I'm not going to babble about how frustrated and fed up I am with broken carbon spars, but I need a replacement set. Preferably collapsible. Cheap. Durable. Much more durable than this #@%$#! set I have now at least... thinking fiberglass... tent poles? Believe it or not I'm having a hard time finding tent poles online or in Wal-Mart.

Some help/links would be appreciated. Between school and work I have enough free time to fly once per week, if the wind permits, and it really sucks when your #@%$#! breaks.

Venom 13 Spars - 105.5 cm spars.

Could always do CWS Compact Sticks (Small) @ $42

Tent poles can be found at http://www.polesforyou.com/ or similar sites. Have to match up diameters, lengths, wall thicknesses.

The problem with fibreglass rods is that they tend to be more flexible than aluminum or carbon rods and this could have an adverse effect on the flight characteristics of your Venom. Less breakage because of the longitudinal fibers, but you could end up flying a Twinkie.

ATB,
Sam

Thanks Sam! To be honest, the whole reason I made this post was so I could lure you into a response. The specific placement of LINKS after "help" was intended for you. You're the best.

I think I may just bite the bullet and buy some of Angus's. I don't feel like doing any super DIY work... I just don't have the time for it anymore. Unless anyone else has a secret, low cost, easy to do solution that will work as well as the A. Campbell special...

My local REI people gave me some spare tent poles. Free.

See if someone out your way could. Where are you?

If I sell my Venoms I won't need my spares and you can have them (same low--free--price)

Good luck,

John

get in touch with angus at coastalwindsports.com... he custom makes great spars... tent poles really just dont work well in my experience

Yup definitely a fan of Angus's spars! Have them for my 16m venom!

http://www.questoutfitters.com/tent_poles.htm

I bough mines there, good prices and good quality, I took the aluminium with metal end caps.

Woop woop! Thanks Matt! Just ordered some Will cut them to size. I got aluminum with metal end caps as well. $25 total.

I suggest a pipe cutter to cut your spars, it will make a better finish


Matt

I don't have one of those...

...But my friend does. Uh, in case he isn't around to let me borrow it, are there any alternatives?

cut clean with a hacksaw and then file smoothe with a metal file. also, walmart has greenplastic coated metal tubes in their garden dept used to stake plants ect..about $5 each. hope you have spares with those new aluminnum spars. my alminum have never withstood crashes into the water...and if you ALWAYS carry a spare with you, then you will never need it

Quote:

Originally posted by Seanny ...But my friend does. Uh, in case he isn't around to let me borrow it, are there any alternatives?

Light Saber?

Slow and steady with the hacksaw. Better to cut a llittle long and file down nice and pretty.

Dremel rotary tool is another candidate.

ATB,
Sam

A pipe cutter is about 5$ in hardware store...