Carbon fibre for fan braced flamenco

Talk about musical instrument construction, setup and repair.

Moderators: kiwigeo, Jeremy D

Post Reply
User avatar
Steve.Toscano
Blackwood
Posts: 489
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:43 pm
Location: Port Stephens NSW

Carbon fibre for fan braced flamenco

Post by Steve.Toscano » Wed Dec 07, 2016 1:46 pm

I'm about to build a lightly constructed 5 fan braced flamenco. I was thinking of incorporating carbon fibre on the middle 3 fans to avoid any long term bellying of such a light top and and light braces.
I call you you guys who are more versed with useing carbon fibre...
What's your thoughts on placement of the carbon fibre strands for the maximum stiffness (for long grain) while using the least of it: Under the braces, on top of them OR laminated in them? Or a combination eg under AND on top.

Cheers
Steve

User avatar
kiwigeo
Admin
Posts: 10582
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: Adelaide, Sth Australia

Re: Carbon fibre for fan braced flamenco

Post by kiwigeo » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:45 pm

Carbon fibre tow laid in under brace and also on top of the brace. Do you have "The Books"?...the procedure is detailed in same. If you don't have the books then someone in here can take you through the process. Note that if you do things this way there isnt an option of trimming braces once the top is on.
Martin

User avatar
Steve.Toscano
Blackwood
Posts: 489
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:43 pm
Location: Port Stephens NSW

Re: Carbon fibre for fan braced flamenco

Post by Steve.Toscano » Wed Dec 07, 2016 10:11 pm

Hi Martin. I do have the books, and have built plenty of falcate guitars.
Ive also made an all wood 5 fan flamenco, which after a few years has started to belly.

Sorry i wasnt very clear above, more what i was asking is will i still get *enough* added stiffness by just putting the carbon fibre either under, or on top, or laminating.. OR will i be better off doing 2 of the 3 to get the full 'I' beam effect?
Ideally i want to avoid going too stiff, but just adding enough stiffness to avoid a bellying effect with a super lightly braced top.

My 1000 foot (a lifetimes worth :) ) spool of carbon tow is 3k.

User avatar
DarwinStrings
Blackwood
Posts: 1877
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:27 pm
Location: Darwin

Re: Carbon fibre for fan braced flamenco

Post by DarwinStrings » Thu Dec 08, 2016 8:58 pm

If you wan to come up at the same stiffness you did with the non CF one and just avoid creep you could make a few braces with and without then compare them. Maybe read through the section on composite bracing in the design book again that should help.
Life is good when you are amongst the wood.
Jim Schofield

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google and 110 guests