First Project, First Post

As the first post on this blog I thought I’d just jump straight in with what I’m working on right now. Being a kitesurfer I’ve been dying to find the time to try 3D printing some new parts to test out on the water. It begins today! I thought I’d start with the fins since they’re a nice manageable size for the small desktop printers at uni (starting with the ‘Up! Plus 2’).

The first tests will be similar to the original fin to compare how it holds up in the water compared to the original (Liquid Force GTS 2.0). Some of this will certainly come down to the print orientation to minimise the chances of de-laminating while skimming across the shallows and scraping the sand. I’m also thinking about using an acetone finish to help bind and smooth the outside surface when I get this printed in a few days. Some of my students have started trialling this with success, so worth considering.

If it works, the next step will be to experiment with the fin geometry. I’m definitely expecting some spectacular crashes on the water through this process, but that’s half the fun!

– Posted by James Novak