Custome Made Carbon Fibre stuff? Bonnets, Dashboards etc?

X2 · Postby X2 » June 8th, 2014, 8:36 pm

It will really depend on what type of carbon work we're talking about... Wet laying carbon can be reasonably priced but the resin distribution could be sketchy. Using baked pre-impregnated carbon is better but more expensive.

Carbon hoods are available from mass production facilities for many models... but custom stuff, the work is still labour intensive. Small parts can definitely be made lighter than fiberglass... but at what cost ? If we aren't talking race car weight reduction, laying carbon over a fiberglass shell or even the existing part might make more sense for those that want the carbon look at a lower price.

Caribbeancarbon · Postby **Caribbeancarbon** » June 9th, 2014, 2:48 pm

You are somewhat right the problems with hand lay ups are, 1 not being able to get all air bubbles out and 2 the resin to fiber ratio. The average professional hand lay up has about 60-70% resin and 30-40% fiber. But in any FRP(fiber reinforced plastic) the strength is in the fibers not the resin. And as for pre-preg that takes way too much work, the temperature you have to get it to for it to cure is very high which means your mold have to be able to withstand those temperatures so we're talking steel molds most of the time. So the way I would go about it is vacuum infusion which is a little more expensive than hand but you get at least 60% fiber.

Caribbeancarbon · Postby **Caribbeancarbon** » July 30th, 2014, 9:17 pm

Thought I would share some test pieces I did, decided to turn them into license plates.
This is a patterned carbon fiber fabric but behind it is the common structural fabrics.
Tell me what you guys think

Postby **nervewrecker** » July 9th, 2020, 3:41 pm

So I did some fooling around with some material some years ago.
Experimenting with some molds right now.
Cloned some dust caps.
One is carbon Kevlar, the next is carbon fiber.
The carbon fiber is 2 layers and I can rest a keg on it without it flexing.

I am looking for a spare Subaru 04 impreza hood scoop to make a mold of if anyone has a spare one to lend. They will be rewarded with a free carbon fibre or carbon kevlar scoop :drinking:

superstainless1250 · Postby **superstainless1250** » July 11th, 2020, 7:45 pm

Nervewrecker where you get the material for the carbon fiber an what's the process for completing a mold?

Postby **nervewrecker** » July 12th, 2020, 10:37 pm

superstainless1250 wrote:Nervewrecker where you get the material for the carbon fiber an what's the process for completing a mold?

Online, all my carbon fiber about finished though. I have a roll of carbon kevlar. :oops:

My molds are made of concrete. If I doing auto parts they will need to be metal so they can be baked.

I like your number plate idea though. What kinda figure you were looking at for one plate if you ever got off the runways with it? Crossed my mind to do a few but have to talk to a good lawyer first so it dont come back to bite me in my ass.