That’s all I used on my Tyvek sails. Some Tyvek(disposeable coveralls) has a smooth side and a fuzzy side. In that case make sure the tape is on the smooth side. Take your ear plugs when you use them.
Don
There must be something that can be done about the noise. It sounds like the material is too stiff. Like the smooth side (plastic side) is to stiff. Maybe try sanding the smooth side with 200 or 400 grit ( not too cut it up- just weaken it) to get it to loosen up? On a scrap piece of course. I should be getting a few big pieces soon. I will try it if I can.
thx
As noted in a long ago post - Tyvek is available in several finishes. There is the “stiff” kind used for house wrap, coveralls, etc. and a “softer” finish (hand) used for kites. The third kind is micro-perforated and not ssuitable for sails.
Try a good kite shop and ask for soft (#14 grade) tyvek. Of course, if there is an issue of spending a few dollars ($3.50/yard by 60 inches wide) for material, then I guess you’ll have to live with the “noise”. Since it is polyethelyne fibers, I doubt “sanding” will do anything but rough up the surface.
Some basic info as a repeat …
TYVEK
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]This protective material is a miracle of science from Dupont. It is from a family of tough durable sheet products of high-density polyethylene fibers. The sheet is formed first by spinning continuous strands of very fine interconnected fibers, and then bonding them together with heat and pressure.
Tyvek? is white, non-toxic, chemically inert and contains no binders. The non-woven sheet, after bonding, combines a good printing or coating surface, high opacity and toughness to a degree unique among sheet products of similar weight and price.
There are three basic flavors of Tyvek:
Type 10, Type 14 and Type 16.
The Type 16 has microperf holes in it,
the Type 10 is stiff (the house wrap) and
the type 14 is softer.
Tyvek 1443 is approximately 1.2 oz/sq yd, 5.3mils thick, tensile strength 7.9 pounds.[/FONT]s
I have been experimenting with sail cut and using AutoCAD, I can measure the amount of curve that the program is giving the sail at each seam. One panel is cut straight, and one has the curve.
For example, the IOM main first panel has a chord of 333mm and the curve that was computed has .68mm located 150mm from the luff.
This information can then be used to to bend the bar the required amounts.
Thoughts on using this data to accurately set the bar prebend?
Mitch
Mahoo,
you have not mention for which sail draft.
In any case this is the way I used SailCut 4 of my friend Robert , in drawing different sails (class-M) with different draft at different heights and positions along the chord and measuring the curvature . These cumulative data plus others sources found in literature, allowed me to trace the averaged diagram presented.
I found out later, that changing the material and the number of panels, the diagram was not adequate all the time to produce the wanted overall sail shape and draft.
I therefore decided to calibrate the tool in accordance with the material. (work ongoing).
I can anticipate that the wedges thickness may be 70% greater than the values fixed in my initial diagram .
Claudio
More! More! :bouncy:This is a great thread. I want to make my own sails,so this thread is of great intrest to me. I bought “Making Model Yacht Sails” by Larry Robinson and it has a wealth of information, but now I dont know if I should build blocks or try this new way. I guess I will try both, so I can compare each method.
I don’t think that one method will produce a superior sail. The advantage to Claudio’s gadget is that you only need one. With blocks you need a half dozen to start. To make the blocks you need a table saw with a ridgid sanding disk. It took 2 hrs to make Claudio’s gadjet and two days to make eight blocks. Not to mention the incredible amount of sawdust that comes from making the blocks. JMHO.
As far as More, More is concerned, ask questions. I will be more than happy to answer any that I can, as long as it is realized that I am an amateur. I can make a sail that works, but as far as making a superior sail? We’ll have to wait for that.
Don
Higuys,
I’m going to try making a set out of drafting Mylar for a small boat, like a Victoria. I will probably be needing some 1/8 tape. Can someone recommend something, like you could get at the sewing store? Do you thing I can use the usual 20-inch camber block? thx
See my answer on Windpower.
Don
I have a feeling, Don - you may be correct. Haven’t seen any 1/8 tape that is double sided - usually 1/4 inch on up. I think for the few lengths needed for a set of sails, your idea of strip cutting flat, double-sided adhesive stock makes the most sense if you need strips that thin.
I suppose you could unroll a foot or so of 1/4 inch wide tape and split it lengthwise down the middle to get two pieces 1/8 wide using Xacto knife and straight edge.
Gotta start saving some big pieces of the backing from bumper stickers.
I bought a sheet of double sided adhesive in a graphics supply store. It comes in 48 by 36 inches size. little less than 3 US $. It is stronger and thinner than commercial double sided tape (such as 3M or Scotch).
You should give it a try…
If you are buying a sheet of double-sided adhesive for just under $3.00 - but have to cut it carefully to get straight, thin strips - or if you pay just over $4.00 (or so) , and get a roll of manufactured double-sided tape that will probably save you a good hour or two because you can just unroll the tape and use it , then your time doesn’t seem to be very valuable. The only benefit I see is getting thinner strips of tape - which may be too thin for good contact/adhesion on sails intended for stronger winds. I have a roll of tape from which 5 sail sets have been made for myself, and have provided to friends for an additional 3 - and still have much left. Let’s assume that the tape cost $6.00 delivered - ($4.75 plus postage) That’s about $ 0.75 per set ---- BUT ---- I still have product left for several more sets, I don’t have time spent cutting strips, and I have a product that works and has been proven in practice that it works.
Could this be a case, where it’s worthwhile to make your own adhesive strips if you have plenty of time - but in the long run, that time might be better spent getting “water time” with the radio and boat and tuning?
EDIT: Just looked and the tape from Great Basin is 1/4 inch by 100 feet for $4.75 plus postage. No tax which you pay if buying locally - which is an immediate savings of an average of 4% - 7% depending on sales tax in your state.
Well,
For me (in Ohio) there’s no rush to make sails. Plus I’m just getting started with is, so getting material cheaply is a big plus. You know how difficult it is to get the panels to attach perfectly without wrinkles, and just putting them together is probably difficult enought. You you gotta plan and cut the panels, you have the sail block (or whatever), etc. So I would probably expect some mistakes that probably won’t come apart after sticking.
After some practice I would buy some better sail material and “good” tape.
Dick:
If you read my location, I’m in Dominican Republic, so shipping is a little higher than that. The double sided tape, in stripes that I have locally available is the commercial one, around US $ 1.5 per roll but barely 10 meters long and 16mm wide. Somewhat appropiate for office use, but of little uase for making sails.
Besides, I don’t need to save much time “to spend on the water” as, due to our weather I do have the luxury of being able to sail all year round (so I can spent the whole year both building and sailing)…
I guess that - amongst other things - makes my time a lot less valuable than yours…
If you visit your local sailmaker and ask for a roll of “Seamstick” all your problems will be solved instantly.
Nearest local sailmaker is located in Puerto Rico…
I have made a few blocks now, out of blue foam covered with .5mm ply. They were quick and easy to make. I used a couple of 48’’ aluminum rulers bolted together( with holes drilled in the appropriate places) for my radius tool. I used the radius tool to mark the circle sections on 3mm ply to make templates for cutting the foam. I cut out two peices of foam for each block( so I could add the bevel) and then glued them together.I have made three of one size and they seem be identical. I have not made any sails yet , but I will make a few seams off each block and see just how identical they are? I am sure someone else has done this( with foam) too . How did it turn out? I am going to try the new gizmo too and see what works better/easier.
Rob
That’s a god idea using the foam. I was going to do it too. As long as you get the first wood template right, you’ can make three more just like it. Then chop off the excess, a little sanding, and you’re done.
Did you use the 1inch foam or the 2inch?
TomoHawk, I used a trued up( with hot wire) 12’’ long by 6’’ wide by 4 ‘’ thick block, then cut it in half length wise. Then I attached two templates to each peice and hot wired in the radius and bevel for each, then glued them together . I allready had large blocks of foam from other projects , but I think that 2" would work fine. I think 1" might be too flexable. I made three of the exact same size so I could compare the seams made on each one, to see how acurate and repeatable building these blocks are. I am building a jig to hold and photo the sails.
Rob