A little lesson it magic.....

[bigtinasoup]

Hello folks I have recently been on a composite repair course with work and whilst on it i got the chance to try and make my own stuff in the spare time so i fancied to make a carbon fiber plenum chamber for my supra truck.

Now first off i stuck together sugar board and left it to set over night, once set an stuck together good and propper I had to saw file an sand the stuff into shape. Once the desired shape was reached I wrapped her in non pourus tape. the photo of the half wrapped an fully wrapped chamber.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/52...0/823/pl9b.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/29...0/824/64xp.jpg

After that came the layering up and mixing of the resin, i have no pics of this as it is quite a time reliant processes that needs to be done soon as really. I can tell you how its done mind. We measure out the desired size on a piece of material called melanex. you draw the outline of the shape on the melanex. fold the melanex in half and slide a rough sized piece of fabric in an ensure it will fit correctly. once happy you have the correct size you need to weigh the fabric and mix up the correct amount of resin. Now poor the resin on to the melanex evenly but without the fabric on it. Now fold the other half of the melanex over an evenly spread the resin around on the carbon so it is all saturated. The shape you drew on the melanex is now cut out, cutting the carbon out undernieth. It is like making a ham sandwich and drawing a star on the bread an cutting out the star so you dont damage the ham but get the desired un damaged shape. In the mixing stage safety is paramount an it can easily go wrong an saftey is a must! there is a risk of it going endothermic.

Safety first!!
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/29...0/585/qnen.jpg

Now we have made our lay up and also made a vac bag we fit the various layers of carbon onto the mold and suck it down to apply an even preasure all over the mold whilst it sets. The vac bag is made up in layers, on a flat serfice you fit your mold an over that goes a pourus cloth, non porus cloth and a breather cloth and then a vac bag over the top. We also applied some heat but as we couldn't get it even all over we let it ambient set over night with the vac bag on.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/52...0/811/bvzm.jpg

Once it had set it poped out of the mold looking like this, we cut the exes of using a sinterd bronze cutting disk an used a dagger drill to drill the mounting holes.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/52...90/28/cuiz.jpg

I also stuck sand paper down to a flat surface and sanded the edges flat an even. Again, a mask is a must as carbon dust is very very bad for you!! So if you ever see a posh car burning DO NOT GO NEAR IT! if you inhail the smoke and it has carbon fiber fibers in it they will berry them selves in the lining of your lungs an because your body is made or carbon it will not be rejected and can get very very out of hand!! It is aswome stuff but do be carefull folks!

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/298x397q90/7/z92t.jpg

This is how she came out.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/52...0/703/4v6m.jpg

Once cleaned off an quick coat of gloss for a little bit of scratch resistance and a slightly nicer finish.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/52...0/802/ogln.jpg

Hope you found it as interesting as i did! Any questions or even if you want something making let me know. cheers folks.

[shokenore]

Good job that man

I used to work at a local(ish) F1 co. and seeing the cars turning from 3D drawings on computers to being cut from cloth and coming out of the autoclaves to going to the trim shop was very fascinating.


If the offer stands I would like a bonnet and some wings.
Ta

[bigtinasoup]

Good job that man

I used to work at a local(ish) F1 co. and seeing the cars turning from 3D drawings on computers to being cut from cloth and coming out of the autoclaves to going to the trim shop was very fascinating.


If the offer stands I would like a bonnet and some wings.
Ta

We had some f1 stuff on the course an it is crazy inticate!! I could do a bonnet an wings i think. It would need a few hundred pounds in fabric mind hehe. Be i nice little job that atually. We never used an autoclave but did all the theory on them. I know its no comparrison to working with them an is a real basic understanding but they are impressive bits of gear.