Filling voids advice - like Bugatti


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ant...
ant...
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So I've been working on producing a carbon fibre coffee cup for many years, I want it to be perfect and its almost there.  For the past 2 years I've had the project on the back burner having spent many thousands on equipment and tests.  But last week watching the How Its Made featuring the Bugatti Veyron, I saw how their carbon nose cone always comes out with voids in tights places and that these areas were repaired to produce a flawless finish.  That made me think my process might be good enough and I can finish my cup with a few repairs.

These images show how my cup is one solid piece but the outside is always susceptible to tiny bubbles or sometimes voids, the inside is almost always perfect.  

My Process - The alloy mould is secured in a vacuum chamber while infusion resin is pumped from the mixing container into the mould from its base, this enables the cup to be one piece with all smooth sides and the vacuum chamber limits bubbles & voids.  My next test will include curling the mould in a high pressure oven maybe 100psi (pressure cooker LOL).  But I've tried loads of ways to get a 100% perfect result and id become disappointed until I saw the Bugatti repair process.
With a little help I mights just get a finished mug...

Question - Can these voids be filled?  any suggestions?  

Im guessing sand the holes back to remove any release agent, maybe with some acetone and fill with a syringe of general epoxy.  then rub it back to a perfect round finish.


http://www.talkcomposites.com/Uploads/Images/1325fe1e-b6ed-43f5-a978-b7bc.JPG http://www.talkcomposites.com/Uploads/Images/b19d8eb0-a52c-4d6e-8bfd-e10a.JPG http://www.talkcomposites.com/Uploads/Images/8b8a7c94-3f7d-46e3-a3e3-c511.JPGBTW this big hole is drilled to practice fitting the carbon handle.
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ant...
ant...
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ChrisR
Thanks ill look into finding high temp infusion.  I knew that their were an infinite amount of resin variations but I didnt think a hobby guy like myself could ever afford to have a specific resin made.





Matthieutje65
Ive looked at the GC50 video and I think that is the stuff that Matt from CarbonMods gave me, before it had a name.  I was trying to use it as a gelcoat but I've given up on that method and I'm now going to spray paint 2pack clear for the finish.

GC50 looks like a great thick resin to hold in place, but my holes are so small I think even an infusion resin would hold.

Im lucky that I built all moulds with engineering machines so after repairing the cup I should be able to spin it on the lathe for a perfectly flat uniform surface.  The handle will be a bit harder.  Im still hoping curing at 100psi will help remove voids.  When I release the vacuum the infusion resin drops 5mm down the mould, theirs something about the surface tension on the outside that makes it susceptible to voids.



Food Safe - This is an area I dint want to talk about here because anyone who has worked with any 2 part resin knows how noxious they are.  The food safe varnish/epoxy they spray inside alloy drinks cans is a closely guarded secret and I've had no luck finding any info on how or where to find them, but I might have more luck with the Veritas people or maybe those resin manufacturers that ChrisR mentioned.   It has been 2 years since I've searched though.
Edited 10 Years Ago by ant...
ChrisR
ChrisR
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Nah, you don't have to get a specific one made, just approach them and see what they have. eg. hunstman resins have hundreds of combinations of resins and catalyst (or part A and part B if you like to think of it that way) to alter the working time, viscosity, Tg etc... and they are pretty much off the shelf but you may not be able to buy 0.25L of one if you know what I mean
GO

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