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Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:56 pm
by paul1969
i thought the heatshrink wrapping was just to help prevent a jagged edge from a broken spreader piercing the sail due to spreaders at the t of the xt series being the most common place for a failure, seemed a wise precaution so i've applied heatshrink to all my kites at the t
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:13 pm
by kevspilly
Over whipping with a thread & sealing with varnish would add strength but the heat shrink will as previously said by Obi & Paul prevent serious sail damage. However, combining the both IMO is seriously good move!
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:05 pm
by Juha
Hmm. I've broken more spreaders than I care to remember, but never had any sail damage as a consequence. I guess it is a possibility if you're very unlucky, though...
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:39 pm
by Vee
Juha wrote:Hmm. I've broken more spreaders than I care to remember, but never had any sail damage as a consequence. I guess it is a possibility if you're very unlucky, though...
I must be just about the most unlucky person in the world then.
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:54 pm
by kevspilly
I must be just about the most unlucky person in the world then.
Closely followed by me!
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:31 pm
by Stan Doff
kevspilly wrote:I must be just about the most unlucky person in the world then.
Closely followed by me!
...actually,it's more common than you think.... in my case,flying sans top spreader may have been a contributory factor.
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:50 pm
by Aeri
I had a shop and the spreaders are in some kites a weak point... prisms, maestrale (HQ) are the first that come to mind...
weakening the spreaderconnection to the leading edge helps... it diverts the energy from a crash to realeasing the spreaders from the connectors and not into breaking them... reinforcing them with 4mm carbon or whatever fits the spreader helps too...
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:32 pm
by Finklius Munkum
ObijuanKenobe wrote:But either way, the heat shrink/tape helps to prevent the nasty splintering leading to sail puncture...which is a very nice bonus.
obi
Ahhhh. I've suffered from a splintered spreader puncturing my sail before. This sounds like a nice preventative measure?
Any reason not to do this?!
I assume one would use electrical tape, wrapped twice around the inner end of both lower spreaders only?
Sorry, heat shrinking entails what exactly?
Cheers.
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:10 pm
by sftonkin
Finklius Munkum wrote:Sorry, heat shrinking entails what exactly?
http://www.finishrink.com/general-purpo ... ubing.html
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:41 pm
by Sub
Adhesive lined heat shrink is the stuff to use around the business end of spreaders.
@Stephen - do you know what their minimum order qty is? Doesn't look like they have a shop as such or are they quite accommodating to small orders?
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:19 pm
by stuartF
In their FAQ it says:
Can I buy small quantities?
Yes, however we have a minimum order value of just £50.
What is the carriage charge?
Delivery is free to most areas of the UK. Carriage outside the UK is charged at cost.
Stuart
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:23 pm
by Craig
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:34 pm
by sftonkin
Sub wrote:@Stephen - do you know what their minimum order qty is?
No idea. I always get mine off eBay, but the vendor ahs no info useful to Finkius