THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

is this easy to use? thinking of making up a couple of panels/covers,is it basically the same approach as fibreglass,ie stipple it with resin? also does it fall apart like f/glass when putting the resin on,and wheres best to buy some i only want a couple of smallish pieces but want good quality stuff any tips/advice folks?

MAD EVO 4

Speak to DANNY B bro

Mark V8

iTrader: (2)

My brother made up a very nice carbon dashboard for a Dax Rush, he got some carbon weave from a boat yard for cash (not too expensive), he then got hold of a big perspex garage sign and put on plenty of polish, applied clear gel coat to the sign and left for a bit then more clear gel coat followed by the carbon fibre and more gel coat. After this went on the plywood backing followed by some weights, leave it all to dry and carefully split the dash from the sign, it looked the dogs bollox
It does conduct electricity though so you have to be carefully when wiring or you get sparks

Mark

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

i thought carbon was baked under pressure to give it the strength????

pee vee

there are a few ways to do it.

you can use it exactly the same way as Fibreglass yes.
(dont 'stipple' it too much or you will mess the nice weave pattern up!
use a fibreglass roller)

BUt remember you'd need a 'mould' so to speak to get it to a nice
smooth shiney finish like we all know as 'carbon fibre'

IF you do it mate, you can use normal fibreglass resin etc
BUT if you do, add a very very slight amount of black pigment,

that will help stop the Resin dis-colouring with the sunlight
and turning that nasty yellow (like somones been smokin in the same room for 30 years lol)


EDIT:
PS: dont use too much resin or it will get between the carbon and the mould and make it look 'cloudy'

here is a pic of a mk6 escort bonnet we (tried) to do. this
first attempt didnt quiite go as planned but 2nd one did )
White stuff on this one is just plasticene we used on edge of mould and wiped off

GARETH T

you dont have too at all mate,,,,

and there is ways too cure the workpiece under massive pressure to gain massive amounts of stregth,, have a look for vacuum bagging on the internet!

THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

cheers for the info,do you just put resin on the underside then?

GARETH T

buy this book from amazon mate,,,, tells you everything you need too know
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...097383-3168614


bloody great read

pee vee

GARETH T


does that book cover anything on F1 brake discs??

had one in work, and the way they are made is Quite eye-opening!!

GARETH T

sadly no

aint they sintered? (spl)

DaveEscos

interesting thread



ok, for example, how would you make a cf piece, like a gauge pod or something.... ?

Having worked with fibreglass, its awfully messy and splinters a lot..

how does the cf look so smooth etc

pee vee

GARETH T
from what we could tell yes

as there is no 'fibre weave' as such it just looks like
they have literally got a lump of carbon and machined the disc from it!

sintered/grown from what guesses people were making!
very clever!

about 30 mm thick and prolly 300mm round and weigh very little!

i will try and get hold of it again and get a pic.[/b]

GARETH T

carbon fiber comes as a matt (well mostly) you you just have too lay the matt over the mold which you have made, and push teh resin into the matt! lay a couple of layers on! chuck it in your vacuum bag!! trim once dry!

sorted

GARETH T

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vacuum-Bag-Sto...QQcmdZViewItem

use one of these for vacuum bagging you product,,,,, the reason you do this is too apply a force (atmopheric pressure in this case) when setting!

the forces in doing it this way is massive!

pee vee


ya wouldnt mind too have a good look

THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

where can i get everything from,any online places?

GARETH T

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/

heres a good shop for resin! use the "west epoxy system"

GARETH T

as for matting,,, ebay is good,, ive bought some twill weave from there before!

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sear...bon&category0=



you use different weave for different jobs

DaveEscos

so what is the mould made of before you lay on the CF ?


surely this isnt true cf as its just a pony cf sheet on top of whatever was used to make the mould (be it Fibre glass and filler etc)

GARETH T

can make the mold from anything!
wood, plastic foam

hot wirer cutting foam is a very good mold! you buy very dense foam from a builders yard (as used as insulation)

THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

if i want to make a panel to fit around something how do i go about that? because if i take a mould off the orig item then lay the carbon up inside that the finished article will be slightly smaller than the mould so wouldnt fit on the orig part if you get what i mean?

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

How do you stop the bag sticking? I presume you need mould release stuff for the bag as well?

DaveEscos

ahhh.. penny drops


once the mould has been made, and the carbon had set...


how is the orig mould removed?

THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

will catch up on this later,have to go shopping now with the wife

MAD EVO 4

hahahahahahaha

GARETH T

mold release wax

and epoxy wont stick too the bag genrally

there is a fabric you can lay inside the bag aswell

DaveEscos

so

mould ---> mould release wax ---> CF sheet




I take it thats how marcus does his ?

GARETH T

you make a pattern from the odject you wanna copy,,,, make a mold from the pattern! pay you carbon on the mold

i know its long winded,, but if you want it right,, you gotta put some effort in

GARETH T

im sure he does mate,,,he also uses pre-perg carbon fiber, BLING

all it means is the carbon fiber matting comes witht he epoxy already in the sheet with the right amount not needed unless making formula one chiassis

Big Will_

At work (Honda Racing F1) we use absolutely huge amounts of carbon fibre - to get a decent finish on it is really down to the mould...

I've a friend who used to work at Renault F1 who now does composite work from home and the way he works is:



1) make the 'item' out of wood/plastic/whatever using filler to smooth any imperfections etc.
2) get a REALLY good finish on this before spraying a few coats of paint over it - rub it down again.
3) apply 5 or 6 coats of release wax (DO NOT TOUCH IT!)
4) lay fibreglass over the model item
5) release fibreglass to leave mould of item
6) then apply gel coats and weave etc. to the mould
7) bag it all up in vacuum bags and flash tape
8) send it off for autoclaving

Now, i do electronics not composites, so that's off the top of my head

Its a bit like bodywork in as much as its labour intensive and you really need to know what you're doing

NUTS RuS

iTrader: (35)

..... and 1 layer of carbon isn't enough. You will need to either back it with some chop strand or more layers of carbon for thickness/strength. But everything else said is spot on

GARETH T

or you can use fiber glass too back it

GARETH T

very cool,,,, but there is no need to vacuum furnace a gauge pod

NUTS RuS

iTrader: (35)

Chop strand is fiberglass Gareth

GARETH T

NUTS RuS

can get chopped stranded cf aswell

GARETH T

but ok,, normally it is fiber glass,, i'll take my like a man

NUTS RuS

iTrader: (35)

Anonymous

Peevee thats all very nice etc but where is my wing mirrer pods lol its been nearly 2 years in the making lolit must be good for the amount of time lol

Ginge !

mmmmmmmmmmmmm, wonder what your making there

got any piccys of the finished product

Anonymous

Looks like some sort of anal trumpet??

Ginge !

i was thinking of edam personally