Working With Carbon Fiber

[Blurred Talon]

There's some items in my car I want to wrap in carbon fiber like the custom cluster bezel that goes around my S2000 cluster, some trim pieces, my center vent gauge pod, etc. I also want to make some block off plates.

I ordered a kit off of eBay and got it last week. I then took my center vent gauge pod and a piece of my door panel to wrap them in CF.
Here's the door panel piece I did, this is just a passenger side to show what I'm talking about. I believe it's call the door bucket?

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First coat of clear resin on the door panel piece, it didn't come out the greatest so I'm going to have to find another one and try again, the cloth didn't lay 100% flat.

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Second coat and with the holes for the door handle and vent cut out plus misc. trimming.

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Gauge pod with first coat of clear resin.

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Second coat, once this dries I can cut it out and start sanding.

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So far I'm really enjoy working with it. Similar to fiberglass but a bit more forgiving. However you need to be careful you don't pull the fabric apart or stretch it too much. Also make sure you get your mixing ratios right on the epoxy resin, I think that's where I screwed up on my door panel piece.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Did a bit of trimming on the gauge pod tonight.

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I'm going to sand it down around the edges and then it'll be time to put another couple coats of resin on.

 

[my98gsx]

I am by no means an "expert" in carbon fiber wraping, but I have been working with it alot lately with nice results. ( http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cus...9-started-doing-my-own-carbon-fiber-work.html ) You seem to have the right idea, but i dont think you are using enouph material. If you are wraping a part you want to cut the cf much larger than the actual part and pull the sides around to make it have a nice finished edge.

What ive been doing is cutting it approx one inch larger on all sides. Lay the first coat down to create the tacking surface, and then cover that with the cf. At this point you want to pull and stretch the cf around the edges and tape the overhang behind to hold it in place (I use masking tape). Once thats done it makes a secure hold, and a nice base to lay the top coats on. If you look on my post i show how the bare cf pulled and taped proior to the clear coat layers. Again im not a pro but my parts really came out nice with this method. Without any side material im afriad it might peel over time. Once the top is dry you can go back with a knife and trim all the excess cf material away with no problem. Any questions feel free to pm me, i hope it helped.

 

[Bud92gsx]

He is on your thread I think..That's probbaly where he got the idea..I would love to see it when it's finished..

 

[Blurred Talon]

I am by no means an "expert" in carbon fiber wraping, but I have been working with it alot lately with nice results. ( http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cus...9-started-doing-my-own-carbon-fiber-work.html ) You seem to have the right idea, but i dont think you are using enouph material. If you are wraping a part you want to cut the cf much larger than the actual part and pull the sides around to make it have a nice finished edge.

What ive been doing is cutting it approx one inch larger on all sides. Lay the first coat down to create the tacking surface, and then cover that with the cf. At this point you want to pull and stretch the cf around the edges and tape the overhang behind to hold it in place (I use masking tape). Once thats done it makes a secure hold, and a nice base to lay the top coats on. If you look on my post i show how the bare cf pulled and taped proior to the clear coat layers. Again im not a pro but my parts really came out nice with this method. Without any side material im afriad it might peel over time. Once the top is dry you can go back with a knife and trim all the excess cf material away with no problem. Any questions feel free to pm me, i hope it helped.

I've done that with my passenger side door bucket, it looks much better as a whole then the driver side. I used 3M Super 77 to hold it down then applied the clear resin on top, so far I've only got one coat on so it needs more. I'll get some pictures up tomorrow if possible.

He is on your thread I think..That's probbaly where he got the idea..I would love to see it when it's finished..

Actually I had the idea and the supplies before I saw my98gsx's thread. However it was his thread that prompted me to share my work.

 

[97gst_spyder]

Any pics of the final product?

 

[Blurred Talon]

No, I've had some really hard things come up in my life; from deaths in the family to my gf hitting a patch of black ice and flipping her Jeep. I've been far to busy dealing with all that to worry about any car stuff.

 

[Chrispy0530]

Wow man, hang in there. My prayers are with you and your gf.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Thanks.
She's alright though, some bruises and a couple stitches but other then that in great shape. Can't say the same for the Jeep, sadly it's a complete loss.

 

[gixrman]

Which resin are you using?