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CNC Machining and Finishing Epoxy Tooling Board to Produce and...
CNC Machining and Finishing Epoxy Tooling Board to Produce and Accurate Composites Pattern
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CNC Machining and Finishing Epoxy Tooling Board to Produce and Accurate Composites Pattern
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Matt (Staff)
Matt (Staff)
posted 8 Years Ago
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Hi Everyone,
Hopefully a few of you have noticed that we've been publishing a number of new video tutorials recently. I've now published the first two (out of three) of a new series which shows the end-to-end process for starting from a CAD design, CNC machining the pattern from epoxy block then sealing and preparing the pattern before taking a prepreg carbon fibre mould off the pattern. In the next video (not done yet) we'll finish off by using the prepreg mould to produce a carbon fibre part.
Essentially, in this series what we're trying to demonstrate is the 'other way' to make composite parts, using technology and high tech materials to replace the more manual traditional methods. This is a topic that comes up every time during our training courses and so hopefully this is a process (and tutorial series) that people will find interesting (and maybe useful). The price of perfectly usable CNC equipment is coming down all the time and the quality and availability of 3D CAD systems (like Fusion360) is moving the baseline of what is achievable at home or in a small workshop or business. Our new products and tutorials aim to support this revolution. Also, in this current climate where people are very focused on the idea that 3D printers are the answer to everything, hopefully we can steer a few people towards the understanding that for most composites processes a CNC router is a far more suitable piece of kit to invest in.
So, this first tutorial in the series we demonstrate how to CNC machine
epoxy tooling board
and then seal and finish it using
epoxy board sealer
.
I'd be very happy to discuss any of the topics raised in the videos including how these processes and materials might be used in your projects.
Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales
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8 Years Ago by
Matt (Staff)
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CNC Machining and Finishing Epoxy Tooling Board to Produce and Accurate Composites Pattern
Matt (Staff)
-
8 Years Ago
Hi, Great tutorials, very interesting for a project I am working on. However, my pattern is already produced using PU600 and not EB700, finished off with 2K car paint. Will this work with theXPREG.....
Premium Composites
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8 Years Ago
Mmmm, good question. The problem with PU modelboard is that PU inhibits the cure of epoxy at elevated temperatures. Having said that, you've covered your PU board with 2k car paint (which will be.....
Matt (Staff)
-
8 Years Ago
Interesting stuff... How about this one Matt: The tooling pre-preg tech data says it should not be used on patterns with polyester matrix. But what about an epoxy compatible polyester top coat like....
Hanaldo
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8 Years Ago
Yes, it's a similar situation in that it would probably need testing. We don't have any experience of trying the prepreg on Duratec but we have done some initial testing on some other pattern...
Matt (Staff)
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8 Years Ago
I see! Well the Duratec has a Tg of 120C, so should handle the temperatures easily. I'll have to get some tooling pre-preg and give it a go. A pity I didn't ask this earlier, I would have got a bit o...
Hanaldo
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8 Years Ago
120'C; that's interesting. I'd say that's a great candidate for potential compatibility. I'll see if we can get some and do some R&D trials. Be sure to let us know if you get some results yourself,.....
Matt (Staff)
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8 Years Ago
Hi Matt,The videos are superb.I’m busy prototyping a composite Canoe and am thinking about the hull fittings.At the moment, there’d be very few pieces and I’m not fiscally in a position to buy the cn...
rmaddock
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8 Years Ago
Hi Robert, I'm afraid we don't have any current plans to offer a CNC service. I totally understand that investing in CNC kit isn't right for everyone or every project but this equipment is becoming....
Matt (Staff)
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8 Years Ago
Hi rmaddock, I'm a newbie in composites but If any of you needs some cnc machining I probably can help. This is actually my 1st carbon part and I'm very proud of it. Not perfect but considering my...
Sebasan
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7 Years Ago
There are a lot of CNC routers at startups and small companies but since they are used for their own product development I guess it is difficult to get access to them. Maybe it could be an idea to...
Premium Composites
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8 Years Ago
Hi Anders, that's a good idea. We're going to put some work into driving more activity to this forum (after we had the technical difficulties earlier in the year); I think if the forum was nice and.....
Matt (Staff)
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8 Years Ago
That's a really good idea actually. Personally i'd be quite interested in such a platform within this forum. because my CNC needs are typically for just occasional mold making so i'd looking to...
Theaumoix
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8 Years Ago
I have a question about cleaning the epoxy mould after sanding it with 800 grit paper. It says in the video: "After sanding all of the dust should be carefully removed using a dry cloth". And then a....
cumberdale
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7 Years Ago
Hi, That's right, mould cleaner would not be necessary. If you've flatted the surface using 800 grit then it should be a clean, virgin surface where you only need to remove dust. If you are in any...
Matt (Staff)
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7 Years Ago
I am having difficulties replicating that super high gloss surface you guys achieve with the S120 Advanced Board & Mould Sealer on the epoxy mould. Last time my epoxy mould didnt look that bad after....
cumberdale
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7 Years Ago
Hi, yes, it does but I fully understand the problem you're having because we've had the same problem ourselves and have actually had to use the S120 quite a bit before we really got the master of it....
Matt (Staff)
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7 Years Ago
It's good to see the cnc approach becoming more accessible as time goes by. I've spent a whole heap of time researching what machine I should buy but usually I end up doing nothing because I doubt I'...
CaveDweller
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7 Years Ago
Hey guys, I'm thinking about investing in an X-Carve system, as I have managed to find a local source of an equivalent product to the S120, so working with tooling board is all of a sudden a lot mor...
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
I would absolutely not recommend a x-carve for accurate cnc work, escecialy not for 3d work. The X-carve is the least stiffest cnc router I have seen so far. You might get along with it, as long as.....
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
I should clarify; the machine I'm getting isn't an X-Carve from Inventables, it's a locally made machine called the XYZ Carve. The makers 3DTek basically buy the X-Carve mechanical kits and modify...
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
I can only tell you my opinion based on my experience. I would not go for either a belt driven or non proper liniar rail machine when looking for 3d routing or carving materials harder than softer...
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
Well, I didn't mean to turn this into a discussion on machine suitability, but what is your opinion on the Stepcraft then? I can stretch the budget for a Stepcraft, and knowing that EC are using it.....
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
I would not go as far as to recommend a stepcraft for 3d milling. Compared to the x-carve the stepcraft machines are real rigidity monsters. However, mechanically even the stepcraft are closer to 3d....
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
Have a look at ec's video again. This is no stepcraft machine. It is hard to tell what kind of machine it is, but it looks like some China machines I saw on eBay. At least it should have unsupported....
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
Well spotted in the video, I just took another look and you're quite right, they aren't using the Stepcraft for that tutorial. I had assumed given the other tutorial on CNC machining carbon flat shee...
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
It just happend, that while we were texting here, I bought an upgrade for my cnc solution. 1000 pounds of stiffness here. This machine can do some serious aluminium milling. I will have to swap the.....
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
Hey Hanaldo, I happen to own a Stepcraft 480 Black. It depends on what you want to do with your machine, but for my purposes it is good enough as an entry machine. I have a lot to do with 3D-printer...
cumberdale
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7 Years Ago
Very nice oekmont, certainly far more than I would ever need for the size of my business as it is! Very envious though, I'd love to play around with some serious equipment. Cumberdale, thanks for...
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
@cumberdale: a x-carve is a whole diffent story compared to a stepcraft. The working area is much bigger, while the profiles are much thinner, resulting in a much, much lower stiffness. @ hanaldo:.....
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
Yeh I considered it for that purpose, but I think if I'm going to spend $1500 on a machine (as well as dedicate a relatively large footprint of my quite small workshop) then it needs to do more of th...
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
Maybe one last thought here. You mentioned milling female moulds for intake tubes. This is a perfect example where precision is critical. Tube require a split mould. So the edges should align...
oekmont
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7 Years Ago
Yeh, a good point. Ive been speaking to a friend of mine today who built his own CNC router with Chinese framework and American/German electronics. He uses it for cutting 10mm aluminium, mostly...
Hanaldo
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7 Years Ago
very nice tool, did you use prepreg composites?
scottracing
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7 Years Ago
Hi Scottracing, I did not use prepreg and I think it was a mistake. I aplied 18 layer of wet carbon and by the time I was about to finish, the resin started to react and had to rush to put it in the...
Sebasan
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7 Years Ago
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