how many here have tried their hand at making carbon fiber bits. i've been looking for a how-to book, but i can't seem to find one. i have found sources for the materials, but i only have a slight grasp on the how-to. any good resources out there?

If you can do fiberglass you can do carbon fiber. Its just a more expensive learning curve.

i've never tried fiber glass. i found a web site with a short carbon fiber how-to page a while ago, but now i can't find it. i'm not looking to mold it right now. i just want to make some nice, flat pieces. door panel, gauge panel, dash panel. all the flat stuff in carbon fiber. it just looks so cool

the should be a TAP plastic in Vellijo I would think......how about a boat supply shop such as West Marine??

I know TAP has books and the material

Get some glass and practice. Its fun and the fumes are prety good too

URY914. Hassle him.

TAP plastics is over in concord. they have carbon fiber books and materials??!! i've been in there once or twice to look at tubes for makin' bongs but i guess i didnt look that well...

It depends on what you want to build out of carbon fiber. Is it for the look or weight factor?

All of my experience is from sailing light weight skiffs made of carbon fiber, kevlar and nomex. Seeing what breaks and making repairs.

What do you want to build?

I just did a post on this yesterday or the day before. Check it out.

Whoa! for a second I thought this was the same thread, and was wondering what happened to my response.

CF lays out just as easy as FG, but you have to pay attention to the resin used to make your composite (epoxy for sure, some vinylester I think...all we use is epoxy). I would recommend "MOLDLESS COMPOSITE HOMEBUILT SANDWICH AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION" by Burt Rutan, if you're into making custom parts that are one-offs or require any kind of strength (guy's a friggin' genius!).

U.S. Composites is also a good site for information.

Also, go to:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catorder.php


and order their "free" catalog, there's a ton of composite information there!


Checking out Dr. Evil's recent post to this subject is also a good idea, as I've had too many "Becks" at this point to give you a respectable answer

thanks alot guys!

West doesent have it, ya gotta find a distributor, look online. you would be better off buying the flat stuff and fitting it. everything with curves can be hand laid though. i've seen a car with cf trim on the dashface replacing the houndstooth, it almost looks stock! with the right weave (twill weave i think).

http://www.fibreglast.com/
http://fgci.com/
http://www.tapplastics.com/

knock yourself out.

Easy-just go to www.aircraftspruce.com and look up the library content

There are step-by-step mauals out there, and yes, it is just like laying up 'glass--but to have truely spectacular parts they need to be vacuum bagged and cured at an elevated temperature---There are also a plethora of weaves and thichnesses out there, it can be daunting.

Good luck!

you guys are the bomb. thanks!