Carbon fiber people, help!, I need info Options

[Dr Evil]

I have seen some very impressive custome work on this site and the latest had me thinking. If the door panels that I have seen did not require a vac bag, how did they do it. I have worked fiber glass before, and even had access to a vac bag set up when I worked on helos, but not anymore. With the cost of carbon fiber I would like to avoid a steap learning curve, so any info on techniques, amounts and types of materials, would be greatly appreciated. How do you get the pretty finish?

[monkeywrench]

Carbon fiber look

If you just want the carbon fiber look just lay it in like fiberglass. I have heard of cloth that is used to fake the carbon fiber look. And you can use poly-resin. Gellcoat polishes up well.

Carbon fiber structure

Laying up strong carbon fiber involves running the cloth/threads in a direction that is needed. This is done by various crisscross of the cloth or knowing where the force is needed. Air bubbles in the epoxy cause a major weak point thus the need to force the air out by vacume baging or other compression.

So what are you thinking of building??