Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Having trouble adhering kevlar to wood

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic746.aspx

By sciguy - 2/18/2012 3:49:07 PM

I would like reinforce a wooden component I've built up to adapt a rear hydration system to a specific bicycle saddle that will be used in an Ironman Triathlon. I have light  Kevlar fabric on hand as well as epoxy finishing resin. While experimenting with the Kevlar and epoxy I'm not having any success in getting the Kevlar to stick down tight to the wood. The epoxy doesn't seem tacky enough to counteract the light Kevlar's slight springiness when wrapped around the corners of the wooden piece.

I've tried applying epoxy to the wood first then placing the Kevlar on top as well as placing the Kevlar on the dry wood and forcing epoxy through its weave. Both methods give similarly poor results.

Somewhere in my searches I saw mention of using 3M Super 77 to first adhere Kevlar to the wood and then forcing epoxy into the weave. Does that make sense to try?

If you have any advice on this matter I'd love to hear it.

Hugh
By sciguy - 2/18/2012 9:23:32 PM

Joe (18/02/2012)
Hi,

I know people would use that 77 spray glue to help them conform fabric in a curved mold, so I dont know why it would hurt your process.


Joe,

Thanks for the feedback,

Since I have plenty of Kevlar, epoxy, Super 77 and scrap wood, I might as well do the experiment and see how it works out. I'd do it anyway before committing the process to the formed part.

Hugh