Carbon Fiber????????????

[FuNwaGoN]

Ok so I guess I am going to have to let the cat out of the bag a little in order to get some help and move forward anymore. I am looking at learning how to do carbon fiber and how to work with it. I have some huge ideas for working with it but haven't had very much luck finding a place that teaches you how to do it. I have emailed several places that manufacture carbon fiber parts but haven't gotten any responses, including DGmotorsports. I am not as buch into the complete custom fabrication of parts from molds or anything but have some huge ideas to discuss with someone in the know on carbon fiber. I am thinking of doing this as a side business, mainly to give me cheaper access to it and make a little extra money on the side. I need some help so any would be greatly appreciated. Hey think about this the more help I get from you guys the sooner I can start making parts for our cars. One thought is for a stereo and guage holder for the dash. that way all of you guys wanting to go sleeper can do so because the guages would be under the radio in custom CF pods. My project list goes on and on and I think I may be on to something with a few of my ideas. Basically am fed up with my office job and am looking seriously for alternatives. Any schools , books, peple, companies, info, instructions, etc.... anything you can find or know on it I would like to know.

 

[FuNwaGoN]

Come on guys somebody on here has got to have some info on this.

 

[JasonH]

Come on guys somebody on here has got to have some info on this.

Check with schools near you. You'll probably need to take some classes in "advanced composite materials" and the like. A technical or community college probably has what you're looking for. Tell me where you live and I can probably look it up for you.

 

[FuNwaGoN]

I am in Charlotte, NC. Checked with a few schools but no luck so far. Checked UNCC and CPCC. thanks for your help. I am serious about getting into this and the first place that would see the benefits or the first place I would offer my services would be these boards.

 

[20ESGUY]

Do a search for fiberglassing in the books section of Amazon.com and fiberglass in the video section...i tried posting the links but they don't work. They've got a few books and vhs copies that look promising. I know it's hard to learn from books and vid's but it's the best i can come up with...besides maybe checking with some local sound shops. The guys there might be able to clue you in to a few tricks.

 

[prost]

Not to discourage you but.... I took a year of composite materials when I was in grad school. To work Carbon Fiber preperly you really need need an autoclave. It is a big oven with a vacuum system. That is to prevent the resin from running off the part. Working CF is very similar to fibergalss in that you have a fabric and a resin. You will probably have to find a pretty big school to fins composite classes. Personally, I think it is way too big an investment to do on your own. I hope you can find a way to do it for less $ though. That is why CF parts are expensive, the machine investment. Look into getting material called - prepreg. It is CF weave that is pre pregnated with resin. You can then mold it over whatever positive molds you want. Put it in a vacuum pack and cure it. You will definately need some good texts on this to do it right.

 

[sundevilMP5]

yeah...manufacturing carbon fiber is a big process and expensive...in order to produce it right it has to be monitored really closely...tiff needell kinda explained it when they were talking about the mclaren f1...but if you have the money go for it...but if you're just looking for a job change i don't know too many options..

 

[FuNwaGoN]

Thank you guys alot for all of the information. I guess I need to tell you guys a little more what I am talking about doing. I am really just talking about wrapping parts with carbon fiber. Like say for instance taking stock interior or exterior parts, say side view mirrors and wrapping them with carbon fiber or taking fiberglass body parts from body kits and wrapping them with just a decorative layer of carbon fiber. I have learned enough from the web that when building a carbon fiber part they use a different carbon weave(lesser quality I guess) and then use a high quality nicer lokking weave for the top layer to make it look good. I have found alot of the resins and the appropriate carbon fiber material that you would use (meaning the correct weave and thickness. i have even found the prepreg stuff. The only thing I am missing is how to actually do it. I have worked with fiberglass before and it is a pain in the A$$. The techniques I don't think are very similiar though. I mean the resins and the layers and such but for what I am talking about doing I don't think the fiberglass techniques would be of much help. Like I said in my other posts I have some pretty big ideas as far as things that I could wrap and I know that it can be done but I just don't know how to do it or where to go to learn or what specialized tools I would need like an autoclave or something for what I want to since there won't be any molds or build up, just one thin layer. I am not going to give up on this because IU really think that there are limitless possibilities with it. As you mentioned stereo shops have been doing alot more custom fiberglass boxes wrapped in carbon fiber and I checked at one of them. they gave me a guys # and just told me that they out source it but other than that were no help. I am waiting for a call back as I found a place not to far from me that specializes in Carbon Fiber Manufacturing (mainly aerospace and professional racing) anyway I inquired about an internship or something. Shoot I told them that I would work for free if somebody there would teach me how to do it and if they let me use some of the tools. I will keep you guys updated. Any other info would be great too.

 

[njaremka]

if you just want the look, try this stuff:

http://209.87.151.155/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=SKC-24007

 

[FuNwaGoN]

I was afraid somebody might get that impression from these posts. I am sooooooooAGAINST the vinyl carbon fiber "LOOK" stuff it is not even funny. I can't even tell you how much the small carbon"LOOK" pieces in the P5 get on my nerves. I want to use real carbon fiber to do this not vinyl. thanks for the help but I specifically am doing this because I hate all carbon "look" pieces. Kinda like the altezza's, if it isn' the real thing then why bother. I know I said look because there are some parts that would just be too ridiculous to build from scratch out of carbon fiber. meaning weight savings isn't an issue with the piece and the strength of the part doesn't matter. An example would be door handles or wiper arms or side view mirrors ,...etc...

I know that folia tec offers a do it yourself REAL CARBON FIBER kit that comes with a 2 part resin and hardner but it is like $100 for the kit and it is barely big enough to cover anything.