Carbon Tow, Pros/Cons?

[OnDeck]

I sometimes use glass with carbon tows incorporated along the length in various groupings (i.e., x 12, x 25, etc).

I want to start adding my own in order to fine tune some of the flex characteristics (particualrly in torsion) but I've never bought tow before that wasn;t already in the glass.

Question: I assume 12k is pretty common, but want the option to use heavier weights, too. Is 12k enough to make a noticeable difference? Is 50k so heavy that it will need recessing into the core, or will it press flat so there'll be no noticeable affect on top/bottom surfaces? Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks

[sammer]

I've used 24k carbon tow in a couple pair now.
You can leave it as a string or flatten it out into about a 3/8" ribbon.
Either way it presses out flat in my vacuum press.
3 or 4 of those under the core are definitely noticeable.
24k was all I could find last year when I started looking.
http://www.fibreglast.com/product/24K_C ... w_2293/156

sam

[OnDeck]

Good to know you could flatten it out. Are the tows under the core noticeable visually, or by feel?

Damn, that stuff is super expensive!