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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Working with carbon fiber question

Posted by: itsa914 Feb 18 2005, 11:32 AM

Ok so all the talk about the carbon fiber deck lids has got me thinking about buying a pair, both my stock lids are tweeked. I have never worked with carbon fiber before, and the only stuff I have seen is the kids driving with black CF hoods on their cars. So I assume that CF be worked like fiberglass can? It can be painted and such? Maybe I would paint them, the black might look kinda cool (or ricey, is that a word) on my orange car.

Picture back from Aug 03, still looks the same

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Posted by: Mueller Feb 18 2005, 11:55 AM

if going to paint, there is a killer deal in the classifieds for CF lids...$350 ea

i'm going to attempt leaving mine bare, I'll have to see once on the car how I really like the look...

Posted by: r_towle Feb 18 2005, 12:05 PM

I currently have fiberglass lids and I was thinking.....

Could I put a single layer of CF on top of the fiberglass..provided I sand down the paint to a good solid base....then clear coat that???

I can get CF for alot less money than a whole hood (specially shipping to the east)

And if I mess it up, sand and paint, or try again...

What do you think, would that work???

Rich

Posted by: URY914 Feb 18 2005, 12:05 PM

I've worked a lot with f/g and c/f to a lesser degree. As far as a the guy working at home on c/f, there is very little differance that I have found. Now if you want to start making structural c/f and using a autoclave to form parts, big diff.

C/F looks cool when it is left unpainted and polished, but painting over it is no different than f/g. If you make a part and plan to leave it unpainted, you need to realize the cloth needs to be nice and stright and not pieced together.

Paul

Posted by: itsa914 Feb 18 2005, 12:46 PM

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 18 2005, 09:55 AM)
if going to paint, there is a killer deal in the classifieds for CF lids...$350 ea

i'm going to attempt leaving mine bare, I'll have to see once on the car how I really like the look...

How did I miss that?? I didn't see anything the classifieds. Is the part of the Getty CF hood buy? http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=25219

Posted by: mack914 Feb 18 2005, 01:01 PM

Nothing about $350 CF lids in the classifieds. Group buy is the best deal at $499 from Getty.

Posted by: scotty b Feb 18 2005, 01:16 PM

www.sollercomposits.com & www.tapplastics.com has some useful info on C.F. I am going to attempt making some dash trim pieces and a console with C.F. myself. Does the high gloss come from polishing the resin or is it actually clear coated?

Posted by: Mueller Feb 18 2005, 01:34 PM

QUOTE (itsa914 @ Feb 18 2005, 11:46 AM)

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 18 2005, 09:55 AM)
if going to paint, there is a killer deal in the classifieds for CF lids...$350 ea

i'm going to attempt leaving mine bare, I'll have to see once on the car how I really like the look...

How did I miss that?? I didn't see anything the classifieds. Is the part of the Getty CF hood buy? http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=25219

they must have sold yesterday...these were the lids from GT Racing that Joe was not too happy with, Hank let him re-sell them at a discount instead of shipping them back to GT.... ya snooze, ya looze

Posted by: mack914 Feb 18 2005, 01:39 PM

I believe he sold them to get into some CF lids from Getty.

Posted by: Mueller Feb 18 2005, 01:43 PM

QUOTE (mack914 @ Feb 18 2005, 12:39 PM)
I believe he sold them to get into some CF lids from Getty.

yep...he was impressed by the pictures of my lids (in the pictures.....)

Posted by: URY914 Feb 18 2005, 02:34 PM

QUOTE (scotty b @ Feb 18 2005, 11:16 AM)
www.sollercomposits.com & www.tapplastics.com has some useful info on C.F. I am going to attempt making some dash trim pieces and a console with C.F. myself. Does the high gloss come from polishing the resin or is it actually clear coated?

I just polished the resin with rubbing compound than polishing compound.

Looked real pretty.

Posted by: Andyrew Feb 18 2005, 02:58 PM

Felix bought em..

I was watching the thread.

Posted by: r_towle Feb 18 2005, 02:59 PM

if i put CF over fiberglass would the white show through with one layer???

Do I wrap the edges all the way aroun to get a smooth edge???

Rich

Posted by: Series9 Feb 18 2005, 03:03 PM

QUOTE (Andyrew @ Feb 18 2005, 01:58 PM)
Felix bought em..

I was watching the thread.

Yep, Felix jumped right on 'em and is patient enough to wait until WCC05 for delivery.

Thanks Felix.

Posted by: Kevin@ojai.net Feb 18 2005, 03:48 PM

Working with carbon (pre-preg especially) to do structural pieces isn't too bad. (the green stuff is the release agent)

-Kevin

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Posted by: URY914 Feb 18 2005, 07:49 PM

QUOTE (r_towle @ Feb 18 2005, 12:59 PM)
if i put CF over fiberglass would the white show through with one layer???

Do I wrap the edges all the way aroun to get a smooth edge???

Rich

I did C/F over FG and it didn't show thru.

I run the material out larger than the cut off line so it is thick as the middle when I trim it back to the line. You may have trouble trying to wrap the material back 180 degrees on to itself. It is usally too stiff for that., unless it is a fine cloth.

Paul