Use of Kevlar

[6adan]

I am thinking of adding a couple of strips of Kevlar to the bottom inside of the front of a 6A wheel pant for extra strength. My hope is if I hit something or run a hole it will keep the nut from punching threw and digging into the ground. Dose anyone see any problems with this? Will it bond ok to the glass?

Thanks Dannie

[rich]

I did the same thing with 3 layers of Kevlar with no problems.

[Infidel]

Interesting idea. I have an old bullet resistant vest that's been taking up space and don't believe (hope) I'll ever need it again. I just may have to deconstruct it and put it to good use.

[fliier]

I used Kevlar once and discovered I had to buy a special pair of shears to cut it. It was $80 for the shears, plus I had to buy my wife a new pair of sewing shears after I screwed hers up. That is seriously tough stuff.

I think you would be better off with the Anti-Splat lip skid. Trying to protect a steel part with a plastic part. . . .

John Allen
RV6

[rzbill]

I wound up with a roll of kevlar from aviation employment many years ago. I had to buy the special shears too. Never found an alternate way to cut the cloth with the tools I had.

I used it in a few places on my 7A. Removable floorboards is one place. They are a sandwich with 1/8" divinycell. I have an incomplete cowl exit ramp ( ala Vetterman style ) on the bench right now

[6adan]

Thanks everyone. I just laid up three layers in the wheel pant, it seemed to work better than glass to me. I did not have that much trouble cutting it, I had to use a new blade in a razor knife. I will know more after it sets up. I am doing this just as an extra margin of safety, thanking about going with the Anti-Splat Nose Job as well.

[Nedimbek]

I used to build pattern model airplane fuselages using Kevlar and carbon fiber fabric. You don't have to pay a lot of money to buy special Kevlar shears. Just buy a pair of cheap scissors from Walmart and dull the cutting edge in your belt send sander (like kinda re-sharpening the cutting edges). Make sure the cutting edge is jagged. Cuts Kevlar like butter and you can redo the edge if it starts not cutting. Make sure to use thin epoxy as Kevlar is harder to wet. I use MGS but West System is OK.

[BJohnson]

If you don't like how things turn out, you can easily lift and edge and peel it off since nothing really sticks well to it. It makes a great, but pricey, peel ply.