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quinn
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Is it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote).
Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used.
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John Hansen
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+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I like your question Quinn. I am with you on this. Everyone seems to be after a "perfect" finish. I never see anyone writing about how to achieve a finish at the other end of the spectrum from High Gloss. I wonder what finish would be achieved if you put release film down on the glass first? Then, after removing the part from the glass, pull the release film off and see what the finish looks like.
A Lifelong Learner
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quinn
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 155,
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+x+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I like your question Quinn. I am with you on this. Everyone seems to be after a "perfect" finish. I never see anyone writing about how to achieve a finish at the other end of the spectrum from High Gloss. I wonder what finish would be achieved if you put release film down on the glass first? Then, after removing the part from the glass, pull the release film off and see what the finish looks like. That might be worth a try, just have to be careful that no wrinkles get into the release film. But yeah, there's a lot of advantages to a matte finish. I do parts for rc helicopters and also cut prototype parts out of cf plate for a company. They prefer matte plate, it seems to be getting more popular. Gloss cf is nice and all, but as soon as you touch it, there's finger prints. Also any tiny defect shows up. Matte just seems to be easier to keep looking nice. I want to start laying up my own prepreg plates to save a bit of money so need to find a way to get a matte surface on my lay up plates. Also considering going matte on my helicopter canopy and tail boom so would need to take those existing molds and try to rough them up or something. I bought a 3000 and 5000 grit sponge to experiment with. Even the 5000 seems to take the gloss off pretty quickly so I'll try that and see if I can get any kind of consistent look.
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John Hansen
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 42,
Visits: 232
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+x+x+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I like your question Quinn. I am with you on this. Everyone seems to be after a "perfect" finish. I never see anyone writing about how to achieve a finish at the other end of the spectrum from High Gloss. I wonder what finish would be achieved if you put release film down on the glass first? Then, after removing the part from the glass, pull the release film off and see what the finish looks like. That might be worth a try, just have to be careful that no wrinkles get into the release film. But yeah, there's a lot of advantages to a matte finish. I do parts for rc helicopters and also cut prototype parts out of cf plate for a company. They prefer matte plate, it seems to be getting more popular. Gloss cf is nice and all, but as soon as you touch it, there's finger prints. Also any tiny defect shows up. Matte just seems to be easier to keep looking nice. I want to start laying up my own prepreg plates to save a bit of money so need to find a way to get a matte surface on my lay up plates. Also considering going matte on my helicopter canopy and tail boom so would need to take those existing molds and try to rough them up or something. I bought a 3000 and 5000 grit sponge to experiment with. Even the 5000 seems to take the gloss off pretty quickly so I'll try that and see if I can get any kind of consistent look. @quinn If you test the release film idea, please add to this thread your results. I am interested. And, if you know others who are focused on " RC anything that flies" who are also focused on minimum weight designs I would enjoy making contacts. So many YouTube videos do not detail the final weight or compare it to any known standard CF weight. I am considering a UAV frame that will be a single flat round disk 800mm (not tubular) made from CF with an end grain balsa core. I am having a hard time finding anyone other than the commercial manufacturers who make balsa core in their basement or garage at home (DIY).
A Lifelong Learner
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farbonciber
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Group: Forum Members
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+x+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I like your question Quinn. I am with you on this. Everyone seems to be after a "perfect" finish. I never see anyone writing about how to achieve a finish at the other end of the spectrum from High Gloss. I wonder what finish would be achieved if you put release film down on the glass first? Then, after removing the part from the glass, pull the release film off and see what the finish looks like. When I worked for a place making thick carbon sheets for F1 teams, we would wrap them in release film and they would come out glossy.
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John Hansen
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 42,
Visits: 232
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+x+x+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I like your question Quinn. I am with you on this. Everyone seems to be after a "perfect" finish. I never see anyone writing about how to achieve a finish at the other end of the spectrum from High Gloss. I wonder what finish would be achieved if you put release film down on the glass first? Then, after removing the part from the glass, pull the release film off and see what the finish looks like. When I worked for a place making thick carbon sheets for F1 teams, we would wrap them in release film and they would come out glossy. How about peel ply? Has anyone tried that?
A Lifelong Learner
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farbonciber
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 3,
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+x+x+x+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I like your question Quinn. I am with you on this. Everyone seems to be after a "perfect" finish. I never see anyone writing about how to achieve a finish at the other end of the spectrum from High Gloss. I wonder what finish would be achieved if you put release film down on the glass first? Then, after removing the part from the glass, pull the release film off and see what the finish looks like. When I worked for a place making thick carbon sheets for F1 teams, we would wrap them in release film and they would come out glossy. How about peel ply? Has anyone tried that? Peel ply would leave a slightly rough texture on the surface.
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Leandro
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Sounds interesting farbonciber, did you used any special technique or was your part fairly flat?
Because I know only the blue release layer which si very light and has a tendancy to crease and the only time I made a quick trial the surface came out pretty bad (it was impossible to get the crease(ply) out...)
I have some small 3d mold to use as well and I think I'll try electrical tape and flash tape. However I am not currently looking for a gloss finish but just something to allow easy unmolding
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farbonciber
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Group: Forum Members
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+xSounds interesting farbonciber, did you used any special technique or was your part fairly flat? Because I know only the blue release layer which si very light and has a tendancy to crease and the only time I made a quick trial the surface came out pretty bad (it was impossible to get the crease(ply) out...) I have some small 3d mold to use as well and I think I'll try electrical tape and flash tape. However I am not currently looking for a gloss finish but just something to allow easy unmolding Hi Leandro, Regarding the flat plates for the F1 teams, they were just flat. Some of them were 38mm which were heavy! The plies were laid up, completely wrapped in release (like a present, including taping the edges together) and smoothed out any air bubbles and carefully placed on a stainless steel plate so that 1 side would come out perfectly glossy. Even the side that was facing up came out nice and glossy if you'd done a good job at smoothing out the release film.
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John Hansen
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 42,
Visits: 232
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+xIs it possible to get a nice consistent matte on a mold surface with abrasives? Maybe sand to 3000 or 4000? Steel wool? Any other options? Also if doing this, will mold be more sensitive to sticking prepreg parts (using frekote). Second question, what about prepreg matte carbon fiber sheets? Would normally use plates of glass. I've seen glass with a matte looking finish, but can't find it when searching for matte glass. Not sure what it would be called, or if there's a different material that should be used. I have done more searching and found this photo of a carbon fiber car body that has been soda blasted. What this made me realize is that the carbon strands themselves are shiny and can be seen in this photo. This makes me think the only way to get "Matte" finish may be to apply it as a final coating just like any other paint.
http://nutechsodablasting.com/gallery/74643.jpgSoda Blasted shell
A Lifelong Learner
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