come.

Check out the following:
http://www.aluminumrepair.com/more_info.asp

http://www.aluminumrepair.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=10&cat=HTS-2000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do2zYHwp78Y
(there are loads of other videos about it, just google)

maybe a mini welding apparatus like this will do:
http://www.atlantis-shop24.de/Mini-Loet-und-Schweissgeraet_detail_9687.html?campaign=preisroboter
It is supposed to reach 1300°C (2372°F), whereas aluminium melts at 660.32 °C, 1220.58 °F.

As I said, I never used it or have seen it being used, but you might wanna give it a try. Just get an aluminium pipe of the apropiate diameter, cut 2 pieces at half the desired angle, as in your picture, and weld them together.

David

Hi Steve

You may be trying to over-engineer the joints. For my summer and winter tents I use carbon fibre poles, with elbows. I make my elbows out of standard 1/4" SS tubing, machined down slightly to fit inside the CF tube. But another guy used stock Al tubing sized to go over the CF tube. See pic at http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/DIY_RNCSummer.htm#Sven

Bending either does require a proper bender, but that is not difficult.

All that said, I like the lumpy plastic elbows you show: they offer some protection to the CF tubing at the corners.

Cheers

You may want to consider using PE (Polyethelene) AKA Funny Pipe for joints or as a cushioning over your CF pieces. A walk down the Sprinkler/Irrigation aisle at a Home Despot or Lowe's will usually give you examples of it in 1/2 inch or 3/4 but it goes up to much larger sizes. It is not brittle, and can be formed into curves -it flexes. It is usually used over barbed inset fittings of gray plastic or sometimes into outside compression fittings. It can also be sliced lengthwise and used as a cushioning sleeve over other pipe. Rubber or Vinyl pipe can also be used as a cushion. And I wonder if you considered doing everything out of PVC fully glued together. It is very cheap. I'm unsure of the weights and rigidity you need but it may give you a very fast way to prototype structures.

Steve,

They also make some wicked tough TPU adhesive films.

Could add a layer on the bottom of the tubes for abrasion resistance. Should help significantly….

These shoes look great. Also, there is plenty of snow here in the Sierras.
I would like to also offer that you may want to check out McMaster-Carr, they have an insane amount of raw materials and a crazy amount of fabricated items. The online catalog is good (www.mcmaster.com), but the paper catalog is better. I don't work for them, but I do order commonly for projects and work related items.