Dashboard

Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Back

Dashboard

Author	Message
Davo456	Davo456 posted 9 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 8, Visits: 77	I've skinned 3 parts in the past, and am reasonable at diy, so I'm trying to expand my skills and produce a better job than skinning aluminum. I am trying to make this dash in carbon using vacuum bagging (the skinned version I made earlier was ok, but I think I can do it better), and was wanting to move some of the dials around within the overall boundary. So starting with a sheet of polypropylene, I was going to lay 3d printed circles for each of the dials where I want them and a 3d printed edge of some sort around the exterior. using plasticine to stick them in place. The original plated steel planel is 1.6mm thick. To get something sturdy in 199g 2x2 twill carbon, how many layers would I need to have ? I presume I would need it around 1.6mm thick again as its 7-800mm long. how thick should the edge and circles be if I am going to vacuum bag this ? Will covering the 3d ABS plastic in PVA mould release agent be enough to protect if from the resin or do I need to cover it something else ? Tags 99 Diablo Dashboard
	Reply Like 5
Dravis	Dravis posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	I can not tell from the picture if this panel is just a flat piece, or has a curve or other features .. If its just a flat piece, I would simply infuse a suitably large flat 7 layer "stack" on a glass plate .. then cut out the outside shape and all the instrument holes afterwards -- where I want them .. That way it will be much easier to get a nice straight weave pattern on the dash, no messy cutting of "loose" CF cloth .. "Sapere Aude"... Dare to KNOW! The written word is the only truly efficient vehicle for transmitting a complex concept from mind to mind... 103% of all people do not understand statistics... Do not adjust our mind, theres a fault in reality :-)
	Reply Like 4
Davo456	Davo456 posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 8, Visits: 77	its a flat panel. I've have bought some 2mm polypropylene sheet to make the base of the mould, and the outer edges of it. Which I can then vacuum bag, rather than the 3d printed parts which I believe would soak up the resin. I will cut all the circles in the polypropylene to make the hole templates. I wanted to avoid cutting the vacuum bagged CF too much as the epoxy chipped a lot when I skinned parts previously - or is Infusion resin very easy to cut with the right jigsaw blade ? point taken about the cloth - I will use profinish pre-impregnated cloth to hold the weave. 7 layers = 1.6mm ? thats a lot Edited 9 Years Ago by Davo456
	Reply Like 5
Dravis	Dravis posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	Hi, Since the instrument panel is flat, and the Carbon face primarily for cosmetics (The look! ) Then Definitely just resin infuse a big enough flat panel in 4 layers of CF on a glass plate .. use Pro-finish for the outer (front) layer to keep a good straight weave pattern- You can use Glassfibre as layers in the middle for desired thickness, just make the outer layer at least two layers of CF- Then cut out the holes using a set of new sharp holesaw blades, slightly smaller than the finishes size .. Sand the holes to a perfect edge finish .. Don't bother to buy a high quality holesaw, just a few holes cut in CF/Glass will dull the blade .. If you tape the surface of the CF, and you are careful, you can easily cut the holes without the Infusion resin chipping .. If you have some skill with a jigsaw, buy a permagrit/tungsten-carbide jigsaw blade and use that ... remember the tape on the CF face-- Believe me .. its MUCH easier than trying to get a nice pattern by trying to get the CF to "go around" "plugs" for the holes -- "Sapere Aude"... Dare to KNOW! The written word is the only truly efficient vehicle for transmitting a complex concept from mind to mind... 103% of all people do not understand statistics... Do not adjust our mind, theres a fault in reality :-)
	Reply Like 5
Davo456	Davo456 posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 8, Visits: 77	ok, many thanks for that - I have the jigsaw blade as you suggest, I will use masking tape to mark the holes and cut it from a flat sheet as you suggest.
	Reply Like 5
Dravis	Dravis posted 9 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	-- cover the whole sheet with masking tape! Draw up the shape and the holes on the masking tape .. then cut with the jigsaw about 1 mm inside the outline of the holes -- then sand out to the edge. That way you will have very nicely finished holes with no cracking. The masking tape will protect the surface of the Carbon .. -- You can cover both sides with masking tape if you use an electric jigsaw .. that way the jigsaw will not scratch or score the mirror-surface (from infusing on the glass-plate.) "Sapere Aude"... Dare to KNOW! The written word is the only truly efficient vehicle for transmitting a complex concept from mind to mind... 103% of all people do not understand statistics... Do not adjust our mind, theres a fault in reality :-)
	Reply Like 6