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how can i make my own carbon fiber?
- Thread starter bartblade
- Start date
There are a lot of sites to check out on the net about it. Do a search and you should come up with lots to read. A good place to start is http://www.fibreglast.com/ which has a section for new people.
Supplies are as complicated or as simple as you want to go. You can get by with some carbon fiber fabric, some epoxy resin, or other resin depending on what you need, and some plastic squeegies.
the net is probably the best place to buy stuff(fibreglast.com and uscomposites.com are pretty good), otherwise you could check out boating places or hobby stores, they have some stuff, probably not fabric though.
you can find step by step articles at fibreglast I am pretty sure, you can try the library for a composites book, they will help alot.
the only safey precautions while making are, wear gloves, don't get resin on your skin, wear a respirator with an organic cartridge, keep good ventilation, especially if you use polyester resin, it stinks bad.
good luck, it's pretty fun stuff, i always feel rushed to get done before the epoxy kicks, but you have more time than you think
let me know if you have any other specific questions
Supplies are as complicated or as simple as you want to go. You can get by with some carbon fiber fabric, some epoxy resin, or other resin depending on what you need, and some plastic squeegies.
the net is probably the best place to buy stuff(fibreglast.com and uscomposites.com are pretty good), otherwise you could check out boating places or hobby stores, they have some stuff, probably not fabric though.
you can find step by step articles at fibreglast I am pretty sure, you can try the library for a composites book, they will help alot.
the only safey precautions while making are, wear gloves, don't get resin on your skin, wear a respirator with an organic cartridge, keep good ventilation, especially if you use polyester resin, it stinks bad.
good luck, it's pretty fun stuff, i always feel rushed to get done before the epoxy kicks, but you have more time than you think
let me know if you have any other specific questions
I work with both fiberglass and carbon fiber fabric all day.
To get a "knife scale grade" chunk of carbon fiber at a DIY basis, you'd need to add pressure (or vacuum as suggested) during hardening.
If not, you'll see that most of the chunk is polyester (or other resin).
We work the resin into the fabric by rolling with a metal roll.
Gets rid of the bubbles at the same time, but is not good for scale material.
Fabric - resin - fabric - resin etc etc.
Work the resin in, and add pressure.
I think the results may vary quite a bit, so in the end it can be cheaper and better to buy the blocks...
While working on the fabric and resin, it is often sufficient to have good airing (depends on what resin you use, of course).
Polyester will make gas when it reacts to the hardener, and ideally you should use a gas mask.
If not you'll start forgetting things (like me).
Vacuumer on the grinder + gas mask (at least a dust mask) is a must when working with the block of CF.
G
To get a "knife scale grade" chunk of carbon fiber at a DIY basis, you'd need to add pressure (or vacuum as suggested) during hardening.
If not, you'll see that most of the chunk is polyester (or other resin).
We work the resin into the fabric by rolling with a metal roll.
Gets rid of the bubbles at the same time, but is not good for scale material.
Fabric - resin - fabric - resin etc etc.
Work the resin in, and add pressure.
I think the results may vary quite a bit, so in the end it can be cheaper and better to buy the blocks...
While working on the fabric and resin, it is often sufficient to have good airing (depends on what resin you use, of course).
Polyester will make gas when it reacts to the hardener, and ideally you should use a gas mask.
If not you'll start forgetting things (like me).
Vacuumer on the grinder + gas mask (at least a dust mask) is a must when working with the block of CF.
G
i am not sure why everybody on this forum is so caught up with working from billets, a lot of time you'd be better off to approach it from a different angle and make a form of what you want so that trimming, sanding, ect., was kept to a minimum.
not picking a fight or anything but i think starting with a cf billet and shaping a bolster or scales or whatever is less than ideal. also, if you are using a nice looking weave or twill, i think it would look nicer if the visible layer of cf was from 1 sheet not parts of multiple sheets, as in having been ground into multiple layers, but that's my opinion,
I don't have a great composite shop or anything but i am planning on making some cf scales when it gets a little warmer outside, and my approach is to work the material as close to finished as possible before it's laid up and cured, it's also a healthier approach, working with the fabric and resin and molds scares me a lot less than hours of sawing, grinding and sanding cured cf with cf dust flying around,
anyway, good luck, it's not rocket sience to deal with and small air bubbles compromise strength, but it's not like your making a car frame out of it.
either way, you'll learn alot if you read up on it
not picking a fight or anything but i think starting with a cf billet and shaping a bolster or scales or whatever is less than ideal. also, if you are using a nice looking weave or twill, i think it would look nicer if the visible layer of cf was from 1 sheet not parts of multiple sheets, as in having been ground into multiple layers, but that's my opinion,
I don't have a great composite shop or anything but i am planning on making some cf scales when it gets a little warmer outside, and my approach is to work the material as close to finished as possible before it's laid up and cured, it's also a healthier approach, working with the fabric and resin and molds scares me a lot less than hours of sawing, grinding and sanding cured cf with cf dust flying around,
anyway, good luck, it's not rocket sience to deal with and small air bubbles compromise strength, but it's not like your making a car frame out of it.
either way, you'll learn alot if you read up on it
Cooks 7, you're not picking a fight.
You're expressing opinions, and that's great.
I for one would work from a billet because it's stable.
My experience with carbon fiber and fiberglass is that it's alive until cured.
It expands, shrinks and moves.
Line everything up perfectly, but sometimes the end result just ain't what you pictured.
If it displays multiple layers or only one is of no concern to me.
It would be hard to display only one layer too. For me at least.
But if you try this approach, please report your findings.
I've spent the last ten minutes analyzing your approach, and found that I can't do it like that.
That does absolutely not mean someone else (you) can't.
G
You're expressing opinions, and that's great.
I for one would work from a billet because it's stable.
My experience with carbon fiber and fiberglass is that it's alive until cured.
It expands, shrinks and moves.
Line everything up perfectly, but sometimes the end result just ain't what you pictured.
If it displays multiple layers or only one is of no concern to me.
It would be hard to display only one layer too. For me at least.
But if you try this approach, please report your findings.
I've spent the last ten minutes analyzing your approach, and found that I can't do it like that.
That does absolutely not mean someone else (you) can't.
G
I'm sorry if it seemed like I discarded the whole idea.Dan Gray said:
why can't you place the stuff in a graphite mold, press it and let it set up?
That was not what I meant.
English is not even my second language, and I may sometimes come off as a bit impolite or harsh.
I have to concentrate to get the spelling and grammar half-right,
but the general tone during a full post is something I do not fully master.
Lack of smilies, maybe? I don't know.
One more try:
My opinions above only applied to me and my ten thumbs
I'm positively sure it can be done with good results, but not by me.
Take care,
G
- Joined
- Feb 15, 1999
- Messages
- 11,566
We make the Regatta racing shells out of CF. They get the rolls all impregnated with the resin and they keep it in a freeze. They cut and place the sheets into a mold then pull a vacuum and insert it in a oven. The General Manager was just tell me today when we were delivering boats, that he was making motorcycle helmets out of the scraps and he still has the molds and it wouldn't be a problem making any size slabs that I want from the scraps. You could ever just wrap the material around the handle and it will cure and harden right on the knife. 
You could ever just wrap the material around the handle and it will cure and harden right on the knife. - Joined
- Mar 27, 2005
- Messages
- 101
hey gugsi, your doing great with english.i was born in oklahoma and still have trouble with it.