The solution is to remove the vinyl wrap because it doesn’t allow as good of a bond. Then rough up the titanium inside a little better for bonding and last but most importantly to use a good marine flexible epoxy. The cheaper epoxies do not expand and contract very well and metal expands and contracts in temperature changes. I am sure their engineers will do some more research possibly into marine fabrication technologies and rectify that problem. Of course the stick pricing may reflect the use of a more expensive epoxy as well. Or perhaps they could get away from the metal steps and create a similar step using a thermoplastic composite that won’t expand or contract? Either way I am sure they will get it worked out.
I work in utility now, but growing up, my father and grandfather were in the commercial fishing and shrimping industry. We use to repair transoms on the boats. My grandfather loved poly resin even though it wasn’t as strong or water proof like epoxy was. I learned young that even though epoxy was amazing on wood for strength and water proofing, but it would wear out or stress fracture. Now on boats with a fiberglass over closed foam composite, epoxy would hold up for years as long as it was covered with pigment or enough paint to keep the sun light off of it. The reason it held so amazingly on the composite was that the foam didn’t expand and contract with heat and absorbed the vibrations better. I say all of that because Pinning it in multiple axis will not stop the expansion and contraction of the metals. At least not in my experience with epoxy. Most epoxies are extremely stiff the expansion and contraction will break the bond at least enough that it’ll give out under load. There are newer specialty epoxies that are made to flex. It might hold up to the expansion and contraction -just not sure if it’s a permanent long term solution because all plastics have some form of flex fatigue
That’s an excellent point but when going through a round carbon fiber, even a bolt would cause some fracturing once tightened down and loaded. Even though a cone design is stronger, it makes it harder to distribute the stress evenly across the hole where the pin or bolt is used. I think the pin was a safety back up to the “chemical weld”. All of these issues to save half a pound per stick. I think I’d take a pair of bolted mini aluminum sticks all day and just walk around with the extra 1.5lbs total for less money. But I’m weird like that lol
Yes!!! Add in UV degradation, expansion of the metal in temp changes and a circular design which doesn’t apply the forces evenly in that application and it would definitely limit the success of the chemical weld
The tube is carbon fiber isn’t it? And the step it’s self is titanium. At least that’s how I understand it
The tube is titanium and the step is aluminum
So then why not just do the normal sleeve insert and use a heavy duty bolt? Why chemical weld at all?
Bro, you just gave me flashbacks. My folks had Chinese drywall and went through the class-action lawsuits and subsequent gutting/rebuilding while I was in college. Bad times.
A company I worked for was involved in some litigation involving Chinese made steel shackles breaking while being used for rigging equipment. I am definitely more of a made in the USA or at least Europe where I know there are standards and companies follow regulations and fear lawsuits!
So here’s the second post then...had them at least two months, climbed every day for the first month with no issues.
And the second month?
just got off them, doing fine so far. Fingers crossed
