descartesfool

I was looking at making some splitter blades and considering various materials. One option is to make the splitter/undertray out of plywood. However plywood is hard to get a nice finish on. A search yielded some option I did not know about. One is MDO and HDO which is plywood with a Medium Density Overlay or High Density Overlay. Basically high grade plywood with a thin overlay of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard), one one or both sides, available raw or pre-primed. Works like plywood but has a much smoother finish. Available as thin as 3/8". Some can also be had with melamine finish in black. Used for bed liner boxes and furniture, which is where I found out about it. HDO is often used for smooth concrete forms.

http://www.plywoodcompany.com/applic...151&itemid=423

Another option I found is Plyron, which is similar to MDO/HDO with a plywood core and hardboard outer layers. Advantage here is a tougher outer surface than MDO/HDO. Available in 1/2" thickness. Surface density is 2.0 lbs/ft2 in the 1/2" thickness. Plyron is used for very resistant stage floors

http://olypanel.com/common/pdf/Tempe...2011-07%20.pdf

http://www.eagleplywood.com/docs/2007Plyron.pdf

http://www.plywoodcompany.com/applic...id=&itemid=445

These products are not that much more expensive than regular high grade plywood, and would finish a lot better. Anyone ever try these materials or have suggestions for any other new materials?

First pic is Plyron and second is MDO plywood.

lwnslw

Somebody I know gave me a catalogue " huge like 3000 pages " of this place and told me to look in there to find this material that the NASCAR teams use to build their splitters. I guess they sell the sheets . I have not looked at it since I still have my splitter . Just a matter of time .
I will look in the catalogue and let you know what I find

KIWI

I think I can safely say not many on this forum would have experimented more with materials for splitters and undertrays than me?
For Splitter blades:
Regardless of what anyone says- and I know there are some really nice materials out there... Alumilite, Great! but expensive! Acrylic sheet, Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, etc.
It all comes back to the same old story...
Quote: < A splitter is a disposable item, it needs to be cheap and easilly replaced. If your splitter is still in one piece after several events.. Youre not trying hard enough!> End Quote. (Kiwi 2000)

For our P1 Spec Splitter kits We settled on a high density,marine grade ply called (Mariente) It is available only from Plywood supply stores, it is cheaper per 8x4 Sheet than the horrible Knotty grainy Home Depot stuff.
Perfectly smooth surface- no flaws at all. Very light weight, Hi density, Marine grade.
I imagine it's Similar to the stuff they use to make skate boards.

I don't think the fiber board has the strength to withstand the same impact that would scratch or even splinter a layer of ply, the fiber board would problably shatter or a sizeable chunk would break away from your splitter. And I have doubts about the moisture resistance of the Fiber board.
For what its worth, everything taken into account,I doubt there is anything better for the construction of a splitter blade than a good quality plywood.

Under trays: Probably Aluminium sheet for ease of cutting, bending and fitting. And of course weight. The undertray, if allowed in the regs is generaly subject to less punishment than the splitter blade.

I'll be interested to see what new ideas come up in this thread...

Kiwi

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

I think its worth looking into, but the availability of the materials might play more into affordability. At least for a blade.
Finding 10mm marine grade plywood would be easier find locally, which is the material used in the SPMS blades.
Splitter blades are a consumable item.

descartesfool

But the stuff is plywood, with just a thin or thick, harder, smoother outer skin. The HDO stuff is for sure good for moisture. It is made for repetitive use in concrete forms, aka full wet, over an over again. and they are all made with waterproof glue. The Plyron is designed for harder abuse than regular plywood, with one of its primary uses as a covering for stages, which get taken apart and moved around over and over. So I wouldn't dismiss it outright without trying it. Might turn out to be not as good as marine ply, but might be better, perhaps worth a try. And available in 4x10 sheets, which might make for good material use. Is there a source for the marine ply you like to use. Couldn't get anything on that brand name Mariente. How much does it cost per sheet?

KIWI

Ok,
I'm going to our Plywood supplier on Monday, We have a heap of back ordered splitters to produce next week. I'll get a couple of trial sheets of either the Plyron or the HDO and I'll get the correct terminology for the lightweigt stuff we use, and I'll come back on here with all the details an opinion on how the Plyron works out compared to what we have been using.
My main concern right now is weight. I suspect the Plyron may be quite heavy, compared to what I have used up until now. However, we have nothing to lose so we'll give it a try.

I'll be baaaack!

Kiwi

20CiviC02Si

iTrader: (3)

Interesting!

chuwi_pty

+1 more info about this!!!
photos!!!!!!

liam821

Have you ever heard of a material called Komalu?



Its 1/4" thick. I have a sheet of it and was going to make a splitter out of it and see how it lasted.

You can get it from San Diego plastics http://sdplastics.com/kommerling/komalu.html

exgr

Roger Foo really liked to use the wood variants back in the days for the splitter because it was cheap and strong. Obviously heavier though... but if one is near minimum weight already I guess weight won't matter too much because it's so low to the ground. That's something to be considered.

If weight really matters, how about making the splitter into 2 pieces? have the front most 10" or so made of wood variant for strength, but the section rearward of that out of lighter but more expensive materials. it's usually the front part that gets all the bashing/thrashing right?

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

it would be interesting to see how much the sheet flexes?

lwnslw

after a little investigating the splitters for NASCAR are made out of a material called tegris which is a thermoplastic.
It is 10 times cheaper than carbon fiber and it doesn't shatter at impact. Looks like ferrari uses this for their splitters also.
So back to Kiwis suggestion.
Unless somebody can find where to buy sheets of this material.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

Availability and affordability are the keys.
Can you get it, and whats it cost.
If you have to ship it your done.
If it costs more than the obvious your done again.
Its also a (forgive my yelling here) DISPOSABLE ITEM!

Atmosfear

iTrader: (18)

Looks exactly like DiBond. I have a 4x8 sheet of it that I am experimenting with, nothing to report as of yet though.

mosquito_racing

Here on Europe we have some "Cup cars" from Seat , Renault and Peugeot wich have the aero pieces made from a thermoplastic fiber reinforced "Twintex".

It seems cheaper than any composite on the price range for the "normal" fiberglass but have the same manufacturing process of carbon fiber (autoclave) and properties.

Now on the footprint to find some dealer... it looks like a corporation agreement between the Twintex manufacturer and the official workshops.

liam821

Tegris is made by Milliken & Company. Here is their website: http://www.milliken2.com/MFT/MFThtml.nsf/page/home.htm

You can contact the company at 864 503 1765.




^ looks a bit like carbon fiber.

You can buy it online from http://powerstreamindustries.com/tegris.asp and a 24" by 54" 1/8" sheet costs $97 - they have additional pricing on their webpage.

liam821

For being only 1/4" thick its fairly rigid - its pretty similar to a flat sheet of carbon fiber of the same thickness - just much much cheaper. Once I attach it to the front of the car i'll take some video so you can all see for yourself - probably next week if I can get some free time from my kids. (haha yeah)

liam821

Yeah, it looks like DiBond is basically the same thing at Komalu. You should post something here in this thread once you get it all worked out.

vbspec

I have 2 ove these blades in my garage and the ones NASCAR uses are almost 1/2 inch thick and almost as heavy as plywood. No kiding

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

good deal looking forward to it

descartesfool

Hmm, Tegris costs $1220 for less than a 4x8 sheet of 1/2 thick material. Not going to be on my car anytime soon. I assume Nascar can afford it.

BlueTeg

iTrader: (2)

great thread, subscribed...

JDMEMone

There is a composite that i have worked with and its a fiberglass/thermo plastic that is beautiful. what happens is when you wet it out, the fiberglass stays flat, but the thermo plastic rises like a honeycomb and hardens. its super light (air space between) and ridgid as hell (honeycomb type property) i will find the name of it and get back to ya'll.

JDMEMone

Parabeam. **** is amazing!