Fuel tank question.


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morepower
morepower
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I use a phenol novolac sealer which is from a UK based company and is apparently a higher Phenol Novolac content than most which have been blended to reduce some of the costs. I am not sure how much there is in Caswell tank sealer but it is more expensive than I pay as I go straight to the supplier who makes blended resins.  The trouble with pour and slosh coating is both wastage and possibly having the sealer slump and not fully coat the inside. I paint mine onto the inner sections before I bond them together and I use an adhesive I make which is based on the same resin. This allows me to alter the resin with thickeners and additives to make the adhesive or sealer work how I want. It is not a cheap resin to buy but I would say I can do 3 fuel tanks with 1.25Kg (resin and catalyst total weight). So it is not too bad when you look at it per tank. If you are doing them to sell then obviously you would be buying 5 or 10Kg so would get a better price too. 

Aprilia RS250
Aprilia Falco fuel tank...

20_rc51_00
20_rc51_00
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https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/pages/cs/fueltanksealants/ps890.php  > look in t Q&A section also > https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/pdf/09-38560-TechData.pdf

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pdf/09-42226.pdf >looking at the tech data sheet states that mogas has 0% weight gain. This is what you want but my concern is that further up it states that ethyl alcohol caused 6.9%!!! weight gain in only 3 weeks and since "mogas" is automotive gas and since automotive fuels as we know it all have at least 10% ethanol in it I'm wary of the findings posted for stability to "mogas" in this tech data sheet....

These may be options but it also depends on how ballsy you may be with regard to "guinea pigging  it" with your hard work...




Edit:  http://www.vansairforce.com/community/archive/index.php?t-24040.html   this thread has a fellow that made test samples and the jeffco stood up apparently....

>>Edit: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/cozy_builders/-8A8yRyfx7A  further research leads me down a rabbit hole...

>>>Edit: another that claims ethanol resistance but only when it's part of the laminate while using it as a coating is uncharted territory. IMO if it's good as a laminating resin then with a sufficient peel-plyed surface a coating would be good as well. ....  http://expresscomposites.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AOC764.pdf
Edited 10 Years Ago by 20_rc51_00
carbonfibreworks
carbonfibreworks
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I made a carbon tank for one of our race bikes and managed to get the weight down to 550 grams complete with cap. the tank below is made from pre preg and I made a 3 piece mould. I also used the Caswell tank sealer on this particular tank with no issues.
Regards Chris




http://www.talkcomposites.com/Uploads/Images/97e08777-693c-4af1-a27a-86cf.png
Edited 10 Years Ago by carbonfibreworks
speed_demon
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I've seen (never used) rubber bladders for motorcycles. That might be an option if the coatings/epoxy doesn't hold up.  As for the carbon breaking in an accident, would a layer or 2 of kevlar on the inside hold up/ keep the carbon from puncturing the bladder?  FWIW, Most bike accidents I've seen, the person got thrown  clear of the bike.
Hanaldo
Hanaldo
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Strength can mean multiple things. Carbon is actually quite brittle, and failure is complete. So there's no deformation or buckling like a plastic tank would. 
Stevezx7r
Stevezx7r
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I would have thought a carbon tank would be stronger than the plastic one it has at the minute.
Hanaldo
Hanaldo
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VVS (12/09/2015)
Can I ask why you want to build a tank from CF,

is it for looks or to lighten the bike.

Its only my personal opinion so what I know but I wouldn't want to crash a bike that had a tank made from CF, steel and aluminum tanks will deform and are very resilient to an off.

if you were under the bike and the tank split you'd be at risk of setting yourself alight, very nasty.


This is always my thought regarding carbon fuel tanks. At the very least I'd be using carbon on the outer layer and then bulking the laminate with a good amount of aramid or diolen or something similar to hold the thing together as best as possible in the event of an off. 
kidpaint
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Kreem fuel tank liner is what myself and people I know use to coat our steel tanks. Just pour it in and slosh the tank around like the instructions say. I would think this would work with composites also. relatively cheap and easy to find at most bike shops or online
VVS
VVS
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Can I ask why you want to build a tank from CF,

is it for looks or to lighten the bike.

Its only my personal opinion so what I know but I wouldn't want to crash a bike that had a tank made from CF, steel and aluminum tanks will deform and are very resilient to an off.

if you were under the bike and the tank split you'd be at risk of setting yourself alight, very nasty.
Hanaldo
Hanaldo
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You are in Europe, so the stuff you need is definitely available. Not sure what sort of quantities you would have to buy, but I know of a few people making carbon fuel tanks for various motorbikes over there. 

I'd recommend heading over to compositescentral.com and checking out the threads on this subject there, it seems to have been discussed in more detail than on this forum. Perhaps even message the user morepower, as I've seen he is quite happy to divulge some of his secrets (he's on here to, so he might be lurking...). He uses a phenol novolac to seal his tanks, so you could ask him where he is sourcing it etc. Alchemie is the company that springs to mind, but it's been awhile since I read his thread so I may be wrong. 
GO

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