I was searching to see if there’s an easy and safe way to cut carbon fibre composites and came across a forum posting on an engineering/aeronautics board asking for a ‘shade tree method’ of cutting.
What exactly is meant by the term ‘shade tree method’?
If I had to guess, I’d imagine it means something like the mode of working that I’m stuck with - a small garage workshop too cramped and poorly equipped for all and every job, resulting in some tasks being taken outdoors to work on. Is that correct, or does it mean something else?
I always took it to mean that it referred to an amateur working on their car who didn’t have a garage, hence they’d park their car under a shade tree to change the oil, change the alternator, etc.
You’ve got the idea. I think this term comes by way of analogy to “shade tree mechanic,” a do it your selfer or a mechanic who doesn’t have a shop or all the specialized tools and fixtures, so he just pulls his car under the shade of a tree and goes at it.
I took it a completely different way, and this may be totally wrong but I’ll share it anyway.
When cutting a large bough of a shade tree, the proper way to do it is with a three-cut process. The first cut is maybe a foot from the trunk, you cut up from the bottom of the bough, about 1/3 of the way through the bough. This is so when the bough falls away, the bark doesn’t rip down along the trunk. The 2nd cut is a few inches out from the first cut, down from the top, cutting all the way through the bough. The final cut is down from the top, all the way through, a few inches from the trunk.
I don’t know if this has any relevance to cutting carbon fiber composites, but it’s the first thing I thought of based on the OP.
To add to the homespunness of the OP analogy. In addition to providing protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, a shade tree is also a stable anchor to which one can attach a come-along for certain body panel/frame repairs; or block & tackle for engine removal and installation. The tree is an integral part of the primitive shop.
the term shade tree mechanic predates having carbon cabon composites to cut in any special way. I would take a a query for a ‘shade tree method’ to mean something that could be done without special tools or equipment.
Thanks. I’m actually just not going to attempt it, after all - as I think it will compromise the integrity of the part - it’s a carbon composite tube - the top section of a two-part mast - it attaches to the lower section by slipping over a spline on the lower section - and will fit onto a custom footing I’m making in the same way. if I shorten it, not only will it no longer fit the bottom section if I ever want it to again, but I think it will be more likely to split under strain.
It’s not a great deal longer than I wanted - I’m just going to design around it.