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Hi Guys
Okay. Today I started on plating of the CardCat X900. However, I stopped again and evaluated the material. I have so far used 500 staples on holding this boat together and it looks absolutely terrible - like Frankenstein's monster with stitches all over. I reappraised the project over coffee and have come to realise that I have stepped over the limit as to what the material can handle. The disability of carboard over 1mm thick to stay together is of course the main cause of this. As far as I can see, cardboard upto 1mm can be used if not coated as it appears to have another density. The manufacturing process for cardboard over 1mm is apparently very different. This limits the use of cardboard as a building material to small models under about 300mm in length. Additionally, cardboard over 1mm thick is impossible to bend without damage, limiting designs to SLO, which in itself is not pretty at all even though technically feasible.
I am not into boats under about 1000 mm and at this size the result is not acceptable. Additionally, since I expect very soon to obtain a laser cutter which can handle a vast array of other non-metal materials, this leads me to place greater demands on the materials I will be using in the CardCat X900, and will undoubtedly lead to big changes in the design, which I expect firstly to lengthen to 1000mm and secondly to drop the SLO and go to the original elliptical shaped hull of the class version of the CardCat X200. I am discussing materials with Raboesch in Holland, especially Lexan (also unknown to me), forming of 2mm PVC and Polyester sheets, and recommended glues.
What does this mean ? It means that I do not recommend cardboard for construction of boats over 300mm. At this length the cardboard thickness should not exceed 1mm. The cardboard should be uncoated. It also means that I am stopping the use of cardboard in my boats.
Cheers
Gerry
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