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> How do you fab carbon fiber, anyone?
Britain Smith
post May 5 2003, 02:30 PM
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Can anyone share their knowledge on how to fabricate carbon fiber peices...I would love to make some stuff out of carbon fiber but I don't know how to do it or where to get the materials.

Help????

-Britain (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)
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SirAndy
post May 5 2003, 02:34 PM
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it's like fiberglass, just easier (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

good source for the materials is
TAP-Plastics
we have several stores here in the bay-area ...

about $36 per yard (50" wide) (the nice Black Sort) ...

it's easier than fiberglass because the rasin is pretty much your finish if you like the black-cloth look. it soaks the rasin up very well (unlike kevlar) and a 2-layer piece is already pretty strong ...

i'm about to get started on some carbon fiber 914 pieces.

Andy
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Demick
post May 5 2003, 02:39 PM
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Like Andy says, just like fiberglass, but I wouldn't say easier. The fabric tends to be stiffer than fiberglass, so making it conform to a shape when wet is more difficult. Also, Andy says that it is easier because you don't have to finish it. However, getting a nice smooth finish (like we all associate with CF), is very difficult, and you will see every mistake you make.

Demick
'74 2.0
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SirAndy
post May 5 2003, 02:42 PM
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QUOTE(Demick @ May 5 2003, 01:39 PM)
However, getting a nice smooth finish (like we all associate with CF), is very difficult, and you will see every mistake you make.

good point!
so scrap what i said about easier, just different difficult in regards to FG (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
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URY914
post May 5 2003, 02:53 PM
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I'm thinking of making my driver's door in C/F. Can the fabric be cut with my dull garage scissors like F/G fabric?

Paul
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Mueller
post May 5 2003, 02:55 PM
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Also remember it will not be structurally strong like the carbon-fiber used for a racecar chassis...totally different animal......

a vacuum bag would help for cosmetics and to get the form near perfect for a complex part.........
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SirAndy
post May 5 2003, 02:55 PM
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QUOTE(URY914 @ May 5 2003, 01:53 PM)
I'm thinking of making my driver's door in C/F. Can the fabric be cut with my dull garage scissors like F/G fabric?

yes, cuts really easy with scissors or razor-blade ...
make sure you have a respirator (sp?) as the fibers are not very good for you (just like FG, i'm sure you know)

Andy
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Mark Henry
post May 5 2003, 03:05 PM
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Kevlar is real tough stuff and light.

I have a canoe made of Kevlar, in some major white water my buddy and I smashed into the rocks, broke 10 of the canoe’s ribs and caved it right in. I got up on the rock kicked the canoe and “thunk” it popped right back and we finished the trip. That was a good thing because we were about 50 miles from anything.

I’ve broken and replaced ribs on a couple of occasions, the Kevlar has a couple of crease marks in it, but I have never had to repair it.

My 17’ canoe weighs 48lbs.

Oh, they don’t call us Crazy Canucks for nothing!!!


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URY914
post May 5 2003, 03:16 PM
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Is that a bug limo in the picture? Six rear wheels? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)
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Jeroen
post May 5 2003, 06:06 PM
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Check out this page
Scroll down a bit and you'll find a couple of links to product sellers (composites)
Most of them have good info

HTH,

Jeroen
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Zeke
post May 5 2003, 06:44 PM
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When people refer to carbon fiber, they are mostly speaking of the composite structure of aerospace and race car componets. In this context the process is to laminate CF with epoxy resin, vacuum bag the excess out to the minimum saturation point and heat cure. Makes for a hell of a strong and light weight part. Expensive.

The stuff you see on the street is just CF used in a conventional polyester lamination. A clear gel coat is used in the mold so you can see the CF. If you don't clear gel or at least paint resin on the mold first, you will have little air bubbles and surface imperfections that are usually in the lamination. You just don't notice them as much when they are buried. CF is way overrated and very rice, IMO. That is unless you do the full on aircraft technique. Just laying it up surfboard style is just poser. And not any lighter than a well made FG part. It may have more tensile strength, but what are you making anyway? Most pieces don't need that kind of strength.
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SirAndy
post May 5 2003, 06:55 PM
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QUOTE(Zeke @ May 5 2003, 05:44 PM)
It may have more tensile strength, but what are you making anyway? Most pieces don't need that kind of strength.

i simply like the look of the black cloth.
i'm thinking about making my door-panels out of CF.
just a plane piece with the right cutouts. the complete interior of the car is black anyways,
plus i was thinking about the 911-style dash from A.I.R. in CF as well ...

strength is not a factor for those pieces, i'm not interested in making any replacements for structural items.

FG would work just fine, but i wouldn't get the look ...

Andy
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Jeroen
post May 5 2003, 07:34 PM
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QUOTE(SirAndy @ May 6 2003, 02:55 AM)
FG would work just fine, but i wouldn't get the look ...

Which qualifies you as a poser (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mueba.gif)

cheers,

Jeroen
('nother poser - love the look of carbon weave)
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SirAndy
post May 5 2003, 07:36 PM
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QUOTE(Jeroen @ May 5 2003, 06:34 PM)
Which qualifies you as a poser (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mueba.gif)

look who's talking, haha, yeah baby (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)
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Jeroen
post May 5 2003, 07:38 PM
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Together with Mueller we could start our own 914 rice club (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

cheers,

Jeroen
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SirAndy
post May 5 2003, 07:41 PM
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QUOTE(Jeroen @ May 5 2003, 06:38 PM)
Together with Mueller we could start our own 914 rice club (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

yepp, complete body kit out of black carbon fiber, 345 tires all around on 20" full chrome rims and blue neon in the exhaust pipes!

ahhh, day-dreaming ....
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Britain Smith
post May 5 2003, 08:00 PM
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I appreciate all your wisdom. I have a collection of carbon fiber parts that a bug guy has made. Some of the pieces could fit on a type-4 motor. Check it out on my website.

http://www.britainsmith.com/Porsche/index.htm

-Britain
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Jeroen
post May 5 2003, 08:08 PM
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Wasn't this guy on the Pelican BBS about 9 months ago
He had the valve covers and the K&N filterhousings for the /4
He was planning to also do filterhousings and rainguards for the /6

He suddenly disapeared and was never heard from again...

You can call it rice, but try and get a "plain" fiberglas piece to look that good (stop trying, you can't (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif))

cheers,

Jeroen
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Dave Cawdrey
post May 5 2003, 08:25 PM
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QUOTE(Jeroen @ May 5 2003, 05:38 PM)
Together with Mueller we could start our own 914 rice club (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

cheers,

Jeroen

Count me in the rice mix (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
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914Timo
post May 6 2003, 05:41 AM
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QUOTE
Together with Mueller we could start our own 914 rice club biggrin.gif


May I join the club too !!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

I think it is rice to use some stupid CF sticker material over original parts.

I have done some FG parts with clear gelcoat and CF as first layer material. I have used only polyester epoxy and I have not use any vacum bags. So, some seems to like they are not real CF parts. I have to agree, they are not. They are also not stronger or lighter than normal good quality FG parts (IMHO), but they look a lot better and you dont need to paint them. Only shoot one or two clear coats.

The problem in making these parts is the airbubles. The fan shroud below is fourth I did and there are still some airbubles. I know I should use vacuum, but thats too complicate to me. I dont have vacum pump and I should make new mold and so on..... Maybe some day. I just try to say that making those parts with easy way is nothing but a easy job atleast for me. It takes time and practice a lot.


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