Carbon Fiber Question

ferrari1 · Post by **ferrari1** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:48 am

Question.. Has anyone heard of, or even made themselves, a box out of carbon fiber, as far as i understand it is applied much as fiberglass is,( correct me if im wrong). I just thought it would look cool as wel as be very durrable, because isnt carbon fiber stronger per layer, than fiberglass?
Thanks

William from NOLA · Post by **William from NOLA** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:15 pm

Stronger, definately. Price wise, this would be VERY expensive. I've heard ideas of this, but never personally seen anything done.

ridr4lif · Post by **ridr4lif** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:08 pm

I think carbon fiber needs to be put in a a vacuum and heated so that it can cure as well. I dont kno if this is just for car applications or for everything. But yes as william stated...very expensive but it looks soo cool!
TEDD

Ryan from Ohio · Post by **Ryan from Ohio** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:50 pm

Just like fiberglass, but a different cloth.

Anyhow it will be hard to make it look good.

ferrari1 · Post by **ferrari1** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:30 pm

I think i might try going with the normal fiberglass aproach, like with the base layers, just fiberglass cloth, and then try putting a few layers of the carbon fiber mat down and see if the look turns out right. Then would you sand and clear coat or gel coat the smoothed carbon fiber? i mean cuz your not gonna wanna paint over the fiber because the carbon weave pattern is the desired look.

Ryan from Ohio · Post by **Ryan from Ohio** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:59 pm

If you dont have a way to spray the resin on it wont look good.

You CANT sand to make it look nice, it will take the clear look away quick!

71buickfreak · Post by **71buickfreak** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:20 pm

the resin can still be bruched on, it is self-leveling, as long as you don't let it set up too long first. But yes, you can't sand it if you are looking for the cool 3-d look of CF.
Also, it is VERY difficult to get it too look right on anything but flat surfaces, as the resin will pool to the lower areas.

71buickfreak · Post by **71buickfreak** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:33 pm

well, its not that you CAN'T sand it, you can polish it back out, its just alot of work and it you get into the fiber, your screwed and have to start over again.
Its a process of stages. First you lay it up like fiberglass with a laminating resin, then you use a clear finish resin (which is really what most of us use as a laminating resin, which contains waxes) to get the gleam and 3-d look.

ferrari1 · Post by **ferrari1** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 11:35 am

Do you use a laminating resin as a finishing layer with a fiberglass only box as well? also i was wondering, you had mentioned spraying the resin on. Is there a specific type of resin you use through a spray gun, or is it a type of gun, or do you just thin it enough to run through a typical HVLP pain gun?
thanks

71buickfreak · Post by **71buickfreak** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 2:11 pm

you can use whatever resin as a finish layer. Laminating resin is different from a finish resin in that it does not contain the waxes that rise to the surface when it cures as finish resin does. As far as spraying it, you can use a schutz gun to spray resin, the same type of gun used to spray undercoating and sound deadener and bed liners. they can be purchased for around 20-30 buck. Be careful as once the resin starts to gel, you will need to immediately stop and clean it with acetone. you can't effectively spray it with a regular gun, the orrifice is too small to get any decent volume of resin out, it just clogs up. they make specific resin guns that spray smooth, but they can cost $$. It might be possible to use a regular gun with an enlarged orrifice, but then you really won't be able to use it for anything else.