Glueing the mainsail track to the mast

[HenrikH]

Through some unfortunate jybing I managed to rip loose a section of the mainsail track from the mast (carbon fibre). As best i can make out, it should be glued with MMA glue. The origial as well as advice for repair is to maintain an even 2mm thick glue seam to allow for stiffness differential between the mast and the aluminium track. Any ideas of how to control the thickness?

 

[Daydream believer]

Through some unfortunate jybing I managed to rip loose a section of the mainsail track from the mast (carbon fibre). As best i can make out, it should be glued with MMA glue. The origial as well as advice for repair is to maintain an even 2mm thick glue seam to allow for stiffness differential between the mast and the aluminium track. Any ideas of how to control the thickness?

Short pieces of cable tie set at intervals across the joint. You obviously need thick ones. You pull them out just as the glue gets to a near hardened state. Then later fill the small gaps. Alternatively trim them off when done & leave them in place.

 

[HenrikH]

Short pieces of cable tie set at intervals across the joint. You obviously need thick ones. You pull them out just as the glue gets to a near hardened state. Then later fill the small gaps. Alternatively trim them off when done & leave them in place.

Thanks, that is a good idea! Triggered my thinking to cut the pieces very short so that they are enclosed and glue them in place first.

 

[Poignard]

The technique I used to maintain a uniform thickness of CT1 when fixing a new perspex top to my wooden forehatch might do might do the trick. I used o-rings of the required thickness.

 

[AndrewB]

Short pieces of cable tie set at intervals across the joint. You obviously need thick ones. You pull them out just as the glue gets to a near hardened state. Then later fill the small gaps. Alternatively trim them off when done & leave them in place.

Neat idea!

 

[Daydream believer]

Thanks, that is a good idea! Triggered my thinking to cut the pieces very short so that they are enclosed and glue them in place first.

If you leave them long you can hold them in place with tape across each end (quicker) & if the track has a slight hollow on the underside it will not drop off the hollow( if you understand what I am trying to say)

 

[Poignard]

If you leave them long you can hold them in place with tape across each end (quicker) & if the track has a slight hollow on the underside it will not drop off the hollow( if you understand what I am trying to say)

If you join 2 or 3 together you can tighten them round the mast.

 

[Daydream believer]

If you join 2 or 3 together you can tighten them round the mast.

Problem with that is, you have to buy big ones to get the 2mm thickness & if you have to use more than, say, a small pack, it gets expensive.