Installing forward anchor rollers

Earlier this year we had these anchor roller brackets fabricated from aluminium by Fabweld NT. The bases were cut from the same extrusion used for our forebeam and then expanded slightly so that the underside would match the forebeam outside diameter

Today they were the last pieces of paraphernalia to be attached to the forebeam. Tom prepared the undersides for bonding by sanding them with wet epoxy, before spreading the glue.

(Additional information in response to a reader comment)
This is a process recommended to us by Bob Oram and ATL Composites. The process is to apply epoxy to the aluminium surface to be bonded, and then immediately sand it whilst the epoxy is in its uncured state. This procedure resembles wet sanding with water, but substitutes epoxy for the water. The goal is to expose fresh metal, allowing it to come in contact immediately with epoxy instead of air, which can cause oxidation to begin quickly.

The shiny bits have been covered in plastic and tape to protect them whilst he worked.

Ratchet tie-down straps were used to hold them in place while the glue set.

Within two hours the glue was set and we could begin taping. A single layer of double bias was wrapped first.

A 1050mm length of 100mm wide uni-directional was folded twice to produce this 25mm strap which completely circled the forebeam twice.

Then another strap of uni-directional…

And a third strap, to completely fill the 75mm space between the two flanges of the bracket. Of course this was repeated on the other bracket. A final wrap of double bias completed the fastening. Once again, totally above and beyond what is required for the situation, but that’s Tom for you.

While they were still wet, Tom blended in the edges of the wraps by applying more glue/bog, and partially wrapping the work with another piece of 200mm wide double bias.

Not the tidiest of peel-ply jobs…