Cutting carbon fiber a no-no??

[theboogieman]

I just wanted to clear things up for some folks that are concerned about cutting or drilling into their carbon fiber hoods, whether for vents or hoodpins, whatever.
There is a misconception that it [carbon fiber] will shred, fray or just down right spider crack if you mess with it. Not true. Carbon fiber will cut, sand, and drill just like fiberglass...messy and makes some nasty dust.
Think about it, after every part is made is has to come out of the mold and be trimmed and sanded. No science here. Same tools you would use to trim fiberglass you use for carbon or any composite, except kevlar.
Of course you would not want to use a huge drill bit and go at it! Do it proper and start a pilot hole and go up in sizes or use a uni-bit. Just do not go pressing down like a mad man trying to drill it or yes it will crack! Hell, anything will if you treat it like that. Personally I use a uni-bit or tungsten burred Dremel bit. They work great.
Side note: the less teeth on the cutting tool the better, less chancde of chipping up the edge of your cut line. Use a cutting wheel or disk.
Cutting out a shape or cutting vents is no different. Obviously you would not use the same saw you cut down a tree branch with. A Dremel with a "fiber-reinforced" cutting disk or diamond coated cutting wheel will do just fine.

One thing I do suggest is to use masking tape and put that over the areas you are cutting and draw you lines on the tape to follow when cutting. Also protects the surface in case you slip a little or the base of the spinning spindle hits the surface.

If made properly a carbon fiber part will be fully saturated with cured resin and will not allow water into it. Anyhow, just wanted to pass this along in case some are curious about cutting their hoods for pins or something.
Leo

 

[bOOstd GSX]

Good info! Thanks Leo

 

[theboogieman]

Yeh, sorry to babble. Honestly, before I started to work with this stuff I actually had the drill and extension cord out to the street like 3 times to do my pins...backed out and then though about drilling again, like 3 different times I chickened out cause I thought I would crack the darn thing.
Just like greyforest's hood vents, if someone did that to a carbon hood they would have no problems, just fine sand the edges and maybe hit it with a high speed buffer...will look like it was meant to be that way.
Leo

 

[bOOstd GSX]

So I wouldnt even need like a rubber edging for those vents? And I could use a jigsaw to cut it out?

 

[theboogieman]

Originally posted by bOOstd GSX
So I wouldnt even need like a rubber edging for those vents? And I could use a jigsaw to cut it out?

Right, if you do it correctly you will have a nice edge and it will look clean. Absolutely do not use a jigsaw!!! That is waaaayyyy to much tool for the job.
All we ever use at the shop is cutting wheels and sanding drums, sanding paper. Air tools of course. I do not ever remember bringing out the skil saw or anything except for metal. Use a cutting wheel and mask out your cut lines...and wear a mask and glasses. Nasty dust and those cutting wheels will shatter sometimes while spinning and cutting.

Here is a pic I just snapped to show what I use to cut out the AFC holes, bezels, holes in plug covers, etc..... For bigger jobs and parts I use air tools and sanders like I said, but this handles small projects just fine....I never cut with a "toothy" saw, especially if it jumps up and down like a jig saw.

Leo


*diamond cutting wheel [smaller]
*fiber reinforced cutting wheel
*sanding drum/drums (they have even smaller ones great for rounding out corners)
*tungsten burred bit (great for corners and starting or making holes for smaller screws and such, kinda like a uni-bit sorta')

 

[Defiant]

What about a glass-drilling bit?