Dear Matt

Matt,

Can you please tell me why in your video you use GC50 Epoxy Compatible Ployester Gelcoat and not just your regular Clear Epoxy Gelcoat ?

thank you,

Erick

Another idea if your parts are too big for an oven is a modern temperature regulated heat blanket. I used one when I first made a bonnet at home and it achieved a mould surface temperature of 40 Celcius when placed on the complete infused mould layup, then wrapped in a duvet to reduce heat loss.

Although modern electric blankets have a thermal cut out and are designed to be left unsupervised, I would always recommend keeping a close eye on it as it isnt being used as the manufacturer intended.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Hi Andy,

A post-cure in the mould would be a very good thing to do to ensure that there is no danger of the part distorting. 60'C for 6hrs would be a good post cure, after that there should be no danger of the part distorting in the sun.

If you need to post cure out of the mould then the recommendation would be to increase the temperature very gradually over  along period of time. This will reduce the amount of out of mould distortion.

All the best, Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Id very much like black soric... with the curved shapes I make the soric is always visable to my critical eye.

GC50 can be applied by brush but its not ideal with resin infusion as the weave will look slightly out of place on the uneven surface.  So it is recommended to be sprayed.

However for wet lay, the carbon will "float" on a layer of resin so the unevenness associated with brush application of the gel coat is hardly noticable if at all.

Warren,

Can the UV protective gelcoat be brushed in? I imagine it's propabably best to spray it, but just wondering.

I have to say I really like your companies helpful videos.

Thank you,

Erick

The gelcoat is done to provide a improved surface finish and also to give UV protection without the need to lacquer the part.

By using a core you can use less layers of fabric (and hence save money) yet still have a stiff and light panel.

This is my first post so I would like to start out by saying thank you easycomposites for all the information you provide.

Matt, Ihave watched the videos in regards to resin infusion and I have a couplequestions.

Whyon the carbon fiber hood/bonnet did you spray clear gel coat before the firstlayer? I noticed this was not done on the other resin infusion video.

Alsowhy was a infusion core material used on the hood/bonnet? Is this necessary onlarge parts? Is it for strength to the part or strictly to help the resin flow?Could covering the entire part with Infusion mesh have the same effect?

Ican't wait to start making parts for my car.

Thankyou,

Erick

i am a bmw 325 nut...of the 80's models and their hood is about 45 pounds and in CF it should be 5 pounds? --yes the weight difference is that big !!
it is a greater difference than 2 hoods (like a ford ranger) where both an aluminium and steel version are available. the aluminium is crazy light, and the CF is x10 beyond that !!

CarbonFiberCreations