Carbon Fibre

[SuperDave]

My can on the FXR has a shiny silver metal shield covering the visible side of the can. The only problem is that this half cylindrical plate that bolts onto the can is scatched up to shit and also kinda squished after recent events.

So, I was curious If I could make my own cover the same shape and size and curve as the stock metal one but out of carbon fibre instead? Could those in the know tell me if this is possible? Where and how do I go about doing this?

Friend mentioned that you can buy sheets of flat carbon fibre, wrap it around a mould of some sort then heat set it and it should stay in the same shape as the mould. Is this how the stuff works?

Good idea? Bad idea? Even possible? Price? Where? etc

[Coyote]

Ask TwoSeven. He was experimenting with CF not too long ago. Not sure how well it went though

[placidfemme]

My can on the FXR has a shiny silver metal shield covering the visible side of the can. The only problem is that this half cylindrical plate that bolts onto the can is scatched up to shit and also kinda squished after recent events.

So, I was curious If I could make my own cover the same shape and size and curve as the stock metal one but out of carbon fibre instead? Could those in the know tell me if this is possible? Where and how do I go about doing this?

Friend mentioned that you can buy sheets of flat carbon fibre, wrap it around a mould of some sort then heat set it and it should stay in the same shape as the mould. Is this how the stuff works?

Good idea? Bad idea? Even possible? Price? Where? etc

If you can do this... let me know... and I might pay ya to make one for Sam's FXR too (if you don't mind of-course :))

[bugjuice]

CF can be quite expensive, even for a little bit to go on the can.. call around a few boat repair places, see if they have any small off-cuts they can sell/give you. Then you need some resin. I don't have much of expertise in this, but I have a vague idea on it. Can be tricky to the novice such as yourself and moi. What about just getting another piece of stainless steel from an off-cut and gently bend that and polish it up? Could be easier and cheaper.. or do something a little different, like metal 'mesh' stuff or something else..

[texmo]

Its easy as just like fiberglassing Im pretty sure you can buy a kit I just put fiberglass over the holes where my indacators are on my pk50, it will cost quite a bit though even for something like that and by the time you make it and all, it can just bee cheeper to buy something off the shelf.

[Eurodave]

I do quite a bit of carbon & glassfibre work
What youll need is some carbon 'sock' ie carbon formed into hollow tubing , available as an off cut from a flat roll.
Then youll need either epoxy resin or heat resistant vynil ester resin
Simply pull the carbon over the metal can [like putting on a condom]& paint the resin onto it
Note: this method will give you a textured finish on the outside of your can, if you want a shiny finish either fill the carbon weave with several coats of resin & then spend a while sanding it flat or make a mold using a suitable metal or plastic tube split down the middle & lay into the inside of that
Hope this helps,its a messy,sticky & often smelly job that needs a certain knack to get right

[Motu]

Black satin,black gloss,matt black....I'm lost for choices....ok,ok - I'll take the can of black satin.

[SuperDave]

Black satin,black gloss,matt black....I'm lost for choices....ok,ok - I'll take the can of black satin.

Screw spraypainting it, that will look even worse. Might give the whole carbon fibre thing a ago in the term holidays sometime as it looks to be quite a bit more work than I previously thought.

[mattt]

Screw spraypainting it, that will look even worse. Might give the whole carbon fibre thing a ago in the term holidays sometime as it looks to be quite a bit more work than I previously thought.

How bout a :psst: new can / or bike?

[SuperDave]

How bout a :psst: new can / or bike?

New bike would be nice but will only be an option around the end of Jan next year. Was kinda thinking about this as an interesting project really as it's something I've never done before.

[Pixie]

Wairua Paint supplies have the resins you want,I'm not sure if they do cloth.
Nuplex in Patiki Rd avondale have carbon cloth.
I don't know if the stuff they use for cans isn't a special high temperature resin

[steved]

I'm about to have a go with one of those boat building fibreglass kits. I think I may be pushing the limits of what fibreglass can do though in putting it in a 'slightly' weight bearing part of the front fairing.

I'll let you know how the experiment goes.

[SimJen]

try this :)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7910680502&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

[mattt]

New bike would be nice but will only be an option around the end of Jan next year. Was kinda thinking about this as an interesting project really as it's something I've never done before.

Yeh $$ and lack thereof is a bitch :no: Good luck with the carbon thing - it may turn out easier to do than you think. I used to watch a mate make carbon fibre race wheels for cycles a few years back. Just chuck the carbon on the pipe - paint over it with the epoxy resin, then leave it to set, sand and voila.... :woohoo: hopefully....
edit. oh yeh and you'll need a bit of pressure on the carbon while it's "going off"

[loosebruce]

Personally i'd just cut the whole can off, loud singles :Punk:

If you can do something on the cheap, do it, but if it's gonna cost a bit more than cheap and you drop it again you've just wasted $$$$, if it's not a problem i'd leave it as is until i was going to sell it, then spend a bit on it.

[Sniper]

Please tell me if you are able just to heat up your CF whith whatever means possible. I would suggest you research this a bit more

[SimJen]

oh yeh and you'll need a bit of pressure on the carbon while it's "going off"

You don't need pressure to cure carbon fibre. Only Prepregnated carbon used in F1 and Aerospace etc needs to be cured under pressure/heat in an Autoclave. You can make nice carbon stuff (ie not structural) with standard fibreglass resin and carbon cloth. No pressure needed.