Carbon Casting Platform

With this one, I don’t have a lotta pics of the materials or process, but I’ve tried several different cores, mostly with crap results but my latest one has help up well.
My biggest issue is not having a local source for core materials so everything Ive tried was Box store stuff. Obviously if you have h60/80 available that’d be the way to go, but I did eventually find a suitable alternative.

The legs are straightforward. Use Carbon weave/braid over a mandrel. My mandrel was gray PVC conduit.

Next up the platform, again it’s not difficult to lay up.
I first tried 1/2” insulation board. (Pink panther type stuff).
That was a fail.
At 1/2” there wasn’t enough strength to keep it from bowing in the middle.

So I decided to add a second layer of foam board. That did help with the bowing, but aftet a bit of use, the Carbon started to delam from the core.

Next I tried go board.
That’s a fiberglass skinned foam board core used for tiling. It’s got great compression strength but not great shear, so you definitely don’t want it in any structural applications, but it has worked well for my gas tank and battery platforms.
At any rate, I again tried one 1/2” layer, which eventually bowed. So you guessed it, I doubled the core. That did the trick. With the core doubled to 1” and two layers of 10oz carbon, it’s solid as a rock.



For the build process.
The legs were done with 4 layers of 3k sleeve, over prepped conduit.

The platform skin is 2 layers of 10oz carbon weave.

The core is two laminated 1/2” layers Goboard.

The attachment point for mounting was multiple layers of 10oz carbon. For attaching to the platform, it’s “glued” and filleted with thicked resin.

The feet are walker/cane tips (available at CVS/Ace ect)

Mounting the legs to the platform.
I use a hole saw the same size as the legs. With the pilot bit in place get the cut started, then remove it. With pilot bit removed, Proceed to drill the hole till you get to the topside layer, but leave the plug in it. The plug being what would normally be in the hole saw when drilling though something. Remember it’s epoxied to the skin, so it should stay in place.
Then pour some neat epoxy in to the circle you’ve created.
I then mix up a thicked epoxy pnut butter, pack some in that same groove and spread some over the legs.
Insert the legs.
Next up, and this is quite possibly the most important part. Make a nice thick fillet around the leg to platform. This filet provides the strength necessary to bond the leg to both skins of the platform.
This keeps the upper skin from taking all the weight and effectively transfers the load to both skins and the core. Otherwise it will fail.
..Ask me how I know.. :wink:..
As you can see I’ve tried several methods. This version has held up great, I’m 195lb and it holds me and my stripping bucket with no issues, movement or wobbles. It’s solid as a rock.
I’ve had guys over 200lbs stand on it day in and day out as well.
Finished weight without the rubber feet, is about 3lbs.

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That’s pretty cool Mike👍

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Sweet! Should make a poling platform next just for giggles :winking_face_with_tongue:

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Nice work and detailed explanation, Mike. Thanks for sharing.

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That came out really nice! What type of resin did you use, was it UV stable?

Mike, you are such a talented guy! That looks amazing!

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@Hobie_Juan_Kenobi it’s a UV stable epoxy. I should’ve added that I also sprayed a clear over top for added protection.

@rovster you joke, but I was actually planning on building one for my current skiff, but ended up pulling the platform off my old boat. It’s still in the back of my mind though, and I was actually pricing supplies last night..:man_facepalming:

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Appreciate it guys.

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You have a disease🤣

@rovster Facts!! :joy:

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Nice yeah it looks bitchen, I thought it may of had some type of clear.

Mike, you should consider moving to south Texas. You’d make a great next door neighbor…

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@hipshot haha..
I lived in San Antonio once. Wasn’t my favorite place..lol..