Bending Vaughn Pro Carbon Blocker

[Almost Hip]

Has anyone tried bending a pro carbon blocker? Have a VE8 Pro Carbon and I am not sure if I should heat it first and or if heating it will allow the bend to retain shape.  I am looking to curl the bottom right corner up just a bit to better aid paddle down.  Right now the index finger padding gets jammed under the paddle with I can modify but even when it's not the thumb and corner don't allow me to get close enough to the ice.  I checked it vs my old Vision 9500 and hand position is the same but the finger protection is longer and the Vision is slightly slimmer in the corner that hits the ice and that little bit makes the difference needed.

 

Any input welcomed.  Thinking secure upside down over edge of table, apply heat (blow dryer) and gently bend.

 

 

[seagoal]

I can't imagine anyone has actually done this.

I have no doubts that you can apply heat to it, get it soft enough, and then bend it.....well, more like change the overall rigidity and shape.... but I think you're mistaken in thinking that you will mold it into a new shape.

To me it sounds like you think you can apply heat, bend it into a new shape, allow it to cool, and it'll keep that new shape (like heat molding).  I'm confident that will not end up how you imagine it. I just can't see it retaining the new, bended shape.  My suspicion is you'll end up with some version of a broken, flaccid blocker

@ArdeFIN what do you think?

[johncho]

I think the first part is determining if material you're trying to bend is a thermoset or a thermoplastic (some plastics melt with heat while others cure and harden). If the material in that blocker is their proprietary carbon weave, I don't think it will bend with heat. Worse, if it's layered, it might separate? But again this is speculation from my part.

Edited January 10, 2023 by johncho

[Almost Hip]

1 hour ago, seagoal said:

I can't imagine anyone has actually done this.

I have no doubts that you can apply heat to it, get it soft enough, and then bend it.....well, more like change the overall rigidity and shape.... but I think you're mistaken in thinking that you will mold it into a new shape.

To me it sounds like you think you can apply heat, bend it into a new shape, allow it to cool, and it'll keep that new shape (like heat molding).  I'm confident that will not end up how you imagine it. I just can't see it retaining the new, bended shape.  My suspicion is you'll end up with some version of a broken, flaccid blocker

@ArdeFIN what do you think?

That is what I am unsure of and was hoping someone has played around with that material before.  I trimmed a piece of it from the side protection before and it seemed a lot more like plastic than the baked and cured CF from the automotive world.  Not sure if I kept the piece but I'll look at home later.

[seagoal]

2 hours ago, Almost Hip said:

That is what I am unsure of and was hoping someone has played around with that material before.  I trimmed a piece of it from the side protection before and it seemed a lot more like plastic than the baked and cured CF from the automotive world.  Not sure if I kept the piece but I'll look at home later.

@ArdeFIN is a great person to have chime in here. Our resident gear surgeon on this forum.

[ArdeFIN]

19 hours ago, seagoal said:

@ArdeFIN is a great person to have chime in here. Our resident gear surgeon on this forum.

Uh, thanks.

Haven't received the email notifications from the forum and been out for a few days. And right then someone is looking for help.

Oh well I don't know if I'm able to give a solid answer but yes, the carbon that Vaughn uses  is some sort of carbon sheet infused with plastic. It will mold with heat and can be somewhat repaired by melting it and then pressing it back together when the layers have separated. I don't know how solid or long lasting this sort of repair is but I've tried it a few times and it seems to work atleast for some time. 

If you ask me I'd get rid of that material and replace it with PE-HD right away.

But back to the blocker it isn't the carbon/plastic sheet that is the issue but the foam core that you cannot really bend with heat. Maybe some that might just be enough for you to do the trick here. 

Last and not least is that the jenpro cover isn't going to give you a lot of room either, could be even less than the foam core.

You are not going to break anything unless using excess heat and force and while being on the safe side you propably are able to recover from the modifications too.

BUT, if I understood what you @Almost Hip are after I would look for something else before this mod. Maybe modding the finger protection or stick handle (pistol grip) etc. Ofcourse those are more or less infinite mods. 

I don't think I need to mention that you have to dismantle the blocker to try and make this mod.

[ArdeFIN]

This is what I had inside my VE8 non carbon. The Pro Carbon has that plastic sheet changed to carbon. And from custom route you can order the sheet in full size which I would do right away. So the foam on the left will be the tricky part to mold. The foam plate behind plastic is easily moldable with heat too. 

[Vanniek71]

20 hours ago, ArdeFIN said:

If you ask me I'd get rid of that material and replace it with PE-HD right away.

I am actually doing this right now on a pair of SLR 2 Pro Carbon blockers. I opened one up because the face was kind of lumpy, wanted to see what was in there. The carbon sheet is not even stiff whatsoever, its more like a soft material. I ordered 2 plastic inserts to replace it since I couldn't find anything close to what's in there (I reached out to Vaughn to see if they sold replacements but haven't heard back yet).

Just for reference sake here is what the SLR 2 carbon looks like:

Edited January 12, 2023 by Vanniek71
adding pics

[Almost Hip]

@Vanniek71  That seems very thin and flimsy.  The protection pieces are maybe 3/16" thick.  

 

I took the index finger protection out so I could trim it down by 1/2" to allow more flex and not jam.  I took a heat gun to it and was able to curve it and it retained that curve once cooled.  By no means as pliable as plastic sheet but seems doable.  Thinking I'll use some wood with radiused edges to clamp to edge of blocker to get the shape I'm looking for.  Right now the blocker corners are slightly curved down (been that way since new).  We'll see how it goes.

 

[Vanniek71]

1 hour ago, Almost Hip said:

That seems very thin and flimsy.

Yeah I was pretty surprised. Maybe at one time it was a bit stiffer and many shots have damaged it? I am trying to get a new one ordered just to check it out. I am replacing it with the HD plastic.