Hi guys, after reading for almost a year I decided to finally start pressing my own skis, and this is my first post.
I'm from Argentina, and down here is very difficult to get some of the tools needed... so sometimes I have to get around it and find different solutions.
The thing is:
I can't get a 5'' diameter firehose. Not even 4... the largest I found is 2,5''.
So, I was thinking and doing some maths and this came up:
If I have less contact surface (using smaller diameters) --> then the cattrack will get, let's say 50psi and distribute that pressure to the sandwich --> bigger surface, then less pressure to the sandwich.
But what happens if I use higher pressure, didn't do the math yet but let's suppose 70psi, considering the surface difference to finally get that 50psi.
I have to do math to find out that "higher pressure" value, but what do you think about it? Most firehoses can handle up to 200psi working pressure, so that wouldn't be an issue.
Thanks to everyone here, this is such a great knowledge source!
You could make it work by having a very small gap between the lay up and the top mould but it just makes everyhing difficult.
Google harder or get some bigger hose from the usa
gozaimaas wrote:You could make it work by having a very small gap between the lay up and the top mould but it just makes everyhing difficult.
Google harder or get some bigger hose from the usa
I will still keep on googling, but besides firehoses... is there any other kind of hose that could work? I'm trying to imagine what other industry could use hoses as big as this we need to make more accurate my search.
Any industry that needs to transport water in large amounts. Dewatering at mine sites use same really large hose, that's why we have so many options where I live.
Google layflat hose.
Hi, I'v been doing a different research and found this on a rubber products store... 5'' fabric reinforced PVC layflat hose.
It has a working operation pressure of 4 kg/cm2 (56 psi).
It's pretty inexpensive, like US$7 a feet.
Do you guys think this will work?
The also have 6 and up to 10'' I guess, but not sure about how strong they are.
It'll blow up at the valve , or the pinched ends. Tyred that with my first bladder. Will get you a shipping price today on that fire hose. Got bust Friday. Then the weekend hit.
Just found this today. It's heavy duty reinforced PVC hose, almost doubles the thickness of the previous posted.
Kind of not as flexible as the blue one, but I guess it won't be a problem with a cat-track.
What do you guys think? Finally found my hose? C'mon... make my day! haha
Are you talking about the hose handling the heat?
I've run mine up to 90ºc without any problems.
I do now have a 3mm sheet of mdf directly under my hose but it makes minimal differenceand my hoses have been fine.
So, I was thinking and doing some maths and this came up: 
