Carbon Fibre

[McChook]

Hey Ya'll

Just wondering if anyone knows where to buy a sheet of carbon fibre. Need to make one (or a few) radiator shrouds/venturi plates for my car, skyline and stagea.

Also, if anyone knows how to bend carbon fibre, or has a link to a website on working with carbon fibre, please let me know

Cheers
Matt

[Psyklops]

http://www.mcmaster.com/ has carbon fibre sheeting...I bought some a few years ago when I was into Mini Zs...made sussy plates for em from it

[Jus-10]

CF comes in sheets kind of like fibreglass before it is set...that is it is a soft sort of flexible matting sort of thing....

Not 100% sure on the specifics, but you need to bake/heat it or something to make it go hard.

Sorry I just know it doesn't come in a solid firm hard sheet (like a sheet of aluminium) which can be heated and moulded (like plastic)

[McChook]

Thanks heaps guys

Kinda would have been good if there was a local supplier of CF... not keen on shipping from OS for the amount I need - appx 4mx1m

I want 100% sure about how CF came... but if it is mouldable, then that is perfect.
I planned to make a base out of aluminium , bend to shape, and use that as the template for the CF......

[J_Mech]

You will find that CF is relatively cheap, you will usually want the CF weave, which is a single layer weave in 2 directions, then you basically build up layers for required strength/stiffness.

The cost comes in tolling/producing the items. If you buy the weave dry you will need to introduce the resin into it, which requires moulds, vacumns, pumps and can be messy - also doesnt leave the best finish, like dry spots.
Prepreg stuff will already have the resin infused in the weave and this could require elevated temperatures, along with pressure/vacumn to cure. You can cure CF at room temperature it all depends on the resin type.

The use of an aluminium mould can work, just have to make sure that there is some type of finish that will not allow the resin stick to the mould, some type of mould release compound will work. You will probably then need to bag it and vacumn the bag, and wait till it cures.

J_Mech

[McChook]

Man, that is one super reply, thank you very much - and welcome, not seen you around before.

Thank you very much sir

[Boost]

can i ask what is it that your are trying to mould or make??.

[McChook]

can i ask what is it that your are trying to mould or make??.
Refer to first post
Venturi Plate. Radiator shroud ala Lean Racing