Carbon Fiber/ Composite how-to

[altered7151]

Stole this from the link S is Silent posted in the lounge about the guy building the road race mustang. Super informative writeup on how to make carbon fiber parts. So now somebody get on making me a rear hatch for my charger! :thumb:

http://www.turbomustangs.com/techarticles/PBcarbonfiber.php

[Mario]

I think I may try my hand at a few parts. I've been wanting to do it for a while.

[cordes]

I have wanted to make carbon fiber IC piping for a while, but I don't know if I will ever get around to it.

[altered7151]

Yeah I've been wanting to do it for a while also. Seems that its actually pretty easy, just requires alot of patience.

[looneytuner]

I have read up on molding for boats. I'm wondering why the heck he is bothering with vac forming? The material assumes the shape of the form once it is wetted. For more than one layer, you want a resin that doesn't set up till the next layer is laid. For the final layer, you use the stuff you see in the stores. Waxed and unwaxed. you also want to use the minimum amount of resin needed to wet out a layer. Extra resin weakens the final product. The gel coat is the only part that requires a gun. It is sprayed in the mold first. ou can make rollers out of a rod like a small paint roller with alternatind large and small washers. This work out the air bubbles and presses layers together. Cheap brushes are a must. Cheapest are made from frayed hemp rope clamped between 2 wood handles. When it dries, unclamp and throw away the hemp. If you start the wetting in the middle and work out, you don't need the squeege.
If you want to do a custom front clip, you can buy foam to shape like balsa wood. Just make cheap templates so the right and left side match

[altered7151]

The reason you vacuum bag it is to keep bubbles from reforming as the epoxy heats up, and mainly to try to even out the expoxy as best as possible. When you draw a vacuum it tends to pull the excess expoxy away from the part into the wicking layer, it also helps move it across the areas with less epoxy.

[GLHS377]

actually vacuum bagging is merely applying pressure to the laminate, which squeezes out the excess resin and rarifies air bubbles. a resin/fiber ratio of ~1/1 is ideal for a wet layup. it also consolidates the layers such that there is stronger interlaminar bonds(because of less plastic and more fiber)this guide is pretty good. there isn't a single repository of information, so i'm working on it. as i am a lot of things. so dont' hold your breath. in the meantime, i'll answer questions if anyone has any. email me though, i don't check the boards often.
-jason

[turboshad]

I have wanted to make carbon fiber IC piping for a while, but I don't know if I will ever get around to it.

Heres a good thread on CF intercooler tubes on the VW forum. Has a link to Aerosleeves too. I haven't tried them yet but they seem golden for making tubing.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2671022

[cordes]

Heres a good thread on CF intercooler tubes on the VW forum. Has a link to Aerosleeves too. I haven't tried them yet but they seem golden for making tubing.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2671022

Wow that is really cool. I think I might give that a go.

[TurboGLH]

Wow that is really cool. I think I might give that a go.

+1 I need to make a cold side pipe for my car anyways (the stock doesn't quite line up right with the big cooler, you have to sort of......ram it on.....damn that sounds dirty) and I think a carbon pipe would look totally bitchin.

[turboshad]

My buddy just picked up some sleeves. Said this was the cheapest place by far that he could find. It cost him about 300 bucks for 30ft to his door in Canada.

http://www.solarcomposites.com/

DJ

[TurboGLH]

My buddy just picked up some sleeves. Said this was the cheapest place by far that he could find. It cost him about 300 bucks for 30ft to his door in Canada.

http://www.solarcomposites.com/

DJ

Try here also, not sure on the size he bought so it's hard to compare, but Thirty feet would run you about $180 us or 200 ca, that's for 10yards of 2.5".

http://www.aerosleeves.com/