learn composites in three easy steps, Race GSXR 400 build (slow)

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learn composites in three easy steps, Race GSXR 400 build (slow)

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Matt (Staff)	Matt (Staff) posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 680, Visits: 1.9K	Loving the work Chris; you've put some serious work in to get this far and it really is paying off. It's been clear from the start that you were going to go in 'at the deep end' in terms of complexity and standard of finish required - generally we advise customers to start easy and work up in order to avoid being put-off when difficult things don't go right but I'm pleased to say that you totally ignored this advice and through skill, patience and hard work will get the results anyway. It's great to have another project so well documented on the forum and being really open and honest about problems that are encountered. The nature of composites, with so many different projects and different material combinations possible is that there is always an element of the unknown. You have to be prepared for some problems and persevere when they occur. I can't wait to see and read more --Matt Matt Statham Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales Tags carbon fibre fairings motorbike motorcycle moulding
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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	@ Scott Hi, apart from hot glue, scissors and craft knife everything is from EC. I use filleting wax, green release tape and fluted sign board. You can cut the board with scissors, glue it then tape or wax the joins, id say all these pieces are worth the outlay and although the board has its issues it works well. I've found it a little too flexi so tend to glue an extra piece on the back side just near the mould/fillet join. To fit curves i use a craft knife to cut through one side of the corrugation being careful not to cut the other face, then if you bend it you get cracking sound and it starts to curve, cut down the next corrugation and so on till its at the desired radius' next tape it with release tape for the face or hot glue on the rear and its that simple. Cheers Matt, I said it at the start and I will say it again if it wasn't for yourself and Paul I don't think I would have been so brave, help and encouragement by the bucket! I will no doubt be back up at EC in the near future with my usual 1000 questions. Biggest question would have been these soul destroying vac leaks BUT I've been to my laboratory (garage) and and come out smelling of roses. I decided to do a double infusion and as you can see from the different colour of the bag, the left one would not seal. I was sure as with the belly pan my problem was my inability to get a complete seal at the infusion connector/pipe so I machined some 15mm popyprop bar to become a through bag connector and WHAM 100% seal first go. Being polypropylene I should be able to push the old resin out and reuse these, so much easier than pushing the flexi pipe through.
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Dravis	Dravis posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	Very clever bit of lathe work there ... excellent idea! My lathe is already running "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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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 9 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	Its really cleaned everything up and only needs a small amount of gum to seal. machined the pipe diameter to 7mm and the bag side at 9mm. Edited 9 Years Ago by VVS
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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	Dravis, forgot to say center hole drilled at 5mm. Guessing you could play around with hole diameters to affect the resin flow. Let me know how they work for you.
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Dravis	Dravis posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	Yeah, I'll experiment ... then post here ... Then EC can copy them in bulk and sell them like hot cakes ... "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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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	Haha, patent pending!
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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	THE DOUBLE INFUSION. What can I say, I will not be doing another in a hurry! The idea was simple, apply vac to moulds, open TWO vac side clamps, then open TWO inlet clamps and infuse, right. Part infusion. It was going very slowly almost not moving on the left, this was due to me re clamping the left side because of vac leaks. As you can see from the picture I'd removed the clamps, BAD IDEA, to try and speed up the left side I wiggled the pipes and WHOOSH more suck than a prozzie on crack, by the time I picked one of the clamps up the supply pot was gasping for resin and sucking air. Wow it empties faster than it fills. Please excuse the size change in pictures but photobucket seem to have a mind of its own. With everything re clamped I made some more resin up and gave it some more, I now know what a catch pot if for! Second time round. I'm sure I could have simply switched the pump off but inexperience is a killer. Untrimmed finished panel. Surprisingly they turned out 97%, there are some very small pinholes but being a side panel on the road bike will need clear coating. So question to you all in the know is do I put a wet, thin clear coat on as it will be sucked up as you would new plaster, or whack on a couple of heavy coats. @ Dravis the through bag inserts I turned seem to be one hit wonders, might be my rough drilling but resin is solid. Only cost about £2.40 a mtr so I will simply make some more as id rather 15min on the lathe than a day chasing a leak. Edited 9 Years Ago by VVS
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davro	davro posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 300, Visits: 2.2K	Hi Chris, Infusion are looking nice! getting a bit keen with the double infusion When I clear coat a product I use a 2K clear coat only mix within manufactures mixing recommendations. Spray, sand, Spray sand ... I normally do 6 clear coats thin/medium layers, I really hate sanding runs out of clear coat it messes with me eyes Looking forward to seeing your bike all carbonised! Put me down for a box of your through bag inserts David Stevens YouTube: Comment \| Rate \| Subscribe Instagram Composite Projects Body Package for Dax Rush RC Car Touring Body 1/10 Scale Edited 9 Years Ago by davro
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Turning the pump off wouldn't have worked either, as it isn't the pump that does the infusing, it's the pressure differential between the atmosphere inside/outside the bag. I've actually fully infused a Lotus roof where I forgot to unclamp the vacuum line before I let the resin go. Only noticed when the thing was totally finished.
	Reply Like 2