Hello,

I would like to start by saying I have never attempted nothing like this.

I am attempting to make a DIY mount for an action camera. This mount is to be applied on a bodyboard. All the mounts on the market will require that you either surf with no leash or drill another hole in your board as the mounts use the usual leash plug hole on your board.

I have seen a company in Australia that does something I found quite interesting but considering the price including delivery I am considering doing one myself.



They use a metal base but I believe a normal plastic leash plug would suffice.

I am considering buying 22mm Carbon Fiber Tubing, cutting maybe 2 inches of it, then trimming the plastic plug to a diameter to fit flush inside the tubing, gluing this two parts together and then cover the joint with carbon fabric.

Now, whilst I have the idea, not sure what materials to use to bond and then apply the fabric so this is why I am here. I wonder if someone could point me in the right direction.

What type of carbon should I use? Roll wrapped? https://www.easycomposites.co.uk/25mm-roll-wrapped-carbon-fibre-tube

The size of the area to be covered with the fabric is only at the most 2 inches wide around the circumference of the 20mm tube, can I use the roll of tape? https://www.easycomposites.co.uk/25mm-roll-wrapped-carbon-fibre-tube

What resin (not sure this is what is used) to use on the carbon fiber fabric?

What glue to use to glue the plastic plug to the carbon tube, considering the small contact surface and the need to have a strong flexible and waterproof bond? This has to be a little flexible as it will have to withstand some pressure as I plan on surfing medium sized waves (6 foot plus) and these can be very powerful and the tension and stress on the material will be fairly strong.

I will have to drill two sets of holes on the length of carbon, one for the leash rope (about 5mm in diameter) towards the bottom of the piece and another one (maybe 2mm or 3mm) to run a bolt to secure the camera mount. Do you think this will compromise the strength of the tube much? Enough to break under pressure from the waves?

Thank you very much for taking your time to read this post and once again apologies about my total ignorance towards the subject.

Cheers

It depends on the plastic and how it is bonded.  If you aresliding the rod into a plastic sleeve or plastic tube in the board, the bondwill be much better and stronger than just a contact bond on the end. Forplastic to plastic we recommend our PT32620min Rigid Polyurethane Adhesive Twin Tube. Covering the joint in carbon tape will help strengthen it further and mechanically lock the part in place which might be useful if the plastic is the kind that doesnt stick well to adhesives. You would just wet lay laminate the tape into place using our EL2Epoxy Laminating Resin.

Drillingalways weakens a tube . we always recommend where possible, instead ofdrilling, bond in an insert or similar to support the go-pro. However if the tube is way stronger than needed then the lost strength may not be an issue.  You can wrap the carbon tape around the area to strengthen it. 

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant