mjrstar Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Not sure if I should get some epoxy or try to rangi up a vacuum system or just carry on as I am.. Did some reading about prepreg but seems like the cost skyrockets / is not really novice spec. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Have you found prepreg to buy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted December 9, 2018 Author Share Posted December 9, 2018 Keep doing what you're doing, looks great! I mean, your first thing you've done and it looks marvelous. Can only get better from here as you go! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjrstar Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Headlight blanks in and made a lid for my air box. The air box was 3 layers of carbon laid onto a thin sheet of aluminium with 2 quick coats of wax. It was a little over rolled / short on resin. I wonder if a little more cure time in the pot would have stopped the resin extruding. Â 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjrstar Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Airbox lid.. in the post below for some reason. Does anyone have a good adhesive to gluing stuff to the carbon.. like mounting tabs etc.. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjrstar Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Oops retarded double / triple post. Sorry 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datlow Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 1 hour ago, mjrstar said:  Does anyone have a good adhesive to gluing stuff to the carbon.. like mounting tabs etc..  We used a loctite instant adhesive at work for plastic vortex’s to fibreglass, can’t remember which one tho sorry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 9 hours ago, mjrstar said: Airbox lid.. in the post below for some reason. Does anyone have a good adhesive to gluing stuff to the carbon.. like mounting tabs etc.. Â The same epoxy you made the panel from would be a good start, make sure you key up the panel in the area you're trying to bond and even more sure that all the release wax has been cleaned off 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 Starting on a new mould for some 4AGE ITB trumpets but learning from some previous mistakes. Problems from the past are that I've had too little draft angle on some parts that are quite long. Also that some of the excess untrimmed parts end up folding over something and locking the part in place. Also trying to use only 2 pieces when theres no reason not to use more if it makes life easier. Annndddd I think it will be a good idea to add some tabs so I can twist the halves relative to each other to try get the part free. Previously I've damaged the moulds by needing to smash a screwdriver in (or whatever) to get the halves apart. Hopefully this will help! I'm hoping I can make at least four, or even eight from the one set of moulds. I'll also try drill some little holes in the moulds, fill them with wax and then so afterwards I can use some compressed air to blow the halves apart hopefully if they are stuck. The center part of the bell shape still needs to be dissolved out, but cant think how else to get that sweet sweet return angle on it. Worth it... Fingers crossed!  Fingers crossed! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 So that was a win and a fail. It was a win because getting the moulds polished up from 360 grit up to 2000 made for a nice result and the moulds popped apart super easy and definitely reusable without any damage inflicted to separate them. It was a lose though because my design didnt work too well. Trying to fold the carbon fiber up around the radius of the bell didnt really work, this is where the sheet needs to kinda do some pleats to make the turn. So its hard to hold it all in place while trying to push the top down, which due to tight tolerances would then just want to squish it all back out the sides anyway. So I think I need something else which pushes in from the sides instead of just down from the top. So maybe split into 120 degree segments or something. Aaaaahhhhhhhh frustrating but learned something from it. Also with some further consideration I need to remake them a smaller size anyway. This is why I'm glad 3D printing exists, it would suck a whole lot more to make these moulds any other way then have to restart a bunch of times! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 you need to accept that 3d printing isn't part of the solution- use an air bladder or a vac bag rather than a 2 part mold. Literally done over and over for parts like these.  Do you need someone to share the youtube videos again  edit: Sounded real shit. Love your work xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 Printed moulds are legit! User error/inexperience not bad tools. One of my previous ones (rear one) formed the bell shape just fine. I tried something different and it didnt work. So now I know what else to try instead. Even as per below it's just being bit of a fuss pot to get that full return on it.  4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datlow Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 couple of jobs going at rocketlabs for composites techs etc based in auckland https://www.rocketlabusa.com/careers/positions/ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mjrstar Posted June 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted June 30, 2019 Fuel tank access panel. Not perfect but will do the job. Think of the grams saved! 12 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhyscar Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 On 30/06/2019 at 14:54, mjrstar said: Fuel tank access panel. Not perfect but will do the job. Think of the grams saved! Looks like the civic needs it’s own project thread in other projects? Loving the carbon work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjrstar Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Interestingly the original panel was a whopping 200 grams and the cf panel is 65g so percentage wise there is some benefit.. No-one wants to see my pos Honda, its not really a project, more of just use it for events and make stuff for it when I am bored. Back to cf... Where do I buy a decent (cheap) vacuum pump? I'd like to do a dash next and then maybe front guards. Has anyone tried a sandbag or similar to back up a single sided mould to prevent lift away? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 I've heard sandbagging works well but havent tried it. Re: Vac pump I just recently bought this and this:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32596684494.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dxRsPKohttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/32580819002.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dxRsPKo So far so good, pulls vacuum right down to zero on the gauge when you've got a good bag seal. If I leave the pot shut off it'll hold a vacuum overnight at same place on the gauge. I bought the pot as well, because I use it as a catch can for any epoxy that might zing up the pipe to stop it from stuffing the pump. Just have a second pipe on it instead of that filter. But also good for degassing epoxy or rubber or whatever else for other projects. And having the large volume means if you've got a tiny leak you dont lose overall pressure as quickly. The only catch was that it doesnt come with vacuum pump oil, and you need special oil that doesnt evaporate when the pressure gets really low. I think it's flammable or something like that so they cant ship it internationally. Can get it from Repco though so no dramas. I've still got a love/hate with vac bagging though. Can be very fiddly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Have seen a few cheapo setups using compressors from dehumidifiers and fridges. I guess it also involves punching captain planet in the dick when you release the refrigerant 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 My pump is from an ac unit. Works perfectly well, boils cold water easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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