GK
03-21-2001, 01:38 PM
Carbon Fiber Panel Fabrication
Carbon fiber (graphite) composite parts are appearing on all kinds of high-performance vehicles because its strength-to-weight ratio is impossible to beat. It also just so happens to look extremely trick. A nicely made carbon fiber part is jet black, shiny, glossy, reflective like a mirror, has the depth of the best lacquer paint job, and looks different from different angles.
Adding some carbon fiber parts to your f-body . You can make some pretty sophisticated parts that would require very expensive tools to make out of metal. Oh, and there's a weight savings, too!
These are some of the things that keep people from making carbon fiber parts:
1. It's mysterious (this article will solve that problem).
2. It's expensive (true, but making a few choice small parts won't cost you that much).
3. It's difficult (not if you start with simple parts and work your way up to more complex ones).
4. It's time-consuming (there is a lot of waiting involved, but the actual work is not that time-consuming).
Start your carbon fiber fabrication by making flat panels. The only "mold" that is required is a sheet of glass. This article describes making door panels, since they are one of the more desirable pieces to make, but the techniques described can be used to make most any flat panel for your f-body .
These are the materials you need to make your panels. The first set is available from numerous sources and should be easy to find
1. Glass sheet, significantly larger than desired panel, flat, clean and scratch-free
2. Plastic roll
3. Mold release (floor wax or car wax is OK)
4. Scissors
5. Blue masking tape
6. Bondo squeegees
7. Rubber gloves
8. Cheap paint brush (2 to 3 inches)
9. An accurate scale (grams or ounces)
These materials are available from Aircraft Spruce, from Fibreglast Corporation, and from other aircraft and racing suppliers.
1. Carbon fiber fabric
2. Fiberglass fabric
3. Foam core, 1/8" thick
4. Epoxy
5. Cotton flocks
6. Mixing cups
7. Stirring sticks
The foam core and fiberglass are used to add stiffness to large panels. This is necessary for large panels like door panels. If you are making smaller panels or panels that will attach directly to a large, firm surface, you don't need the stiffness and therefore won't need the foam core and fiberglass. (The fiberglass is used for the back; if you'd rather use more carbon
fiber for the back, such as on a panel where both sides will be visible, go right ahead.)
Keep in mind the limitations of your carbon fiber parts:
1. It's flammable. Carbon Fiber doesn't make a good firewall.
2. It's conductive. Watch out for wires and electrical devices.
3. It's not heat proof. Watch out for hot engine/exhaust parts and maintain a safe distance.
These are the main steps we'll be taking:
1. Prepare the glass "mold"
2. Prepare the carbon fiber fabric
3. Mix epoxy
4. Combine epoxy and carbon fiber
5. Let dry
6. Prepare foam core and fiberglass backing
7. Mix epoxy
8. Mix some epoxy with flocks
9. Apply epoxy/flocks mix to foam core
10. Add foam core and fiberglass backing
11. Finish and install panel
We will perform each of these steps in turn. Remember these important points:
1. There is never a rush; the epoxy dries very slowly, so remember to take your time.
2. Read the whole procedure before you begin.
3. Re-read each step before you begin it. Follow each step carefully.
4. Keep your work area CLEAN as dust and dirt don't look good within composite parts.
5. Make sure you have plenty of room to work.
1. Prepare the glass "mold"
Place your glass sheet on a table or stands so that it is horizontal and at a comfortable working height. Clean the top thoroughly. Wax the entire surface. Buff out the wax carefully. The finished surface should be very smooth. If it is not, your finished part won't be, either.
2. Prepare the carbon fiber fabric
Lay out a piece of carbon fiber fabric larger than the piece you want by about two inches in each direction. You can make the carbon fiber strands run straight up and down and left and right, or you can orient them on a bias (diagonally). You usually waste more material when you lay the material out on a bias, but for structural parts it can be stronger, and for door
panels it just looks better.
Use blue masking tape to draw the lines you want to cut. Double check your lines then use the scissors to cut down the center of the tape. The masking tape will keep the fabric from coming unraveled as you work with it.
Take the roll of clear plastic and cut out a piece that is at least one foot bigger than the piece of carbon fiber fabric and lay it on the floor or a table. Use the scale to weigh the carbon piece that you have cut out, then place it on this plastic sheet.
3. Mix epoxy
Using a mixing cup and a mixing stick, some disposable gloves, and the scale, mix the same weight of epoxy as the carbon fiber plus slightly more. Follow the directions that came with the epoxy. Be sure to mix very thoroughly (5 minutes).
4. Combine epoxy and carbon fiber
Pour a little epoxy on the carbon fabric and use the squeegee to gently wet the fabric. Continue until the entire piece is saturated. Then carefully turn the piece over and make sure the other side is fully covered with epoxy. Do not leave any dry spots. Remove any excess epoxy.
Pick up the plastic sheet with the carbon fiber and epoxy on top of it, and flip it over and place it on the glass sheet. It is helpful to have 2 people for this if it's a big panel. With the plastic sheet still in place, squeegee gently from the center outwards, removing excess epoxy. Then carefully remove the plastic sheet and gently squeegee again, until excess epoxy has been removed. Don't over-do it or you will stretch or distort the fabric.
5. Let dry
Let the epoxy dry as instructed. It is a slow process, and it is very important to let the piece dry very thoroughly. Too long is way better than too short.
Be careful using fans to speed the drying process because they can tend to stir up dust. It's OK to use heat if it's cold, but make sure it does not get up to more than about 80 degrees F.
6. Prepare foam core and fiberglass backing
While the epoxy is drying, you can make the core. Cut out the foam core panel to fit the part being made. Normally it would be about one or two inches smaller than the size of the finished part all the way around, but this varies with the design and fit of the part being made. Sometimes it's appropriate to make more than one foam piece and lay them out to fit properly on the panel. The foam can be cut with a knife and shaped with files and cutting tools. Bevel the edge sharply all the way around. Cut out a piece of fiberglass cloth approximately the same size as the unfinished carbon panel, the same way you cut out the carbon fiber fabric.
7. Mix epoxy
Mix some more epoxy, this time about 50% more than you did the first time.
8. Mix some epoxy with flocks
Pour about one-third of the epoxy into a separate mixing cup. Add flocks and mix thoroughly until the volume is about tripled.
9. Apply epoxy/flocks mix to foam core
Coat the bottom (larger) side of the foam core with a liberal coat of the epoxy/flocks mix.
10. Add foam core and fiberglass backing
Use the paint brush to add a light coat of epoxy to the back of the unfinished carbon fiber panel. Place the foam panel on the carbon fiber panel, coated side down. Wet out the fiberglass cloth on a piece of plastic like you did the carbon fiber fabric. Wet both sides thoroughly. Coat the top side of the foam core with the epoxy/flocks mix, then flip the fiberglass cloth and plastic sheet over and place it on top of the foam core. Squeegee, remove the plastic, and squeegee again. Let the whole thing dry again.
11.Finish and install panel
When dry, the unfinished panel should lift off of the glass pretty easily. Try carefully using a razor blade around the edges if necessary. Then cut the piece to fit using scissors and drill holes as needed to install the panel. (You can also glue smaller panels in place using black weatherstrip adhesive.) Your new door panels feel as strong as a piece of 3/4-inch plywood yet they're lighter than the stock door panels! And do they look trick!
Carbon fiber (graphite) composite parts are appearing on all kinds of high-performance vehicles because its strength-to-weight ratio is impossible to beat. It also just so happens to look extremely trick. A nicely made carbon fiber part is jet black, shiny, glossy, reflective like a mirror, has the depth of the best lacquer paint job, and looks different from different angles.
Adding some carbon fiber parts to your f-body . You can make some pretty sophisticated parts that would require very expensive tools to make out of metal. Oh, and there's a weight savings, too!
These are some of the things that keep people from making carbon fiber parts:
1. It's mysterious (this article will solve that problem).
2. It's expensive (true, but making a few choice small parts won't cost you that much).
3. It's difficult (not if you start with simple parts and work your way up to more complex ones).
4. It's time-consuming (there is a lot of waiting involved, but the actual work is not that time-consuming).
Start your carbon fiber fabrication by making flat panels. The only "mold" that is required is a sheet of glass. This article describes making door panels, since they are one of the more desirable pieces to make, but the techniques described can be used to make most any flat panel for your f-body .
These are the materials you need to make your panels. The first set is available from numerous sources and should be easy to find
1. Glass sheet, significantly larger than desired panel, flat, clean and scratch-free
2. Plastic roll
3. Mold release (floor wax or car wax is OK)
4. Scissors
5. Blue masking tape
6. Bondo squeegees
7. Rubber gloves
8. Cheap paint brush (2 to 3 inches)
9. An accurate scale (grams or ounces)
These materials are available from Aircraft Spruce, from Fibreglast Corporation, and from other aircraft and racing suppliers.
1. Carbon fiber fabric
2. Fiberglass fabric
3. Foam core, 1/8" thick
4. Epoxy
5. Cotton flocks
6. Mixing cups
7. Stirring sticks
The foam core and fiberglass are used to add stiffness to large panels. This is necessary for large panels like door panels. If you are making smaller panels or panels that will attach directly to a large, firm surface, you don't need the stiffness and therefore won't need the foam core and fiberglass. (The fiberglass is used for the back; if you'd rather use more carbon
fiber for the back, such as on a panel where both sides will be visible, go right ahead.)
Keep in mind the limitations of your carbon fiber parts:
1. It's flammable. Carbon Fiber doesn't make a good firewall.
2. It's conductive. Watch out for wires and electrical devices.
3. It's not heat proof. Watch out for hot engine/exhaust parts and maintain a safe distance.
These are the main steps we'll be taking:
1. Prepare the glass "mold"
2. Prepare the carbon fiber fabric
3. Mix epoxy
4. Combine epoxy and carbon fiber
5. Let dry
6. Prepare foam core and fiberglass backing
7. Mix epoxy
8. Mix some epoxy with flocks
9. Apply epoxy/flocks mix to foam core
10. Add foam core and fiberglass backing
11. Finish and install panel
We will perform each of these steps in turn. Remember these important points:
1. There is never a rush; the epoxy dries very slowly, so remember to take your time.
2. Read the whole procedure before you begin.
3. Re-read each step before you begin it. Follow each step carefully.
4. Keep your work area CLEAN as dust and dirt don't look good within composite parts.
5. Make sure you have plenty of room to work.
1. Prepare the glass "mold"
Place your glass sheet on a table or stands so that it is horizontal and at a comfortable working height. Clean the top thoroughly. Wax the entire surface. Buff out the wax carefully. The finished surface should be very smooth. If it is not, your finished part won't be, either.
2. Prepare the carbon fiber fabric
Lay out a piece of carbon fiber fabric larger than the piece you want by about two inches in each direction. You can make the carbon fiber strands run straight up and down and left and right, or you can orient them on a bias (diagonally). You usually waste more material when you lay the material out on a bias, but for structural parts it can be stronger, and for door
panels it just looks better.
Use blue masking tape to draw the lines you want to cut. Double check your lines then use the scissors to cut down the center of the tape. The masking tape will keep the fabric from coming unraveled as you work with it.
Take the roll of clear plastic and cut out a piece that is at least one foot bigger than the piece of carbon fiber fabric and lay it on the floor or a table. Use the scale to weigh the carbon piece that you have cut out, then place it on this plastic sheet.
3. Mix epoxy
Using a mixing cup and a mixing stick, some disposable gloves, and the scale, mix the same weight of epoxy as the carbon fiber plus slightly more. Follow the directions that came with the epoxy. Be sure to mix very thoroughly (5 minutes).
4. Combine epoxy and carbon fiber
Pour a little epoxy on the carbon fabric and use the squeegee to gently wet the fabric. Continue until the entire piece is saturated. Then carefully turn the piece over and make sure the other side is fully covered with epoxy. Do not leave any dry spots. Remove any excess epoxy.
Pick up the plastic sheet with the carbon fiber and epoxy on top of it, and flip it over and place it on the glass sheet. It is helpful to have 2 people for this if it's a big panel. With the plastic sheet still in place, squeegee gently from the center outwards, removing excess epoxy. Then carefully remove the plastic sheet and gently squeegee again, until excess epoxy has been removed. Don't over-do it or you will stretch or distort the fabric.
5. Let dry
Let the epoxy dry as instructed. It is a slow process, and it is very important to let the piece dry very thoroughly. Too long is way better than too short.
Be careful using fans to speed the drying process because they can tend to stir up dust. It's OK to use heat if it's cold, but make sure it does not get up to more than about 80 degrees F.
6. Prepare foam core and fiberglass backing
While the epoxy is drying, you can make the core. Cut out the foam core panel to fit the part being made. Normally it would be about one or two inches smaller than the size of the finished part all the way around, but this varies with the design and fit of the part being made. Sometimes it's appropriate to make more than one foam piece and lay them out to fit properly on the panel. The foam can be cut with a knife and shaped with files and cutting tools. Bevel the edge sharply all the way around. Cut out a piece of fiberglass cloth approximately the same size as the unfinished carbon panel, the same way you cut out the carbon fiber fabric.
7. Mix epoxy
Mix some more epoxy, this time about 50% more than you did the first time.
8. Mix some epoxy with flocks
Pour about one-third of the epoxy into a separate mixing cup. Add flocks and mix thoroughly until the volume is about tripled.
9. Apply epoxy/flocks mix to foam core
Coat the bottom (larger) side of the foam core with a liberal coat of the epoxy/flocks mix.
10. Add foam core and fiberglass backing
Use the paint brush to add a light coat of epoxy to the back of the unfinished carbon fiber panel. Place the foam panel on the carbon fiber panel, coated side down. Wet out the fiberglass cloth on a piece of plastic like you did the carbon fiber fabric. Wet both sides thoroughly. Coat the top side of the foam core with the epoxy/flocks mix, then flip the fiberglass cloth and plastic sheet over and place it on top of the foam core. Squeegee, remove the plastic, and squeegee again. Let the whole thing dry again.
11.Finish and install panel
When dry, the unfinished panel should lift off of the glass pretty easily. Try carefully using a razor blade around the edges if necessary. Then cut the piece to fit using scissors and drill holes as needed to install the panel. (You can also glue smaller panels in place using black weatherstrip adhesive.) Your new door panels feel as strong as a piece of 3/4-inch plywood yet they're lighter than the stock door panels! And do they look trick!