laminating resin "runs off"


Author
Message
RyanParle
RyanParle
Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 20, Visits: 1.2K
I'm in the middle of my first attempt at carbon fibre laminating using the CarbonMods starter kit with the 100 to 30 ratio resin and when I apply the base coat of resin I cannot get it to keep an even coverage over the surface of the mould, it just wants to pool up at the bottom of the mould leaving dry patches on the angled faces.

Can anyone tell me what could be going wrong here? Is there anything I can do to put it right? The resin is still runny at the moment and i have tried to keep brushing it back from the bottom.
Replies
Matt (Staff)
Matt (Staff)
Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)Composites Expert (Staff) (8.4K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 680, Visits: 1.9K
Hi Ryan,

Thanks for your posts and for elaborating on your issue, process and the end result.

To be honest, what you've found is, in essence, quite normal. Particularly in warmer conditions you'll find that the resin is a lower viscosity than in cold conditions which makes the problem of it wanting to 'fish-eye' away from the repellent mould surface more pronounced.

The main reason for this phenomenon is that the laminating resin is a resin, and not a gelcoat. Gelcoats are like resins but they have thixotropic  additives to make them thicker (normally something like colloidal silica). In the Carbon Fibre Laminating Starter Kit however we do need to keep things fairly simple and so, although a dedicated gelcoat might make things easier in certain situations (warm conditions, highly waxed surfaces etc.) it would mean adding another resin, hardener and the associated cost and complication to the kit.

Very soon we'll be re-making the laminating kit video and making some changes to the laminating kit. Instead of using a single layer of resin as a gelcoat we'll probably suggest skipping this step and instead show people the best way to laminate without a gelcoat but still avoid (as best as possible) pin-holes in the surface of the part when doing this. In the meantime, you might want to have a go at laminating parts without a resin layer as a gelcoat down first yourself. One advantage to this is that you won't have the problem of the carbon sticking to the gelcoat layer as you position it in the mould.

If you're interested in improving the behavior of the resin when used as a gelcoat then you could consider purchasing some Colloidal Silica and then mixing it into some of the laminating resin to thicken it and make it behave more like a gelcoat or you could consider purchasing some GC50 which is our Epoxy Compatible Polyester Gelcoat - this product is probably the best way you can gelcoat an epoxy part (being polyester it's UV stable and highly polish-able and yet it's designed to be bonded to by epoxy which makes it the best of both worlds!).

I hope this information helps.

Best regards, Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales
Edited 12 Years Ago by Matt (Staff)
RyanParle
RyanParle
Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)Supreme Being (206 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 20, Visits: 1.2K
Thanks Matt.

I'm glad to see that i had followed the instructions correctly and that it is normal behaviour of the resin under these conditions.

I am also keen to know more about the process of laminating without the first coat of resin, the next part i have planned to make is quite a bit more complicated and it would certainly be easier to lay the fabric to a non sticky surface.

For those who are interested here are links to the finished item:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151801986912812&l=ff3043527b

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151801987037812&l=d98436234a
Edited 12 Years Ago by RyanParle
GO

Merge Selected

Merge into selected topic...



Merge into merge target...



Merge into a specific topic ID...





Similar Topics

Reading This Topic

Explore
Messages
Mentions
Search