Hi Everyone,

21 page tutorial guide with lots of detailed photographs throughout explaining the complete process from start to finish for simple out-of-autoclave prepreg carbon fibre. Available to download completely free using the link below.

This guide will accompany our new Prepreg Carbon Fibre Starter Kit and will of course be followed up with a video tutorial in the not too distant future.

Please provide any feedback on this tutorial here. If anything is unclear of could be explained better (or you spot any mistakes) then please let me know; I can use your input to improve the guide for everyone and ensure that the video tutorial is spot-on.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and particularly to seeing your results if you follow this guide yourself.

Best regards, Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Hello Matt
Just read your piece on prepreg. Awesome, crystal clear instruction. Well done.
Just one thing to add. When you make your video, PLEASE show your method of using honeycomb core with prepreg also.
I know how much effort goes into a video production, (I am also a video producer) it would be a shame to leave honeycomb out.
Thanks
Fred

Hi Fred,

Hi Matt
Your probably right. Honey comb is a lot more advanced but I am glad you are planning it.
For those who are a bit more serious about having an Autoclave I have included some pictures of an Autoclave I have constructed for about $600.00. dollars.
I tracked down an industrial sized paint pressure pot. This one is about 30 years and is rated for 650 f temperature at 120 PSI. I had thought of making one out of pipe line pipe but quickly learned that I would probably kill or destroy my shop if it blew up. My composite supplier knew of two instances where this had happened so I decided on a certified pressure vessel. After some reading I quickly learned how dangerous compressed air chambers are.
So I found this 60 gallon tank in the USA and with shipping I got it home for about $600. (there are also 30 gallon tanks used in industry)
As you can see I mounted it on its side and made a a swing open arrangement. (The door weighs 90 pounds)
There are numerous ports to attach regulators and vacuum lines to. A bit of paint and it looks pretty good. I did price a brand new 60 gallon tank from BINKS which came to about $6000.00 dollars, way out of my range.
I then got a house hold oven and removed the eliment and heat control. I installed this inside the tank under a sheet metal tray. (not shown in pictures)
I got the tank up to 450 f which is plenty for prepreg, or cooking a turkey. The temperature and pressure is all adjustable to suit what I will be doing in the future.
I hope to connect a computer to the heating control so I can stage the times and ramp the temperatures as called for.
I am sure there are a lot of surplus tanks out there that can be found if this is really what you want to get into.
Hope this helps.
Fred


  

has it been recently professionally tested??? most professional equipment used in industry be it pressurised or under vacuum has to go under regular testing during its life (as well as destructive testing of new designs by the manufacturer) to ensure it remains suitable to maintain that pressure.

You should really take it to be tested to make sure you arent going to destroy your workshop.

Its a fallacy that items under vacuum always implode safely if they fail. You can still easily get fataly dangerous shrapnel in some cases.

arren

Hi Warren
I would never use the chamber at full pressure maybe 70 psi or so. The 120psi rating gives it a good margin. I have put a new seal in it.
By the way it, is a pressure vessel not a vacuum vessel therefore it could not implode, it could only explode. I have heard of many people using these tanks for prepreg and plastic casting where you don't want any air bubbles showing in the clear castings.
I am not encouraging anyone to build one, but only showing what is possible for the right person.
Fred

   

Fred...you are BRILLIANT!
i ll be watching your posts with an empty brain hoping to learn something

CarbonFiberCreations

Thanks Brasco glad I could help.
Fred