+x

 

quinn - 1/8/2019 3:08:57 PM

+x

 

Hanaldo - 1/8/2019 1:40:39 AM

Depends on the pre-preg. But it should stay put well enough. 

Sounds good. After watching a few more videos, it looks like +/-45 is great for getting into corners so that should work to my advantage. 
Couple more questions before I order prepreg. I'm still a bit unclear on whether or not it's an advantage to use single sided prepreg for first layer. I see that easy composites sells a prepreg that is optimized for the surface layer and it's single sided. I'm in the US so can't order their stuff, but should I pick a single sided for my first layer, or is it gonna make much difference? The part will not be getting clear coat or paint so I want it to come out of the mold with good finish. If 2 sided is not much of a disadvantage for surface layer, I'd rather use it since I need it for other areas. My other question is the bagging technique. Eventually I want to try a silicone plug if I go into production, but for prototyping I'm just gonna vacuum bag it. I'll make a tube out of bagging material that is slightly larger than the inside of my part.  This will be fed through the middle once mold is closed, then I'll bag the whole mold and seal the outside of the ends of that inner tube to the outer bag. Before closing the mold I will apply release film to the laminate, leaving a strip of laminate exposed for the overlap, then close mold and push overlaps down. Question is, do I need a breather between the release film and the bagging material? In most videos I watch, they use breather, but in the tutorial on this forum they bag straight onto the release film, only using breather on outside of mold. It will be much easier for me if I can do it the same way and only wrap breather around the outside. Will this work well in my case?

+x

 

Lester Populaire - 1/8/2019 3:55:54 PM

+x

 

quinn - 1/8/2019 3:08:57 PM

+x

 

Hanaldo - 1/8/2019 1:40:39 AM

Depends on the pre-preg. But it should stay put well enough. 

Sounds good. After watching a few more videos, it looks like +/-45 is great for getting into corners so that should work to my advantage. 
Couple more questions before I order prepreg. I'm still a bit unclear on whether or not it's an advantage to use single sided prepreg for first layer. I see that easy composites sells a prepreg that is optimized for the surface layer and it's single sided. I'm in the US so can't order their stuff, but should I pick a single sided for my first layer, or is it gonna make much difference? The part will not be getting clear coat or paint so I want it to come out of the mold with good finish. If 2 sided is not much of a disadvantage for surface layer, I'd rather use it since I need it for other areas. My other question is the bagging technique. Eventually I want to try a silicone plug if I go into production, but for prototyping I'm just gonna vacuum bag it. I'll make a tube out of bagging material that is slightly larger than the inside of my part.  This will be fed through the middle once mold is closed, then I'll bag the whole mold and seal the outside of the ends of that inner tube to the outer bag. Before closing the mold I will apply release film to the laminate, leaving a strip of laminate exposed for the overlap, then close mold and push overlaps down. Question is, do I need a breather between the release film and the bagging material? In most videos I watch, they use breather, but in the tutorial on this forum they bag straight onto the release film, only using breather on outside of mold. It will be much easier for me if I can do it the same way and only wrap breather around the outside. Will this work well in my case?

If you only want to vacuum press the laminate you will need a special surface ply prepreg, or you live with the pinholes. I would just put an endcap on both sides and pressurize the inside of the mould to 3 bars and you won't have any issues. Or go the silicon core route. Depends a little on the layup thickness.

But be aware that you just created a potential pipe bomb. So make sure that thing is not going to explode...

+x

 

Hanaldo - 1/8/2019 10:32:10 PM

Easy Composites dont sell the single sided pre-preg anymore, that was the old EasyPreg system. The new X-Preg system is double sided, with no specific surface ply, and works extremely well. I dont see why you cant get their stuff because you are in the US? I'm in Aus and I use lots of pre-preg from Easy Composites. 

As for bagging method, you've got it sussed. Dont skimp on the bag - make it bigger than you expect you will need to. The breather will depend a bit on the pre-preg you end up using and how well it breathes. The EasyPreg system worked better with breather on both the back of the mould and over the laminate, while the X-Preg doesnt need it over the laminate. You may have to experiment if you get a less 'guided' system, however I dont think you will have too many problems by only doing breather on the outside of the mould. 

+x

 

quinn - 1/8/2019 3:08:57 PM

+x

 

Hanaldo - 1/8/2019 1:40:39 AM

Depends on the pre-preg. But it should stay put well enough. 

Sounds good. After watching a few more videos, it looks like +/-45 is great for getting into corners so that should work to my advantage. 
Couple more questions before I order prepreg. I'm still a bit unclear on whether or not it's an advantage to use single sided prepreg for first layer. I see that easy composites sells a prepreg that is optimized for the surface layer and it's single sided. I'm in the US so can't order their stuff, but should I pick a single sided for my first layer, or is it gonna make much difference? The part will not be getting clear coat or paint so I want it to come out of the mold with good finish. If 2 sided is not much of a disadvantage for surface layer, I'd rather use it since I need it for other areas. My other question is the bagging technique. Eventually I want to try a silicone plug if I go into production, but for prototyping I'm just gonna vacuum bag it. I'll make a tube out of bagging material that is slightly larger than the inside of my part.  This will be fed through the middle once mold is closed, then I'll bag the whole mold and seal the outside of the ends of that inner tube to the outer bag. Before closing the mold I will apply release film to the laminate, leaving a strip of laminate exposed for the overlap, then close mold and push overlaps down. Question is, do I need a breather between the release film and the bagging material? In most videos I watch, they use breather, but in the tutorial on this forum they bag straight onto the release film, only using breather on outside of mold. It will be much easier for me if I can do it the same way and only wrap breather around the outside. Will this work well in my case?

+x

 

Steve Broad - 1/9/2019 1:03:44 AM

+x

 

quinn - 1/8/2019 3:08:57 PM

+x

 

Hanaldo - 1/8/2019 1:40:39 AM

Depends on the pre-preg. But it should stay put well enough. 

Sounds good. After watching a few more videos, it looks like +/-45 is great for getting into corners so that should work to my advantage. 
Couple more questions before I order prepreg. I'm still a bit unclear on whether or not it's an advantage to use single sided prepreg for first layer. I see that easy composites sells a prepreg that is optimized for the surface layer and it's single sided. I'm in the US so can't order their stuff, but should I pick a single sided for my first layer, or is it gonna make much difference? The part will not be getting clear coat or paint so I want it to come out of the mold with good finish. If 2 sided is not much of a disadvantage for surface layer, I'd rather use it since I need it for other areas. My other question is the bagging technique. Eventually I want to try a silicone plug if I go into production, but for prototyping I'm just gonna vacuum bag it. I'll make a tube out of bagging material that is slightly larger than the inside of my part.  This will be fed through the middle once mold is closed, then I'll bag the whole mold and seal the outside of the ends of that inner tube to the outer bag. Before closing the mold I will apply release film to the laminate, leaving a strip of laminate exposed for the overlap, then close mold and push overlaps down. Question is, do I need a breather between the release film and the bagging material? In most videos I watch, they use breather, but in the tutorial on this forum they bag straight onto the release film, only using breather on outside of mold. It will be much easier for me if I can do it the same way and only wrap breather around the outside. Will this work well in my case?

When we made a hockey stick out of a carbon/aramid mix, we just used a balloon lightly coated with a release agent and connected to a pressure pump, no bagging required. This way you can improve on 1 atmosphere if you so desire :-)

+x

 

quinn - 1/9/2019 1:19:56 AM

+x

 

Steve Broad - 1/9/2019 1:03:44 AM

+x

 

quinn - 1/8/2019 3:08:57 PM

+x

 

Hanaldo - 1/8/2019 1:40:39 AM

Depends on the pre-preg. But it should stay put well enough. 

Sounds good. After watching a few more videos, it looks like +/-45 is great for getting into corners so that should work to my advantage. 
Couple more questions before I order prepreg. I'm still a bit unclear on whether or not it's an advantage to use single sided prepreg for first layer. I see that easy composites sells a prepreg that is optimized for the surface layer and it's single sided. I'm in the US so can't order their stuff, but should I pick a single sided for my first layer, or is it gonna make much difference? The part will not be getting clear coat or paint so I want it to come out of the mold with good finish. If 2 sided is not much of a disadvantage for surface layer, I'd rather use it since I need it for other areas. My other question is the bagging technique. Eventually I want to try a silicone plug if I go into production, but for prototyping I'm just gonna vacuum bag it. I'll make a tube out of bagging material that is slightly larger than the inside of my part.  This will be fed through the middle once mold is closed, then I'll bag the whole mold and seal the outside of the ends of that inner tube to the outer bag. Before closing the mold I will apply release film to the laminate, leaving a strip of laminate exposed for the overlap, then close mold and push overlaps down. Question is, do I need a breather between the release film and the bagging material? In most videos I watch, they use breather, but in the tutorial on this forum they bag straight onto the release film, only using breather on outside of mold. It will be much easier for me if I can do it the same way and only wrap breather around the outside. Will this work well in my case?

When we made a hockey stick out of a carbon/aramid mix, we just used a balloon lightly coated with a release agent and connected to a pressure pump, no bagging required. This way you can improve on 1 atmosphere if you so desire :-)

Good to know. Sounds like balloons work fine as a bladder. Just curious, did you paint the name on afterwards, or did you do that in the mold before lay up? 

+x

 

quinn - 1/17/2019 7:32:00 PM

Molds are done. not bad for a home built cnc.