If anyone here knows how to fabricate anything in CF or know where I can learn how to do that please tell me. I have alot of free time on my hands and would like to learn.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have alot of free time on my hands and would like to learn.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is how you learn it though. There really isn't much about working with CF materials out there. I guess everyone thinks it is an unknown dark art or something and won't share. (which is dumb) My suggestion is to practice with cheaper fiberglass and a good epoxy resin before moving to CF or armid cloth. It helps cut down the costs while learning how to manipulate the resin system and the fiber cloth. I would not even waste my time with polyester resin. Or better yet I would at least try it so you can understand that epoxy systems are 100 years ahead of polyester or vinal esters.

It is just something you have to DO ahnds on to learn the process, kind of similar to auto painting. I would concentrate on traditional wet layups (using rollers) first until you are comfortable.....then move to vacuum bagging techniques.

When you move to using CF or armid cloths keep in mind that they use considerably less cloth layers than CF or armid for the same strength properties. This is where the weight savings comes in.

Some other tips:
~CF and armid cloths (the fibers mostly) will not bond well with polyester resin systems. Leave the polyester crap to cheap fiberglass junk parts.
~Epoxy resins are a PITA to clean up, try working clean. But if you run into problems have some acetone nearby.
~Epoxy has a lower odor over polyester (which is good). Epoxy also looks like it takes forever to cure compared to polyester....but once the reaction kicks it moves fast.
~Air bubbles are a pain, try to mix your resin parts without inducing alot of air bubbles. A vacuum chamber can be useful also.
~CF will break apart if the stresses overcome the material. Armid composites will break but the armid (kevlar) fibers will hold the broken pieces together somewhat.
~Armid fibers lose their strength properties when exposed to direct UV light. So you may want to keep it out of direct sunlight. I use inner layers of armid cloth (for the hold-togetherness) between exterior layers of CF to protect it from sunlight and show the more popular CF weave color.
~GET A GOOD SET OF SISSORS made for cutting these cloths, a cheap set will die out in no time when you cut CF and Armid.


Good luck


Modified by BROOD at 8:29 PM 9/7/2004

 

There's a book called Competition Car Composites. I suggest you have a read. Carbon is very frustrating and very expensive to practice with. I spent 2 months learning to make parts with it, making moulds, spending thousands. I wouldn't recommend it. The shortest advice I can give you is to spend all your time on the mould. It's like painting; all the work is in the preparation. I use West System epoxy and hardener.

Alex
Dent Sport Garage

 

Well if you want to learn try and find somebody who you can learn and watch from cause as stated its expensive.
Lucky for me I get to learn fiberglass molding at school.

 

ive always wanted to make something out of CF
I bought a decent high powered vaccuum motor (sp?) and I now have an extra garage to work in.

I dunno what I should make.

 

Bump for this thread

 

nice info guys... keep em coming

 

i hate to be vague, however, there is a website on the net-- i forget the name-- and it has all the parts you need to make CF parts as well as a message board where people discuss their personal projects. if someone could find it i think everyone would be better off.

 

http://www.carbon-werks.com/fo...02707

 

This is a good site that I was looking at awhile back when I started researching the process of making custom and duplicate parts out of fiberglass/carbonfiber cloths. It has alot of good information and sells damn near everything you would need.

http://www.fiberglast.com

 

http://www.aircraftspruce.com Good place for supplies

 

I mostly use US Composites for my materials
http://www.shopmaninc.com/

 

Here's a small outline of some of the supplies you need. Be prepared to drop 500 bucks off the bat. This is a copy of a PM I sent. I thought the info might be useful. The below assumes that the process persued will involve a vacuum pump.

I have a high vacuum pump that cost a few hundred dollars. It was purchased for another project so I didn't have to shell out for it. It does -2 bar.


Epoxy
Hardener
Mould release
Release wax
Pump
Vacuum release film
Vacuum bagging tape
Vacuum bagging breather mat
Carbon fiber mat, the correct weave and weight for you application
Latex gloves
mix cups
digital scale
stir sticks

a damn good mould with a perfect surface treatment (above)

 

How can you pull 2 bar of vac? It's a physics impossability to pull 2 bar at normal atmosperic pressure, since that's only 1 bar. Once you achieve 1 bar of vac, it diesn't matter how much you try and suck out there's no more than 1 bar to push on the outside of the vacuum bag.

I'm confussed about this. Things might just not transfer directly from physics class i guess.

 

the vacum pump i use at work runs -12~-15 lbs which would be Hg then i guess, although it says lbs. vacume bagging is actualy an easyer way to lay up parts because there is les margen for error. hand layups have inconsistantsys, and more perosity. but hand layed up parts will have less cost consuming materials.

 

I can pull 1/10000000000 of atmospheric pressure. I work in ultra high vacuum enviornments all the time. Of course it's possible. You just need the right pump.

 

bump

 

http://www.racingcomposites.net

 

Anyone got a link to a vacuum bag? I have the pump already..

 

bump this is a good thread

 

[<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by evilxkid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the vacum pump i use at work runs -12~-15 lbs which would be Hg then i guess, although it says lbs. vacume bagging is actualy an easyer way to lay up parts because there is les margen for error. hand layups have inconsistantsys, and more perosity. but hand layed up parts will have less cost consuming materials.</TD></TR></TABLE>

why on earth do you want that much vacum? you should only need 2-3 hg at the most otherwise it will start to pull too much resin out and suck the resin up from the first layer leaving craters in what should be the smooth outer surface