11/16/2006

UPDATE to 10/9/2006 Composite Materials Data Handbooks Posting

I have added the three remaining volumes to MIL Handbook 17, Volumes 3,4, and 5 in addition to Volumes 1 & 2.  

These are two of the most definitive handbooks on polymer composite materials.  This is the industry standard reference books based upon an enormous amount of R&D.

Composite Materials Handbook - Volume 1 Polymer Matrix Composites, Guidelines for Characterization of Structural Materials, 586 pages, 4.4M

Composite Materials Handbook - Volume 2 Polymer Matrix Composites, Material Properties, 529 pages 3.2M

Composites Materials Handbook - Volume 3 Polymer Matrix Composites Materials Usage, Design, and Analysis, 693 pages, 8.4M

Composites Materials Handbook - Volume 4 Metal Matrix Composites, 316 pages, 2.2M

Composites Materials Handbook - Volume 4 Ceramic Matrix Composites, 260 pages, 2.5M

11/14/2006

Plastic Matrix Composites with Continuous Fiber Reinforcement(7M)

Data in this table is from Table 2-2 of MIL-HDBK-754(AR), page 2-3

11/14/2006

Various Specifications for Glass Fibers and Fiberglass Materials

• MIL-Y-1140H - Glass Fiber Cloths
• MIL-C-9084C - Cloth, Glass, Finished for Resin Laminates
• MIL-C-19663D - Glass, Woven Roving, for Plastic Laminate
• MIL-C-47173 - Cloth, Glass-Fiber
• MIL-M-43248C - Mats, Reinforcing, Glass Fiber
• L-P-383 - Plastic Material, Polyester Resin, Glass Fiber Base

11/10/2006

Rigid Foam in Place Flotation Polyurethane Foam, MIL-P-21929 1M

This is the military specification for rigid blown polyurethane foam for flotation, so in a sense this is a very good model specification for surfboard foam.  In addition, I am including a list of suppliers that have provided polyurethane foam or its components to this specification.  This list of suppliers is from the U.S.. Coast Guard Headquarters, Lifesaving & Fire Safety Standards Division, Document (G-MSE-4), Flotation Material for Survival Craft and Rescue Boats,  April 2005 (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mse4/BuoyancyFoamList(05).doc)

• BASF Corp., 1419 Biddle Ave., Myandotte, MI  48192-3736 > Autofroth 9212
• Baxenden Chemical Co. Ltd., Paragon Works, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 2SL, England > Isofoam RM118M
• Baxenden Scandinavia A/S, Fulbyvej 4, DK 4180 Soro, DENMARK > Isofoam RM118M
• Burtin Corporation, 2550 Garnesy Street, Santa Ana, CA 92707 > BUC-400
• Büsing & Fasch GmbH, August-Hanken-Str. 30, 26125 Oldenburg, GERMANY > Rigid Foam System 1500-61/A
• Carpenter Insulation & Coatings Company, 2400 Jefferson Davis Highway, P.O. Box 27205, Richmond, VA 23261 > C-100A or C-101A/C-410B
• Cook Paint and Varnish Co., P.O. Box 389, Kansas City, MO 64141 > #333, #351, #438, #812, #820
• CPR Division of the Upjohn Co., 555 Alaska Avenue, Torrance, CA 90503 > CPR-483
• Flexible Products Company, 1225 Industrial Park Drive, P.O. Box 996, Marietta, GA 30060 > Flexipol NP-19, Flexipol NP-20
• Foam Supplies, Inc., 4387 North Rider Trail, Earth City, MO 63045-1103 > C3-1.8 PUF Polyurethane Foam System
• Foamseal Urethane Technology, P. O. Box 455, 2425 North Lapeer Road, Oxford, MI 48051 > P3717/FSA
• General Latex & Chemical Corp. (of Ohio), P.O. Box 498, Ashland, Ohio 44805 > Vultrafroth XRV-1542, VULTA-FOAM XR-1836-F
• Hydroseal Polymers, Inc., 12151 Madera Way, Riverside, CA  92503 >  HS 118-N-2
• IPI Inc., Isocyanate Products Inc., P.O. Box 70, Elkton, MD 21921 >   Isofoam PE 2, Isofoam R-0379A/R-0380B, Isofoam R-0788 A/B, Isofoam R-0907 A/B, Isofoam R-1119, Isofoam R-1267, Isofoam R-1296, Isofoam R-1322, Isofoam SS-0893
• Isotec International, Inc., 11500 South Main St., Suite 150, Houston, TX 77025 >  Isotec P-2020, Isotec P-2045, Isotec S-2004 Lex
• Marchem Corporation, 2500 Adie Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043-3525 > Mistafroth S8137/H8439, Mistafroth S8512/H8616
• Polymer Development Labs Inc., 212 West Taft Avenue, Orange, CA 92665 > PDL 801-2.0, PDL 801-2PV
• Resin Technology Corp., 2270 Castle Harbor Place, Ontario, CA 91761 > RT 5010-2.0
• Stepan Chemical Company, Edens and Winnetka, Northfield, IL 60093 >  Expandofoam R112/R226, Stepanfoam BX289N, Stepanfoam H402N, Stepanfoam RS-9368, Stepanfoam RI-9369, Stepanfoam RI-9301
• SWD Urethane Company, 222 South Date, Mesa, AZ 85201 > AW 307-2
• Urethane Products Corporation, 17007 South Broadway, Gardena, CA 90248 > THR-50
•  

11/9/2006

Polymer Matrix Composites, MIL-STD-1944 2.6M

This is the military specification that covers some fundamental information about polymer matrix composites.  It has a good glossary which provides definitions of and describes common terms used in composite structures.  It also has a nice list of fiber strengths.  Some of these are listed below (see table I on pages 37 & 38).

11/2/2006

Polyurethane Foam (Blown) Specification for Composite Panels (MIL-C-8087C) 1.2M

This is the military specification for blown polyurethane foam for use in composite structural panels.  The kind of foam used for surfboards would be:

• Type I, Class 2, General Purpose, < 165 deg. F, non-electrical
• ~ 2-3 lbm/cubic foot density
• Minimum compressive strength, flatwise ~ 25 psi (2 lbm/cubic foot foam), see Figure 1, pg. 4
• Minimum shear strength ~ 10 psi (2 lbm/cubic foot foam), see Figure 1, pg. 4
• Minimum shear modulus ~ 12 psi (2 lbm/cubic foot foam), see Figure 1, pg. 4
• Minimum tensile strength, flatwise ~ 20 psi (2 lbm/cubic foot foam), see Figure 1, pg. 4
• Percent weight increase for exposure to 100% relative humidity for 10 days ~ 7% (2 lbm/cubic foot foam), see Figure 3

10/19/2006

OSHA Composites Technical Manual

A fairly complete discussion of the various methods and materials (fibers and resin systems) for making composite structures and materials.  Describes the materials, issues, fabrication processes, and aspects of occupation hazards of interest.  

10/18/2006

Polyurethane Foam, MDI and TDI

Blown polyurethane foam is a staple in the surfboard fabrication industry.  Various types of polyurethane foams can be made and two forms based on the chemistry of MDI and TDI are discussed and compared.

10/9/2006

Composite Materials Data Handbooks

These are two of the most definitive handbooks on polymer composite materials.  This is the industry standard reference books based upon an enormous amount of R&D.

Composite Materials Handbook - Volume 1 Polymer Matrix Composites, Guidelines for Characterization of Structural Materials, 586 pages, 4.4M

Composite Materials Handbook - Volume 2 Polymer Matrix Composites, Material Properties, 529 pages 3.2M

10/6/2006

Center Fin Box Origin and Patent

The center fin box is a standard feature of many surfboards,  especially longboards.  This fin box permits the center fin to adjust forward and backwards to provide trim of the board.  Not all fin boxes are the same and an industry "standard" does not actually exist.  A simple history and patent for this part is described.  

10/9/2006

Surfboard Hydrodynamics and Physics, Planing Surfaces

Surfboard are technically planing surfaces.  The hydrodynamics of planing surfaces was studied, analyzed, and characterized by NACA (now NASA).  This report shows some of the physics of planing surfaces.  

More references:

• A Review of Planing Theory and Experiment with a Theoretical Study of Pure-Planing Lift of Rectangular Flat Plates, NACA TN-3233, 35 pages, 1.1M
• High-Speed Hydrodynamic Characteristics of a Flat Plate and 20 deg. Dead-Rise Surface in Unsymmetrical Planing Conditions, NACA TN-4187, 94 pages, 4M
• The High-Speed Planing Characteristics of a Rectangular Flat Plate Over a Wide range of Trim and Wetted Length, NACA TN-2981, 30 pages, 1.3M

8/13/2005

Surf Wax Temperature Ranges

Available surf waxes come in various temperatures ranges.  This provides a summary of the temperature ranges of various surf waxes in degrees Fahrenheit and Celsius.  

8/5/2005

Wire Rope Specifications

Good data that defines the strength of wire rope.  Wire rope is what surfboard lock cables are made from.  In order to understand how strong a lock cable is, you need to know the specifications for the wire.  Once you have this, you can compare wire ropes and see the difference.

7/22/2005

Stringer Material Wood Properties

Ever wonder why stringers are made from different types of wood and what difference does the wood material make.  In terms of the wood strength and mechanical properties, it actually matters quite a bit what the wood is and you'll be surprised to see how much the various properties of wood vary.  I try to offer a simple discussion of what that could mean to your board's characteristics.  

7/22/2005

Friction of Surf Wax

We are trying to develop a new surf wax and the initial process is to understand just what does wax actually do.  Obviously, it creates friction, or actually the technical term is stiction (which is an abbreviation for static friction), between you and the board.  I found that the stiction of surf wax was not what I expected it to be.

7/22/2005

The Wave Equation

Not just my brand, but an actual formula which governs the physics of all waves in the universe including water waves.  Water waves are somewhat different than other waves, like light and sound waves, and the unusual properties of water waves create some behavior that all surfer's know, but probably never really understood.