- Thread starter
- #26
theboogieman
20+ Year Contributor
- 398
- 1
- Aug 6, 2002
...the dash was from a junked car..my original blue dash that is in the gallery pics is still in the car. For this dash part I am not making a mold. It would be to complicated for something I am not going to make often. Who knows? I might eventually. I have already sold the next one made to a guy in Holland.
Yeh, a vacuum bag system is great. But I will generally save that for structural parts and maybe just tinkering around on my own. For these interior parts it is not needed, plus doing it that way jacks up the $$$. You wind up using alot more materials and release films,bleeder cloth,etc...Even though some think my prices are high. I try to use methods that keep the cost down. Hell, carbon fiber is not generally expensive nor is resins. What the onsumer is paying for is the skill, time and labor. I have sat in many meeting with fabricators and such and know exactly where the high cost come to the general public. Really, what is your time worth? I laughed at some of the prices I got as quotes from companies.$$$$$$$$$$$!!!! Screw it, I will make it myself at a fraction of the cost. There is always someone cheaper for any given product...it is just a matter of what you want to spend.
Pricing is still being decided. I keep great detailed notes on ACTUAL work time and materials so once I am done I will proball have it on the web site. The guy in Holland is in a different scenario.
To me working with carbon fiber is just like fiberglass only now there can be NO mistakes as it WILL show. You don't have the option of bondo and paint if you screw up. Once you lay it down there is reall no taking it back up and moving it without the risk of twisting the weaving. I actually hate fiberglass work but love carbon fiber!!! Not just the looks but actually working with it. I hate making my molds cause it is done in fiberglass. No, carbon fiber wouldn't be cost effective for mold making
Leo
Yeh, a vacuum bag system is great. But I will generally save that for structural parts and maybe just tinkering around on my own. For these interior parts it is not needed, plus doing it that way jacks up the $$$. You wind up using alot more materials and release films,bleeder cloth,etc...Even though some think my prices are high. I try to use methods that keep the cost down. Hell, carbon fiber is not generally expensive nor is resins. What the onsumer is paying for is the skill, time and labor. I have sat in many meeting with fabricators and such and know exactly where the high cost come to the general public. Really, what is your time worth? I laughed at some of the prices I got as quotes from companies.$$$$$$$$$$$!!!! Screw it, I will make it myself at a fraction of the cost. There is always someone cheaper for any given product...it is just a matter of what you want to spend.
Pricing is still being decided. I keep great detailed notes on ACTUAL work time and materials so once I am done I will proball have it on the web site. The guy in Holland is in a different scenario.
To me working with carbon fiber is just like fiberglass only now there can be NO mistakes as it WILL show. You don't have the option of bondo and paint if you screw up. Once you lay it down there is reall no taking it back up and moving it without the risk of twisting the weaving. I actually hate fiberglass work but love carbon fiber!!! Not just the looks but actually working with it. I hate making my molds cause it is done in fiberglass. No, carbon fiber wouldn't be cost effective for mold making
Leo
