Composite sheet

Composite sheet

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Discussion

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
People, I am after some Carbon fibre sheet 1950mm long 300mm wide x3mm to 4mm thick.
It need not be any stronger than good fibreglass, but the stiffness of the vacuumed stuff would be good.
I have tried a few places to no avail.
Anyone on here know where I can obtain some?

CaptainJp

670 posts

217 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
http://www.fluke-motorsport.co.uk/carbonfibre-shee...

When I owned the company we used to get our pre-preg flat sheet layed up on polished stainless steel at a place in Surrey.
But I think they now they now use MOG, as the owner lives in Barbados.

http://westermann-motorsport.com/index.php?page=ca...

I think they have a UK distributor too and will do fibreglass backed Carbon if you a are just after the look.

Jp

Adrian W

13,848 posts

227 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
Tony, don't Reverie do this sort of stuff from stock, or do you need a mortgage if you buy from them?

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
Adrian W said:
Tony, don't Reverie do this sort of stuff from stock, or do you need a mortgage if you buy from them?
Adrian, the problem "appears" to be the size, small sheets, say 500 x 500mm x 3mm are easy to obtain but a 2.0mtr sheet at more than 1mm thick so far is eluding me, and yes Reverie aren't the cheapest, then again I am not too bothered so long as the end result is what I am looking for.
This is for side splitters, I have alloy sheet covered in DI-NOC and it (unlike my front splitter) is a pain in the arse to replace the wrap because of the way the splitters are attached to the car.
I will contact the companies mentioned above (thanks for the tips chaps) and get some advice.

tonyvan

907 posts

207 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
Try carbon mods/ easy compositrs

hedgefinder

3,418 posts

169 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
F.C. said:
Adrian, the problem "appears" to be the size, small sheets, say 500 x 500mm x 3mm are easy to obtain but a 2.0mtr sheet at more than 1mm thick so far is eluding me, and yes Reverie aren't the cheapest, then again I am not too bothered so long as the end result is what I am looking for.
This is for side splitters, I have alloy sheet covered in DI-NOC and it (unlike my front splitter) is a pain in the arse to replace the wrap because of the way the splitters are attached to the car.
I will contact the companies mentioned above (thanks for the tips chaps) and get some advice.
personally I would just look to get them re wrapped even if it is a bit of a pita.. if you replace with carbon it would only take minor damage to make them look like st which is very easy to do with front or side splitters... wrap is cheap and easy to replace and generally used in this instance for this exact reason.

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
hedgefinder said:
personally I would just look to get them re wrapped even if it is a bit of a pita.. if you replace with carbon it would only take minor damage to make them look like st which is very easy to do with front or side splitters... wrap is cheap and easy to replace and generally used in this instance for this exact reason.
I know but it's taken 3 years plus for the side splitters to look a little tired, (unlike the front which is ply and has come unwrapped in one season!!) if I get double that from a composite I'll be happy.

andygtt

8,344 posts

263 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
F.C. said:
People, I am after some Carbon fibre sheet 1950mm long 300mm wide x3mm to 4mm thick.
It need not be any stronger than good fibreglass, but the stiffness of the vacuumed stuff would be good.
I have tried a few places to no avail.
Anyone on here know where I can obtain some?
Ive made a number of sheets this size and thickness... I buy my materials from easy composites and use an old wardrobe mirror as a mould. raw materials won't be cheap for that size and thus it will be expensive compared to alloy lol

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
andygtt said:
Ive made a number of sheets this size and thickness... I buy my materials from easy composites and use an old wardrobe mirror as a mould. raw materials won't be cheap for that size and thus it will be expensive compared to alloy lol
Damn! I thought my days of having to do it all myself were behind me, looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and make them myself unless I use a "cored" sheet.
Anyone on here had any experience with the foam cored stuff?

andygtt

8,344 posts

263 months

Friday 11th April 2014
quotequote all
F.C. said:
andygtt said:
Ive made a number of sheets this size and thickness... I buy my materials from easy composites and use an old wardrobe mirror as a mould. raw materials won't be cheap for that size and thus it will be expensive compared to alloy lol
Damn! I thought my days of having to do it all myself were behind me, looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and make them myself unless I use a "cored" sheet.
Anyone on here had any experience with the foam cored stuff?
I make my own cored sheet, very strong and light

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
andygtt said:
I make my own cored sheet, very strong and light
What do use for the core, foam, Nomex other?

andygtt

8,344 posts

263 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
I actually use different core depending upon my application, for a flat sheet and slight cured surfaces such as the cars roof I use a foam core, for curved surfaces and bends I use soric.

The right layup can be in extremely strong and light.... For example I'm making myself a new splitter and using a 10mm foam core this time when I used 2mm soric on my current version, you should be able to stand on it without it distorting.

I am going to be making a sheet similar to what you want soon and have spare mirrors if you wanted to come round and do a practical workshop... I did similar for greem3r (andy) and he made his Own front splitter from my mould.

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Monday 14th April 2014
quotequote all
andygtt said:
I actually use different core depending upon my application, for a flat sheet and slight cured surfaces such as the cars roof I use a foam core, for curved surfaces and bends I use soric.

The right layup can be in extremely strong and light.... For example I'm making myself a new splitter and using a 10mm foam core this time when I used 2mm soric on my current version, you should be able to stand on it without it distorting.

I am going to be making a sheet similar to what you want soon and have spare mirrors if you wanted to come round and do a practical workshop... I did similar for greem3r (andy) and he made his Own front splitter from my mould.
Andy using your old wardrobe mirrors, did you vacuum infuse the flat sheet?
Starting to get motivated on this now!

andygtt

8,344 posts

263 months

Monday 14th April 2014
quotequote all
F.C. said:
People, I am after some Carbon fibre sheet 1950mm long 300mm wide x3mm to 4mm thick.
It need not be any stronger than good fibreglass, but the stiffness of the vacuumed stuff would be good.
I have tried a few places to no avail.
Anyone on here know where I can obtain some?
Ive made a number of sheets this size and thickness... I buy my materials from easy composites and use an old wardrobe mirror as a mould. raw materials won't be cheap for that size and thus it will be expensive compared to alloy lol

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Monday 14th April 2014
quotequote all
andygtt said:
Ive made a number of sheets this size and thickness... I buy my materials from easy composites and use an old wardrobe mirror as a mould. raw materials won't be cheap for that size and thus it will be expensive compared to alloy lol
?? confused ??

Green3R

400 posts

247 months

Monday 14th April 2014
quotequote all
If Andy is volunteering his time to anyone I'd say grab the offer.
Whilst you can learn this stuff yourself there's no substitute for a hands on tutor.

Splitter we made is still going strong even with it regularly grinding over a raised stopcock on my drive.
Mine's an aramid/carbon composite.

On the subject of splitter stength, I'd rather it get destroyed by a strike than passing that through and damaging the front clip!

andygtt

8,344 posts

263 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
F.C. said:
Andy using your old wardrobe mirrors, did you vacuum infuse the flat sheet?
Starting to get motivated on this now!
no idea why I have a double post above, prob my I phone.

I do vacuum infuse onto the full length mirror, I polished 2 mirrors last night ready to lay cloth and core materials tonight and infuse.... for flat sheet you can't beat a good mirror as a mould.

I vary the lay up and type of carbon used along as well as the core depending upon the application.

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
andygtt said:
no idea why I have a double post above, prob my I phone.

I do vacuum infuse onto the full length mirror, I polished 2 mirrors last night ready to lay cloth and core materials tonight and infuse.... for flat sheet you can't beat a good mirror as a mould.

I vary the lay up and type of carbon used along as well as the core depending upon the application.
I'm guessing this provides a sheet with a highly polished look one side and a little matt on the other?

andygtt

8,344 posts

263 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
F.C. said:
andygtt said:
no idea why I have a double post above, prob my I phone.

I do vacuum infuse onto the full length mirror, I polished 2 mirrors last night ready to lay cloth and core materials tonight and infuse.... for flat sheet you can't beat a good mirror as a mould.

I vary the lay up and type of carbon used along as well as the core depending upon the application.
I'm guessing this provides a sheet with a highly polished look one side and a little matt on the other?
exactly right, same as the bodywork... its possible to make it with both sides gloss but I have no need for that as its mostly underside panels that one side isn't seen

F.C.

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

207 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
andygtt said:
exactly right, same as the bodywork... its possible to make it with both sides gloss but I have no need for that as its mostly underside panels that one side isn't seen
Thanks for the info, I only need one finished side, I am going to attempt my first infused sheet over the bank holiday, do you have any issues with humidity or temperature? I will be working in a heated garage and don't want to waste materials through resin bloom or the like.
Also do you de-gas your resin before use?