Date: 2 Apr 93 10:54:40 -0500
From: vgblackwell@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
Message-ID: <1993Apr2.105440.16881@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>
Organization: Miami University Academic Computer Service"
Subject: Ferrule reinforcment

To all kite builders:

Has anyone tried heat shrinkable tubing to put of ends of external ferrules
for added strength?  The tubing is availabe in a few colors and can be 
handy to color code parts for faster more accurate assembly.

Now how about teflon tape,  any one using it?  It seems to come in many
colors.  It is very strong.   

What are relative merits of heat shrink, teflon and other favorite
reinforcments?

Consider strenth to weight ratios, bulk, ease of use (application) etc.

Keep your lines tight,

Vic



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Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1993 14:10:58 GMT
From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie)
Message-ID: <C4wvEB.q6@tug.com>
Organization: Negligible.
Subject: Re: Ferrule reinforcment

In article <1993Apr2.105440.16881@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu> vgblackwell@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu writes:
>What are relative merits of heat shrink, teflon and other favorite
>reinforcments [of ferules] ?
You can now get machined aluminium tube, which is much stronger than the usual
thin-wall stuff.  I just got one of these for my liteflite, having broken the
central ferule for the second time.  I think that it is heavier, but I expect
that it is considerably stronger.  If you have trouble getting them, try
the Kite Store, Covent Garden, London.

12' Flexifoil ferules are quite technical, they are also machined out
of solid aluminium, but the inner portion of the sleeve is lined with rubber
to protect the 12mm (!) solid graphite rod.

Andrew
-- 
andrew@tug.com

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