As previously posted, we got a reel of carbon tow (yarn) to test on our spool drive. I was skeptical (but hopeful) regarding the strength specs from the manufacturer. We built a couple test fixtures and hooked them to the tension guage. The tow is wrapped around the 6" tubing about 20 times and the loose end is clamped under the mini-clamp.
The results were FAR below the specs -- the tow repeatedly broke, not at the anchor radius (where I would have expected), but simply in the 15' strand being tested. Average strength over repeated tests ... 75-80lbs. A far cry from the 560lbs spec.
We'll test Spectra/Dyneema next.
