Fractured Axel

Juha · Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:25 am

I decide to fly the XTR for the first time since 2006. The wind is somewhat brisk but very smooth, and nowhere near vented territory yet - in fact, I've always enjoyed flying the Transfer in conditions like these. Anyway, I launch the kite, and one second later - bang. Spreader snaps at the T.

I've broken 5pt's on the XTR before, but this was just strange. I even checked the spars when putting the kite together, and everything looked good. I was never a believer in "storage death" for kites, but this has me wondering...

Not even sure I have any spares anymore. Is the 5pt still being manufactured? :lol:

misterbleepy · Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:56 am

is it possible that the end of the spreader has been squashed in storage, thus cracking it slightly, and the crack has opened up in flight?

Anyway, I think it's still a current spar - of course, FA have stock

Aeri · Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:00 pm

normaly storage death is more a problem for the parts that are under tention during storage (like the bent LE in a prism illusion or a benson innerspace), never heard it being a problem for a spreader though...

Zippy8 · Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:05 pm

Juha wrote:
fly the XTR for the first time since 2006.... Spreader snaps at the T.

Carbon weevil.

If you've got an infestation then you need to reframe everything.

Mike.

Juha · Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:27 pm

fworley · Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:50 pm

Zippy8 wrote:
Juha wrote:
fly the XTR for the first time since 2006.... Spreader snaps at the T.

Carbon weevil.

If you've got an infestation then you need to reframe everything.

Mike.

What else can Mike find down his Y fronts ?

-Frazer

Zippy8 · Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:05 pm

fworley wrote:
What else can Mike find down his Y fronts ?

The temptation to write some sort of "you'd need a bigger screen" hilarity is overwhelming. But I shall resist.

And welcome back to flying kites Juha. :wave:

Mike,
day 18 - fogged in.

Sub · Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:56 pm

Carbon weevil... :lol:

Zippy8 wrote:
day 18 - fogged in.

small bells... shorter lines...

Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:33 pm

Did the 5pt have some heat shrink at the T, the first batch didn't but subsequent batches did, this area comes into some serious stress on the XT series.

sftonkin · Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:38 am

Also a good idea to take a bit of sand paper (or a pencil sharpener) to round off the edges of the T-piece ferrule if it's not already been done. The stress on the spreader from a "sharp" edge of an internal ferrule can be considerable. I usually belt-and-braces 5PT spreaders by wrapping some electrician's tape reinforcement around the stressy bit.

Juha · Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:01 am

Craig wrote:
Did the 5pt have some heat shrink at the T

Yeah. My XTR's are of the pre-heatshrink generation, but I've added some myself (years ago). I'm not sure it REALLY does anything, though... I've broken several heatshrink-covered 5pt's right at the T. Wrapped carbon is hard & brittle, while the heatshrink is soft. Not a particularly good combination...

IMO it's something of a placebo cure - you seem to be able to relax a bit more when you know you've "protected" the spars at the T.

Oh, and the ferrule edges have been rounded off, naturally.

jad · Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:49 am

Recently started flying a rev 1 I had left in its bag for at least 15 years. Part of that time in a storage space in the desert.

No sail fading or color bleeding. Lines washed and siliconed work fine. Bungees still elastic and tightened.

Flown it for about five hours including a few in very gusty 15 mph winds. Tough conditions with overly agressive ground frequently leaping at kite, Just gave it two hours today in those conditions but if anything breaks now I'll say, "Damn weevils!".

ObijuanKenobe · Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:56 am

But either way, the heat shrink/tape helps to prevent the nasty splintering leading to sail puncture...which is a very nice bonus.

obi

fworley · Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:11 pm

There is this old boy in Texas who wraps the ends of his lower spreaders.

He doesn't use tape though - wraps them with thread and then seals the
binding with dope and varnish ... like people use (used to ?) on fishing
rods to secure the rings/guides.

Not only does it look a lot nicer than electrical tape it must be a good
bit stronger too - offering proper re-inforcement (at the penalty of a little
mass).

Its more trouble than most people would (want to) to go to I'm sure.

Looks good though ... in its bespoke way.

-Frazer

kareloh · Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:38 pm

Replaced the spreaders of my XTr with 7pt's. Never snapped or spintered a spreader since. The extra weight is marginal but does make it pitch better. The 5pt's are easy to snap while cynique'ing.

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