Looking for a bit of advice.
I fancy having a play with laying up some sheets of carbon fibre for some interior bits.
What I'm wondering is firstly could I lay this onto a sheet of aluminium? I could use the release agent supplied with the tester kit I picked up
from carbonmods but as it's my first attempt I wanted to make sure it wouldn't stick 
Also, any other tips to make it as painless or less messy would be apreciated.
Do it on glass as the finish is much better
What he says!!!
I use an enormous mirror to lay out flat panels.
Polish it up properly and the results will be fantastic.
Was thinking glass or mirror, but finding one big enough is not easy
Glass will give a fantastic finish, but if the ALu is new (ie you are peeling the proterctive film off), then the results will be pretty good.
All of my interior panels were made on an Alu plate, and my dashboard mould is made fom a piece of kitchen worktop....!
Practice first with nice cheap glass fibre, as mistakes with carbon cost eye watering amounts if you are buying it retail.... Remember, it takes a lot
of time, prpe and patience to get a good looking part, even when you have been doing this kind of work for years!
whatare you making?
quote:
Originally posted by thefreak
Was thinking glass or mirror, but finding one big enough is not easy
I'm guessing they'd need polishing up and release agent used yes?
Cheapo conti board will also work. May not be quite as perfect a finish but is easier to come by. If it's something small you're after then OAP/printer transparencies work a treat.
I've also used contiboard. Worked nicely...
quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
Glass will give a fantastic finish, but if the ALu is new (ie you are peeling the proterctive film off), then the results will be pretty good.
All of my interior panels were made on an Alu plate, and my dashboard mould is made fom a piece of kitchen worktop....!
Practice first with nice cheap glass fibre, as mistakes with carbon cost eye watering amounts if you are buying it retail.... Remember, it takes a lot of time, prpe and patience to get a good looking part, even when you have been doing this kind of work for years!
quote:
Originally posted by MakeEverything
Yes, 100%. Always seal and release the surface you are using. Glass will need less, as it is less porous than other materials, but pretty much
everything will need some sort of release applied. For the DIY user, wax is very easy to use. Otherwise, look up some of the mould release
manufacturers, and ring them for some free samples. Freecote 44 is brilliant stuff. Zyvax Z-slip is good, as it is non-toxic. Clingfilm can be used,
but you will see any folds in it....
I made my interior side panels on a piece of Alu - with hindsight, I could have saved myself a load of polishing if I had waitied for a suitable piece
of glass, but I was keen to get the car finished for SVA.
You have any pics of your interior?
Description
Description
As you can see - you can notice a few scratches etc on the panels that came from the used bit of Alu i moulded onto. Also, I was limited by the size
of the material I had to hand, so I made mine in 3 pieces (which makes fitting, removal and inspection a lot easier!). It is now a lot tidier than
that looks, with a thin strip of black tape over each join.
Just a heads up on cling film, it isn't compatible with polyester resins. Best bet in any case is to test, with resin, and release surface you're using, just in case like.
What are you guys using for the lay up. Polyester or Epoxy resin?
I bought a laminating starter kit from carbonmods to see how I get on with it. If I hash it up, I'll no doubt end up buying some sheets instead
Mine is all epoxy. Some prepreg, some wet lay, and some infusion!
I've screwed up lots of fibreglass and yes, carbon fibre, and ended up with very very few usable parts. Make sure the wax is dry and polished prior to laying on the first layer of epoxy. And then let that get tacky before starting, as they say in the Cmods vid.