Keeping Sticks in The Garage?

[-knowlzey- 0]

I remember readng somewhere that keeping composite sticks in a cold garage during the winter makes them more prone to breakage because they become more brittle. Anyone know if this is true?

[firehawkshockey13 0]

it better not be cuz i keep mine in there

[interpathway 9]

Seems understandable. The same reasoning that cold steel blades have a better chance of snapping.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

depends how cold your garage is.

[noodle3872 40]

I think it's most likely the agent that is used to bond the graphite/carbon/kevlar fibres that stiffens the most and makes it brittle.

Mike

[MLSman 22]

I don't buy the argument on the composite materials...at all. Composite materials are made to withstand severe heat and cold...think skis, snowboards, and now aircraft and space materials, etc. The bonding agent is, however, susceptible to losing its bonding properties so that is a better argument. Unless you live in Minnesota or places North that may get as low as -40 F, I believe you should not have any issues.

[bladez 0]

so i guess living in canada would be an issue then lol

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

mls man summed it up pretty nicley. The carbon shouldnt be going anywhere, its a factor of the resin used in epoxies, always is. Same reason why UV will break the stuff down, the resin is the weak link most of the time.

but still, like i said, depends how cold you garage is ;)

[hockeyplaya97 0]

I just keep my sticks inside, keeps them nice and warm before I go to the rink.

[habsfan87 0]

Im not sure if it'd be just the cold, but the sudden change in temperature that would cause any premature failure.

[fastmiele 59]

Like Don Cherry says, "take care of your sticks and your stick will take care of you".

[interpathway 9]

I believe it was Gretzky who first said, "I like to take care of the things that take care of me".

[k13 0]

Just keep your stick in the same place as your equipment (usually the basement)?

[DarkStar50 679]

Isn't it cold in a hockey rink?

duh................

[Gummer12 134]

some more than others

[phoenixgold 0]

sure the rink's cold but it's not -10-20 on the ice. i think they would snap easier in the extreme cold

[mack 44]

If it's that cold in the garage, someone has bigger problems than a stick's integrity being compromised by cold weather.

[Jason Harris 31]

I've done it for years with no problems. Our winter nights probably average just over 20 degrees. Some nights drop into single digits, while other nights are low 30's.

My sticks have lasted me years, not months like some of you have expressed, and that was even when I was playing four times a week.

[rogue 0]

No, no harm will come from leaving your sticks in the garage;

Carbon fiber has an extremely low thermal expansion coefficient (on the order of 10^-6 m per 20 degree C change). This means that unlike some other materials, CF expands and contracts very little with changes in temperature. This is one of the common causes in material failure as stresses within the structure are increased with changing temperatures.

One of the issues suggested factors that would contribute to decreased physical properties was the epoxy resin used in forming the composite. Garage temperatures are the same as in house temperatures as far as the material phases and microstructures are concerned. Epoxy is in it's "brittle" phase at both winter garage (-40 - -20 C) and room (+20C) temps, so in reality, the epoxy has the same properties at either temperature. It is only at temperatures far above room temperature that an appreciable change in the epoxy's properties occurs.

[thejackal 46]

on a slightly different note, what about higher temperatures? I've read here a while back about some flyweights snapping real fast because they were left in the sun too long at the LHS.

[-knowlzey- 0]

No, no harm will come from leaving your sticks in the garage;

Carbon fiber has an extremely low thermal expansion coefficient (on the order of 10^-6 m per 20 degree C change). This means that unlike some other materials, CF expands and contracts very little with changes in temperature. This is one of the common causes in material failure as stresses within the structure are increased with changing temperatures.

One of the issues suggested factors that would contribute to decreased physical properties was the epoxy resin used in forming the composite. Garage temperatures are the same as in house temperatures as far as the material phases and microstructures are concerned. Epoxy is in it's "brittle" phase at both winter garage (-40 - -20 C) and room (+20C) temps, so in reality, the epoxy has the same properties at either temperature. It is only at temperatures far above room temperature that an appreciable change in the epoxy's properties occurs.

That's the answer I was looking for, nice and scientific. Thanks!