What do I need to make a complete set of custom carbon fibre panels for my project car?


What do I need to make a complete set of custom carbon fibre panels for my project car?
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Warren (Staff)
Warren (Staff)
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The recommended cleaning agent is alcohol.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
jaffa
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What's the recommended way to clean off any fusion fix from the surface layer? I've avoided using it for the visible layer so far bit would be nice to have the option as i'm not using a gel coat
Warren (Staff)
Warren (Staff)
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Unfortunately you cannot activate the GC50 in this way due to a slight formulation change a couple of years ago.

Also the spray featured, the manufacturer ceased trading and we have been unable to find a perfect replacement. We do have our FusionFix GP Spray Adhesive which is epoxy compatible. However it is not ideal for surface use as it is not invisible and will need to be cleaned off after use. A light application between layers of carbon will cause no problems with inter-laminar strength.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
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AndyGtt, did you use prepreg or infusion for this project? which materials did you use for this?  Did you do any post curing? Turned out great!

Thanks.
dei
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Thank you Warren! I will do so next time. If you don't mine to move this post to the correct place for me for futher quetion I may have to ask


cheers

dei
Warren (Staff)
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dei (11/02/2013)
Hi, I need an advice on skinning an open container made with polyerster with a  cut cover.
1.) What type of resin will be good with the polyester that a temperature of upto 100ºC and drop to 12ºC.
2.) Would the resin glue a ceramic material pamanetly?
3.) What do you recommend polyester or polystyrene for Carbon skinning
4.) Can I use Carbon fiber glass over normal fiber glass?

Thank in advance


If you want 100ºC capability then you would be looking at a high temperature resin.  For your project we would recommend the CarbonFibre Skinning Starter Kit - High Temp which can go upto 180ºC.

You would ideally want a dedicated adhesive if you wanted to bond ceramics, however if you mean just skinning on ceramic then the kit above would be fine.

All our skinning kits use epoxy based resins, not polyester.  When bonding to polyester, key the surface and epoxy will bond well to it.

Carbon fibre fabrics can be used to skin over glass fibre no problem.


Just a note for you on forum usage. Your post does not relate to making carbon fibre panels but to skinning. It would be helpful if you post a new thread if you have future questions so people can respond best.


Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
andygtt
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Hi

Around the time this post started I decided to make carbon panels for my Noble sports car... I had NEVER worked with carbon before and had very limited experience of GF working, having never even made a mould before let alone body panels.

What I did was use GF, filler and expanding foam to remould my body to the new shapes required... I then painted the panel (will call then bucks from now on). The bucks were heavy and pretty fragile so needed careful storage / handling often strengthening bars to allow the panel to take its own weight without distorting / breaking.

I then used easycomposites UN1 tooling system, bloody excellent stuff this as it has zero shrinkage... you have to be careful with the gel coat to avoid wrinkling due to it not being mixed fully (easy to do) or it reacting with the Buck but otherwise its extremely easy to use.

Due to the size and complexity of some of my panels I had to have multiple break lines (my rear end is a 12 piece mould), this needs to be well thought out but isn't hard just requires careful thought.

I wanted areas of my panels painted and other areas with visable carbon... this is tricky but not overly hard... with care and attention you can get very nice lines even on complex parts, first make a paper template then cut this out of the pro finish carbon.... yes this takes practice but its not stupidly difficult.

Getting the carbon to stay in place without voids is very tricky, Im still experimenting in this area but I used a spray tack which you MUST use sparingly otherwise you effectively glue your part to the mould and its very hard to remove... I had to use 3 crow bars to extract one part of my rear body... not for the faint hearted and a mistake not replicated quickly.

As a beginner giving advice to potential beginners I would say the following.

1. Fully bag complex moulds... its difficult to get a full seal especially around multiple break lines.
2. DONT use a gel coat or 2 pack in the mould... this is because if the part goes wrong or has a leak its scrap as the pinhead air holes will be behind the gel coat... if its a raw carbon finish you can fill them with black epoxy filler and never notice them. Once your more skilled you can use this method for faster results.
3. Use tack spray sparingly.
4. take your time laying the first surface carbon layer to get the weave nice and no voids... voids here will be almost impossible to get rid of once further layers of carbon, soric and the peal ply is added.
5. Dont rush

I have a thread on some of the parts I have made... but here are a few highlights to show what an accountant with zero composites experience can do using the easycomposites materials and advice Smile
The rear clip was only the second mould/part I ever made in carbon, and the first was a disaster lol

the buck


The mould


The carbon layup


The raw part

dei
dei
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Hi, I need an advice on skinning an open container made with polyerster with a  cut cover.
1.) What type of resin will be good with the polyester that a temperature of upto 100ºC and drop to 12ºC.
2.) Would the resin glue a ceramic material pamanetly?
3.) What do you recommend polyester or polystyrene for Carbon skinning
4.) Can I use Carbon fiber glass over normal fiber glass?

Thank in advance
Sawrel
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Thanks Matt. As always, helpful advice
Matt (Staff)
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About 10-20% methylated spirit added to epoxy infusion resin that has been mixed with the correct amount of infusion resin hardener already should be enough to thin the resin sufficiently that it will 'mist' through a trigger press spray bottle. It's not a exact science, just add a few drops at a time until you have a consistency that will spray.

Don't be tempted to use acetone, white spirit or turps. Methylated spirit (denatured alcohol) or 100% alcohol is needed for this.

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales
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