As a part of the weight-loss program that caused the unpleasantness featured in the previous post, I turn to managing the materials... and something of a relief. Arranged here are samples of 1.20mm plastic tubing, beside sixteenth inch, 1.20mm and long-abandoned 2.00mm alloy sections.
1/16" is easily remembered as it is equivalent to 1.60mm, the gauge I have chosen on past experience and because of its glove-like fit into the tube-connectors. The sample plastic is well up to scratch in all departments, however, and on a like-for-like basis is exactly half the weight. Plastic sheet is likewise less than half the weight, so that if we were to build entirely in plastics then the advantages would be spectacular.
Nonetheless I decline to do so at this stage for five reasons:
(a) Have bust my ass on producing the current prototype
(b) Extra weight compensates for its lack in the mannekin
(c) I refuse to spend the extra cash
(d) Regulators are in love with alloys
(e) We flew them successfully prior.
Nonetheless I make a note to self: this will be the way to go with full-size iterations in future, and perhaps beyond.
Still unimpressed with the carbon-fibre that so many others feel obliged to use so as to be taken seriously. Plastics and alloys bend but rarely break, like me.
And palm trees.
