Epoxy resin falling down

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Epoxy resin falling down

Author	Message
joacomogollon	joacomogollon posted 11 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 14	Hi, I am a begginer in carbon fiber and I am currently facing a problem. I have a mould that is similar to a U shape so when I apply the fist coat of epoxy resin it falls from the almost vertical sides and creates a pool in the middle, is there any tip to make the epoxy resin more viscous so it will not fall down? Also I would like to include an image in the front cover of the carbon fiber as seen on the picture below. I have tried using lacquer after the carbon fiber part is done and did not work. I tried placing the image as a first layer in the mould before any carbon fiber, but it did not work either since the first epoxy layer did not adhere to the image. Any ideas how can I make this? I was thinking on pasting the image once the carbon fiber part is made and then apply a thick coat of epoxy resin on top of it, but I fear it will drip down and would not leave a uniform layer. Thank you in advance,
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	That part probably isn't made by wet lay. I put stickers and images in some of my parts by applying the sticker to the dry fabric before laying it in the mould, then infusing it. The resin then goes over the top of the sticker, completely encasing it. Your best bet will be to perfect the first method you tried; apply the sticker to the cured carbon, then spray a clear coat over the top. You will have to keep flatting it down and spraying again until you get the finish you want. As for the resin running, there's no way to thicken it up if you want to keep it crystal clear. You should try applying a thinner coat initially.
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Dravis	Dravis posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	Are you making the part as a wet lay ? I would suggest using an Epoxy gelcoat in the mould first, a thin layer, then let it cure to tack, then lay up. You can then place a plastic bag full of warm/hot water in the mould, on top of peel-ply and release film. I would use a "stack" like this: polythene bag of hot water (will keep an even pressure on the inside of your "layup" preventing the resin from pooling in the bottom of the mould, AND help cure it faster ) ------- resin absorber cloth (Absorbs excess resin that comes through the perforated film) ------- perforated release film (Bread wrap) ------- Peel-Ply (Will give a good surface for bonding the foam onto the back.) -------- CF -------- CF -------- Repeat as needed -------- sticker/image -------- very thin layer of resin ------- Gelcoat cured to tack ------- Release agent / wax -- -------- Mould. "Sapere Aude"... Dare to KNOW! The written word is the only truly efficient vehicle for transmitting a complex concept from mind to mind... 103% of all people do not understand statistics... Do not adjust our mind, theres a fault in reality :-) Edited 11 Years Ago by Dravis
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brainfart	brainfart posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 198, Visits: 1.4K	> is there any tip to make the epoxy resin more viscous so it will not fall down? Either using a different resin with a higher viscosity, or pre-reacting a small amount of hardener with your resin before mixing the whole batch and laying it up. The resin will still tend to pool at the bottom. What material is this picture made of? Some kind of plastic? If there is no adhesion to the epoxy covering it will not work, the epoxy will eventually just flake off. Printing on thin glass fleece works for text, but usually not for coloured pictures with lots of details. What works ok is printed paper napkins.
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joacomogollon	joacomogollon posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 14	Thank you guys for the help. Hanaldo: What type of clear coat will you recommend? Dravis: For the gel coat would you reccomend the GC50Epoxy compatible Gelcoat? Thank you for the warm water bag it's a good tip. brainfart: I do not know exactly the material of the paper, but do you think it may help for the adhesion if I give the paper a varnish coat before getting in contact with the epoxy resin?
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Clear coat depends what you want. Does it need to be UV stable? Does it need high chemical and scratch resistance? If so, then a 2k automotive clear. Just be careful if you use a 2k paint, they are very nasty chemicals. You want to have the proper PPE.
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joacomogollon	joacomogollon posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 14	It is going to be used as shin guards so maybe decent UV protection and scratch resistant.
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Dravis	Dravis posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	Regarding GC50 as the Gelcoat, I would not recommend it, unless you have a way of spraying it on to create an even layer. Otherwise, if you lay the image sticker on it, an apply pressure (the water bag) you may get noticeable distortion of the image. (And of the CF outside the image.) I would go for the 2-component clear coat to finish the product. "Sapere Aude"... Dare to KNOW! The written word is the only truly efficient vehicle for transmitting a complex concept from mind to mind... 103% of all people do not understand statistics... Do not adjust our mind, theres a fault in reality :-)
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