Carbon Fiber

NC · 24th September 2005, 09:09

I got hold of some materials to make carbon fiber stuff, I was wondering do you have to pressure test a full exhust system that you have made yourself?

Ooooh carbon fiber

**Mattyc** · 25th September 2005, 06:48

id say so, unless you dont mind it leaking

whats your construction method? vaccum bag? or you just going to slap a crapload of resin on it ? the latter being a waste of time because of the excess resin the item becomes often heavier than its steel counterpart

A friend used to make carbon fibre expansion chambers for his kart, using a sausage balloon, and carboning over it, then popping the balloon, they turned out ok, but were still quite heavy, the second lot he did he vaccum bagged them and they were a crapload lighter, and looked a lot tidyer too

**James Deuce** · 25th September 2005, 07:04

"Fiber"???

Gahhhhhh!!!

**DEATH_INC.** · 25th September 2005, 07:35

Originally Posted by Mattyc

id say so, unless you dont mind it leaking

whats your construction method? vaccum bag? or you just going to slap a crapload of resin on it ? the latter being a waste of time because of the excess resin the item becomes often heavier than its steel counterpart

A friend used to make carbon fibre expansion chambers for his kart, using a sausage balloon, and carboning over it, then popping the balloon, they turned out ok, but were still quite heavy, the second lot he did he vaccum bagged them and they were a crapload lighter, and looked a lot tidyer too

Vaccum bag?Can you explain this method in a little more detail please.

**NordieBoy** · 25th September 2005, 09:47

Originally Posted by DEATH_INC.

Vaccum bag?Can you explain this method in a little more detail please.

Well, you know that bag in your vaccum cleaner?

**Coyote** · 25th September 2005, 10:22

Where did you get the carbon fibre stuff NC?

And I'm confused about vacumn bagging too

**zeRax** · 25th September 2005, 10:38

yup, another stumped about this vacume bagging

**Pixie** · 25th September 2005, 10:44

Vacuum bagging is a process where the layed up matrix (glass,carbon,etc + resin) is covered with a plastic bag,sealed and connected to a vacuum pump.Atmospheric pressure then presses the lay up against the mold,forcing out air bubbles while it cures.

**ODL** · 25th September 2005, 10:53

You can get carbon fibre mat from most fibre glass retailers, essentially it's just the same process as fibre glassing, just a little more expensive. Reason being is the cost of the carbon, a metre of carbon will retail around the $70 mark (depending on closeness of weave) while fibre glass will retail around the $6 mark for the same amount.

So costwise, it maybe useful to practice on the fibre glass and then move onto the carbon.