Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Hey there

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic11736.aspx

By FrameFudger - 6/9/2014 11:32:31 PM

Hi Everyone,

So building a bike frame from scratch using UD CF. 

Project so far...

Curing oven - Had to build my own as a bike frame isn't going to fit in my conventional oven! Basically a big wooden box lined with Celotex and Aluminium tape. Heating comes from a 3K oven element and convected with a spare oven fan. Temp is controlled by a PID. Works a treat! Will post some pics of that project when I get some time

Tubes - Created from 10 wraps of 100gsm hi-mod CF, wrapped around aluminium mandrels, then wrapped in shrink tape

Frame jig - Building this from 80x40 aluminium strut, work in progress! 

Cheers,
Andy 
By FrameFudger - 6/12/2014 9:16:23 AM

Thanks guys! 

To remove the tubes from the mandrels use thin walled aluminium tubing for the mandrel, expands more than steel & plenty of release agent. Once the tube is "lubed" up as it were its actually very hard to get the first layer super tight. I have only had one tube that seemed to be stuck on the mandrel so far. Whacked that one in the freezer for about an hour, then with a little pressure I managed to twist it off.