Thank you, Ik it's a wee bit idiotic to leave a comment on a 12 year old video and hope this reaches you, but this is easily the best tutorial I've found on the subject. Thanks!
Thanks wires, we've actually re-made a skinning video on our Easy Composites channel applying the carbon to a more complex shape and using slightly different materials than this one but the processes are still very much valid :)
@@carbonmods i know this is 15 years old now. But i was trying to do this to my interior trim on my porsche and had a wild idea of building each part from the carbon fiber. Can you point me to someone who can design molds for me?
@@Devil_Dog_Ultra We don't specifically keep a list of mould, pattern or indeed part makers as whilst we deal with lots of people who potentially could, we rarely get to see the end product and how in turn those people/businesses deal with customers so its difficult for us to recommend anyone in particular. However, if you're reasonably hands on, our Easy Composites channel has many, many more videos than this (old) channel of ours and a number of pattern and mould making videos encompassing more modern techniques and materials including 3D printing, etc.
I have a lot of experience with carbon and a little trick is to mist a light layer of super 77 spray adhesive or equivalent on the under side of the cloth. this allows you to cut edges without fraying so easily :) A light layer will not effect epoxy or other resins
Not to butt in but you can only sand the resin covering it, as soon as you reach the carbon itself you are going to damage the carbon strands and the integrity of the carbon, not to mention the look will deteriorate too. For sure you can run back the clear coat and re-coat it though if that's what you are wanting to do.
You notice there are two different super 77s now? Both 3m but the one sold in different areas like CA has a different voc rating and doesn't work nearly as good. I'm in VA. Wal Mart here sells the version that isn't as good but Lowe's has the better version.
This is a great product that worked very well for me. I followed the instructions to the letter and I would just emphasise the need to give thin, even coats of the clear resin. I was a bit heavy handed with the first resin coat and ended up keep having to wipe drips away from the lower edge of the item I was coating. When it was cured, I had to sand away the excess but thereafter with thinner coats, everything went well and I'm very pleased with the end result.
This is one of the best things i have ever seen in my whole life. A lot of Repect to you carbon mods. love this kind of DIYs and people like you who show how its done. I hope you have an awesome bussiness with it.
Thanks Cossietone, We remember how hard it was trying to get the info and the materials, people who know 'how' don't normally want to share the secret... I don't think they want to admit to how easy it is! The secrets are all coming out now! Carbon Mods
@dazzelya: Where you're dealing with tight curves (and angles) it's sometimes neccessary to add a cut line in the fabric. This allows you to really stretch the fabric over the worst of the curves and then have a separate, less distorted piece for the remaining surfaces. A great tip to get a nice clean cut line in the fabric is to spray the fabric with plenty of hairspray before cutting it. That way, when you do you're left with a sharp clean line that doesn't frey. Hope this helps!
If you think any grease or contaminents have got into your process somehow (off your hands, rags etc.) then this is good advice. If you're working very clean and changing water reguarly then this isn't always neccessary. We didn't wipe this part down between coats, kept it clean and it was perfect.
Hi Delsol, The base coat is very sticky so it can hold the carbon tightly against the surface of the part even on very sharp corners. It is also posible to do parts in multiple pieces, where joins might be necessary/desirable. If you were to do one side of a cube with a cut, you would apply the carbon and then trim it at the corner once is was 'tacked' down... this would leave a very neat cut right on the corner that wouldn't be visable... simple! Thanks for the question.
I just did my jetski pole with clear resin. It is important to have the first coat is black it helps to hide inperfections in the carbon fiber and when you sand it to flatten it out it hides the thin parts. I did 4 coats of clear ontop of carbon fiber and looks awsome I should have done a smaller part my first time but am very happy with my first thing I have ever done
@pballer72: The resin we use doesn't actually exotherm very much so that wouldn't be a problem. The tricky bit would be finding a temperature that the wax would melt at but that wouldn't harm the part. The resin we use in this skinning kit is happy up to about 80 degrees C so you'd need a wax that melts before then.
Hi Tulaconalas, normally this kit is used for the look, however the materials used are the very best in structural performance too, so it would be fine to use this process to strengthen you speedboard, people have used these materials for making there own wakeboards and surfboards you may want to use more than one layer of carbon to get ultimate strength though. I hope this helps you out.
@arun ranjit Actually, if you buy the kit off the Carbond Mods website you should find that you can buy the kit with Alufibre cloth as an alternative to carbon fibre. Alufibre is a silver version of the carbon so sounds like what you're after.
Hi Dazzy2para, You can Have joins in the fabric, normally the cut is made when the top-coat has part-cured (still slightly tacky) you overlap the carbon at the join and then carfully cut along the desired the seam line with a knife and remove the exccess material. so in short yes a sphere would be possible with one seam/join running around it. Thanks For the Question. Carbon Mods
@dotless : It would be possible but motorcycle exhausts run pretty hot so we would suggest using the 'HIgh Temperature' version of the kit. It's exactly the same but uses a special resin system that's dimensionally stable (doesn't expand or contract) up to about 160 degrees C (which should be fine for most exhuast systems). The you just follow the same steps. The HT kit is listed on our site too.
Hi Transam, the best way to get a neat line between a skinned area and an unskinned one is to mask out the area you don't want the carbon to be, then apply the base-coat, when it goes to 'tack' remove the mask then apply the carbon over the line, then you want to carfully scalpel down the line, mask it off after and apply the top-coats. you should get great results this way!
@28hypnotic : Yes, you can file it. We use Perma-Grit tools (which are a range of tools with Tungsten Carbide grit on them), they do sanding blocks and files etc. The main advantage is that they don't really blunt or clog but for a cheaper alternative you can't beat a range of different grits of abrasive paper around a block. Start with coarser grits and work your way up to finer grits. By the end you can have a perfect smooth glossy adge.
Hi Tuga77, The reason that we reccomend snading after the first coat it because there is often small 'nibs' and sharp spots that are best being removed early to allow the subsequent top-coats to build a fairly flat surface. if you don't have any of these small problems areas then it's fine to continue without sanding, thanks for the question. Carbon Mods
Hi Simon, Yes, you can drill through the carbon skin without any problems. You should always make your appertures slightly too small and then open them out using a file or abrasive paper - this will prevent any cracking or chipping of the skin.
A little tip I've found when skimming is instead of using the tape that can be messy and awkward I use small bull dog clips to fasten the c/f fabric tightly to the piece, the last thing you want are air voids between your fabric and piece. 2-3 coats of clear resin and a final wet sand with 1200 wet paper, then I use a dremel to remove the hardened excess c/f fabric from the back and sides, and finally 1 coat of 2k lacquer, dry via IR light and you have a perfect finish every time.
@MillieMills77 : You can clean epoxy off the brushes uses Acetone. It's not a chemical you can generally buy at a hardware store and it's not one we can ship safely but any fibreglass supplier will have it or you can buy nail cheap nail polish remover, which is basically acetone (don't get one with 'moisturisers' or other additives).
Hi Yonchvader, well, firstly, steel can be cut and sanded too. The main reason it's much easier with carbon is because carbon fibre's strength works differently to steel, it's a bittle material with poor 'elongation to break' properties which means fibres can be individually broken easily (which is why sanding is so effective). Weight-for-weight however the tensile strength is higher than steel which is why it's referred to as 'stronger' than steel.
Hi rinjingan, Yes you can use vinylester or polyester resins, however they do not perform as well as epoxies and often their clarity is not as high. All top composite workshops will use proper carbon fibre laminating epoxies like we supply. Thanks for asking, Carbon Mods
Hi Taff, we spent a long time getting the right resin for the job, you are right though, epoxies are generally tough to polish well, our system flats out and polishes by hand perfectly, if you wish to machine polish you must ensure the part is fully cured and the head set at a low RPM otherwise the surface can soften with the friction generated heat and a good shine can't be acheived. We don't know of anyone who has experienced problems polishing our system to a full gloss. Thanks for asking.
Hi Plooke, you could use normal carbon fibre epoxy laminating resin as the first coat, however you may get problems with the level of 'tack' and quality of bond to the part, also with it not being black you might get visable gaps between the weave on the surface, I would say if you can get hold of some skinning base-coat, it would make your life much easier! Any more questions please ask.
@drzflyest4 : No, the masking tape is just a temporary measure to hold the carbon in place whilst the basecoat cures. Generally, you'll have completed removed any carbon/resin from the inside/reverse of the part after you trim and finish the excess material off earlier in the process.
@Monk3yman77 : Yes, sort of. The trick is just to skin straight past the edge (no curling the fabric) and then when it's cured to cut it off and sand the edge smooth. This method works really well for getting very neat edges, especially when you have other parts that the skinned part needs to meet up with perfectly.
This is all exactly right. The standard twill weave we supply is only 0.3 in thickness. The top coats will take you up to about 1mm. Changing to a lighter carbon fabric will only have a very slight effect since a thinner fabric would be 0.2, the rest of the process would then take it up to 0.9mm (although in reality it will vary more than that).
@mlinecomposites1 : Actually, if you put the carbon onto the basecoat at the right time (when it's firm but still slightly tacky) you can lift it back up again before you put any pressure on if it's not lined up quite right. We did a bonnet the other day and the carbon went down a little out of line, it was easy enough to lift it up and get it right second time. Once you press it firmly down, it's down for good.
Hi Urbanfirth, @ 20deg it takes 8 hours to cure so it can be sanded/polished. It will have 'tacked-off' and additional layers of resin can be added after around 3 hours. Hope This helps, Carbon Mods
Good thorough video, nice job, I did see a couple of imperfections but the process was good and enough to be able to repeat and take time to get it perfect, although it's a fine art and takes years to get a very good job, definitely easier to sit back and criticise.
Yes we ship to the US everyday, a kit typically costs £16.00 which is about $25 so all in with current exchange rates it would total $93 on your doorstep, as for working on ceramics it would bond quite well especially if wrapped around onto the back... not sure about dishwasher safe, there's no real reason why it wouldn't be however we couldn't guarantee it. i would imagine the worst that would happen would be losing the glossiness. Hope this helps, Carbon Mods
It depends what type of foam the canopy is made from. If it's Depron then the bond will be ok but it won't be fantastic. If it's PU foam, styrofoam, or PVC foam then the bond will be a lot better. You should ensure that the canopy (or anything you are covering) is keyed-up properly (with coarse abrasive paper) which will help the 'skin' stick to any material.
@rnr04072 : Yes, it works in exactly the same way. In fact, the blue/black carbon fibre is an option on the product page when buying the Skinning Starter Kit.
@0livia9991: Hi Chris, you can use any standard body-filler to prepare your body panels before skinning. In fast, because the skin is so solid and you're going to do so much flatting the quality of the part underneith is unimportant. We've just filmed a video (not edited yet) which shows us skinning a whole bonnet (hood). The bonnet itself had lots of scratches and a couple of bits of body filler. The end result was stunning. I'll be uploading it soon. We can do your size, no problem.
@bloodieduckies : Skinning is the process of making something look like it's a carbon fibre part by adding a single layer of carbon fibre to the outside of it. Laminating (although the word sounds like the same thing!) is the traditional name in composites for actually layering reinforcement (i.e. carbon) and resin into a mould to make a composite part (i.e. a carbon fibre part) so laminating is making carbon parts, skinning is covering existing parts with a layer of carbon.
Hi emj0001, You Can get a great finish with either larger parts such as bonnets and roofs we would recommend a clear-coat or laquer as it is quicker. if you are looking for a flawless finish from laquer you can flat and compound this using the same method. Thanks, Carbon Mods
@krios50 : -30 degrees to 50 degrees should not be a problem. Much above 50 degress and you would want to use our High Temperature Skinning Kit which can take temperatures up to 200 degrees C (for engine bays, heat shields, gearbox covers etc.).
@bloodaid: Well, the reason we're doing it for parts like this is to give them a completely genuine carbon fibre finish. As a side effect, adding 1mm of carbon fibre and resin to the outside of a part would add considerable strength but in the case of a mirror it's strong enough already so the reason for the 'skin' is cosmetic. You could use the same process to cover something very thin and light (like papier maché) then you would re-inforce the part considerably.
@dutchguywillem : This certainly depends on the temperature you're working at. We recommend an ambient temperature of 20 degrees, this is what most epoxies are designed to cure in and if it is 20 degrees you'll be at the 'tack' stage in around 4hrs. It's worth checking fairly reguarly; if you catch it just right it makes the job a lot easier!
Yes you can, although i would recommend you just use a simple laminating technique and minimise the numbers of layers of resin for weight purposes. We do stock a wide range of fabrics on our Easycomposites website including lightweight carbons and woven fibreglass often used in aero modelling,
Hi Ddizzle287, Generally a helmet can be done in 1 peice fairly easily, the best way is to start from the crown and allow the cloth to drape from there, Thanks for the question Carbon Mods
@MikkoMuhis Yes, it will certainly add some strength to a fibreglass part if you add a layer of carbon fibre over the top. It is only one layer though so it's not going to be a huge increase in strength. If you want it much stronger then you could add additional layers of carbon fibre.
Hi AcryllicWonder, We have made our kits to give you the best start possible, I wish they were around when I started! as for a steering wheel, I would say that you've picked a tricky part to skin, and a very very tricky part to mould, I would suggest starting with some simpler parts such as interior trim, where you should get great results straight away, then move onto the more complex parts as your experience builds, Thanks for the interest, Carbon Mods
@red666A : For a set of mirrors like that, you're looking at doing them over a period of 2-3 days, of which you'll spend most of your time either waiting (for the resin to cure) or sanding and polishing. There's probably 5hrs worth of sanding and polishing in a set like that.
@F1BOY2007 : Yes, it's 200gsm we use in the kit. It's the most common weight of fabric. The weave is 2/2 twill, also the most recognisable of the carbon weaves. When you say what thickness it's made of I guess you're talking about the finished 'skin' of carbon fibre not just the fabric before it's coated in resin?) in which case the finished skin adds about 1mm or less to the part.
The fabric we're using in this video (which is included in the kit) is standard 2/2 twill, 3k carbon fibre. We do also sell a version called ProFinish which includes an almost invisible epoxy powder bonding on the reverse to make it much stiffer and easier to handle/do cut lines. For flatter parts or where you need to make neat cut-lines ProFinish is a great choice but for more contoured parts (like this mirror) then I would stick with the standard 2/2 twill and just get used to handling it.
@malibooroo : TT mirrors really are very domed and would be right at the limit of how far the weave could be distorted without the need for a cut-line. If you do need a cut-line I'd suggest using our ProFinish carbon (so that you can have a perfectly neat join-line) and doing it in two peices - this will reduce the amount of distortion needed considerably.
Hi Kapullas, yes, this is perfectly possible although sometimes the time saving that you would imagine (by not making a mould first) doesn't actually materialise because you'll spend so much longer flatting and polishing the finished part that you would if you'd taken a mould off the nice, smooth, glossy part in the first place. The other thing to consider is that a part made in this way (without a mould) would be larger than the original, unlike if you made a mould off the original first.
Hi ReALiT22, It's fine upto 80deg C (176F) We are currently developing an 'engine bay' version of the kit that will take much higher temperatures. Thanks for the question.
Been skinning quite a few years, also thanks to the clip which got me started back then .. but as I look at it now, I can't help to feel a little annoyed. If you look at these parts you can clearly still see marks and pits in them..which would all be solved if they wouldn't advise people to use a rattlecan to apply clearcoat. Use real clear laquer applied either by yourself or by a pro with a regular spraygun and it will look so much nicer. I've skinned parts for some high end vehicles for which those specific parts were not available in CF .. If I handed over the parts like this .. ppl wouldn't come back at all :-) Props on the sanding and applying resin though, can't go better than this :-)
+Johan DeWilde It's not the clear coat that has caused the pitting its the carbon fiber material not contacting totally with the piece he's skimming allowing the resin to fill the void left and not to sit on top of the carbon material giving it a mirror finish, this can be avoided using vaccuum bagging or "rolling" the carbon material after applying to the piece. I skim then coat with 3 coats of hard resin allowing to dry by ir between coats then wet sand with 1200 grit then hit it with 2k clear laquare- theres no need to spend hours polishing if you use 2k clear coats.
@wayakuza111 No, you can't I'm afraid. The carbon effect vinyls are generally cast PVC which is very difficult to bond to plus when it gets coated in resin the resin fills the texture of the carbon pattern and it actually stops looking like carbon fibre. If you're going to the trouble of the rest of its, why not just use carbon inside and get the proper genuine appearance!
Hi DaveVU2, There is no real way to soften epoxy far enough to reseal cracks in it, I would recommend trying laminating epoxy brushed on the area, then heat it with a heat gun to lower it's viscosity, in many cases this will allow the resin to capillary into the damage and reseal itself, you can then wipe away the resin from the surface. Thanks for the question and good-luck with the repair, Carbon Mods
If you use epoxy resin (like we do in the video) to skin the part then it would be a good idea to use a 2k lacquer over the top of the part to provide UV protection to parts that will spend a long time in the sun. An epoxy gelcoat wouldn't be necessary because it wouldn't actually add this protection. An alternative (really when making parts, not when skinning them) is to use an epoxy compatible polyester gelcoat like GC50 - this provides UV stability to epoxy based parts.
@Saferetias: The small version of the kit (as shown) is £47 (for UK/Europe customers) or £40 if it's going out of Europe (USA for example). In USD this is about $59. We also do a large version of the kit and a bonnet/hood sized kit (with a massive 1.6m x 1.25m peice of fabric!).
@CritikylMass : Yes, you could add reinforcement to a compound bow to make it more powerful, ideally you would want to be using unidirectional carbon fibre not a biaxial woven cloth (like you see in this video) - we sell unidirectional cloth on easycomposites.co.uk - You would need to heavily 'key' the limbs with abrasive paper, wet them with epoxy, layer on the UD carbon, wetting it as you go, and then ideally you would want to squash the carbon down with something to consolodate whilst curing
@Keitho958 It gives a sticky layer for the carbon to adhere to, it also masks the part colour as the carbon has tiny holes in the weave. I also use the black (gel/epoxy coat) to paint the underside of parts afterwards. Glovebox lids for instance. Been using this stuff a while and it's very good.
@groundhabit : Well, a few things might help. The first is to skin straight over things like the button holes, not trying to go down into them and wrap it round inside - this would end up a mess. One the part is skinned you can drill through and then fettle the button holes to have nice clean sharp edges. Also, skin straight past the edges of the moulding and trim those off when it's all cured too - much neater. Also, consider using a lighter carbon fabric or maybe a 'ProFinish' fabric.
Hi faYte0607, It's very easy to wrap around corners and curves because it's real carbon fibre and not vinyl. the weave can move freely against itself this allows it to conform around complex curves, unlike vinyl which can often wrinkle where there is an excess. Thanks for the question, Carbon Mods
@oldhpirs4 : It depends on how difficult the parts you try to make are. Really detailed or intricate parts with lots of tight corners can be very difficult or even impossible to skin (or replicate completely) in carbon without at least a bit more equipment. If it's simpler shapes or items then it's perfectly possible to do a good job of making these even as an enthusiastic beginner.
@mlinecomposites1 : Precisely. If people want to make the part out of carbon fibre (not just skin it) then we have our mould making kit and laminating kit. If they want to go further than that and make some pretty high-end light weight parts then we have our full resin infusion kit too.
Hi MIAStrat, The Resin used for the top-coat is a very UV stable one... obviously no epoxy is 100% UV stable, however we have never experienced or known of anyone who has experienced problems using our system. I hope this helps.
@Bonerific0 : Rear diffusers are a tricky shape, either to skin (like in this video) or to actually make. Our advice for skinning would be to use ProFinish carbon (see our website) so that you can make all of the fins and flat parts up in separate sections. This way you won't struggle with the massive weave distortion that would be neccessary to get the fibre into and out of the fins and back onto the flat sections (if possible at all). With lacquer over the top you won't see the joins.
@thmisaac : We actually sell a 'bonnet/hood skinning kit' specially for skinning a car hood. That kit includes a piece of fabric that's about 5' x 4'. If that's not big enough then yes, we sell everything separately and can make a kit up to any size you need. The hood kit includes instructions for skinning a hood with lots of tips and a video on the way!
@summitsvift : It's the 'Carbon Fibre Skinnin Starter Kit'. We also have the special 'High Temp' version and also a 'Large' version. They're all listed in the 'Carbon Fibre Kits' category.
@ibanezrg2550 : I'm not sure because epoxies can be very different from eachother. All I can say is that if you've got those materials already then it can't hurt to try. Our carbon cloth is good quality fabric that wets out well but otherwise is it's normal cloth so you carbon should be fine. The epoxy resin we use has some quite special properties that many epoxies don't have so that's where your probelm (if you have one) could be.
@turboboost27 : The kit is £39+VAT (if you lice in Europe). You wouldn't pay the VAT if you don't so it would just be the £39 (which is about $57 US. The High Temp version (I mentioned above) is a little more. Also we have a Large version of the kit which has a peice of carbon that's 1sqm (3' x 3') and an even larger one for skinning bonnets/hoods (over 5' x 4'). Check our site for all the prices on those.
With some shapes it is a good trick to wrap the skinned object in tight fitting glad wrap. Glad wrap does not stick to epoxy. When the epoxy is dry, the glad warp is removed,, and the object has a beautiful smooth finish.
Hi Buhrrito, To make a hood/fender you could do either, in fact we are just about to launch a video showing this exact process on a hood/bonnet, as for what the pros do; for a complete one off this skinning process is normally used, however for mass production moulds would be made and the parts would be moulded, check out our other videos for info on this. Thanks for the question. Carbon Mods
@9kevin : Yes, there's no reason why you couldn't just start laminating straight onto the outside of the foam bike frame pattern. The basecoat is special because (a) it's black and (b) it stays tacky for a long time making it perfect for the careful positioning of the carbon for a single skin. What you'll be doing it wrapping many layers of carbon around the frame making the black nature of the basecoat and the tackiness unneccessary.
Go to easycomposites.co.uk. In their carbon fiber section they have all of your standard twills, weights, and weave sizes. if you scroll down a bit you'll see one of the options with a blue "PROFINISH" on it. That's what you want. It comes slightly pre-infused with resin. It won't separate or fray when it's being formed to a mold or cut (unless you're really rough with it). Also, try using carbon fiber shears because they won't pull when your cutting. Good luck!
Thank you so much for your time, I took a look on your web site and it looks like I am going to buy the carbon fiber cloth and the epoxy as well... thank you !!!!!!!!!
@tuner1gti : Yes, there is a full text guide which goes into even more detail than the video does. We're all about sharing the information though and you can download this text guide for free from our website before you even buy the kit. Just go to our site, find the kit and the instructions can be downloaded from that page.
Hi Low402, People use this method for skinning hoods all the time, the kit here isn't big enough to do one, but you can get all of the materials in larger quantities on our website. Thanks for the Question, Carbon Mods
We've got quite a few different weave patterns available, especially on our Easy Composites website. These include the new 'giant print' spread weave carbons, plain weave, twill (like you see here) and others. Nothing I'd describe as a hexagon print but a huge range nonetheless.
@TheWhoTheWhereTheHow: The fabric itself is about 0.3mm. When you use it in this skinning process then the fabric and the resin together add about 1mm.
@carbonmods thanks for your replay I was checking my inbox everyday so you finally did it. lol. This is what I am doing, I have the core already, I am planning to put a light coat of fiber glass to add some stiffness, My dilemma is that I work for a paint company that also make industrial epoxy coatings for water tanks and Disney parks. I have 50% off for every item, including epoxy coatings, but the company does not make epoxy resin, which apparently is the best glue for carbon fiber and...
This type of technic does add some added strength to the part you are covering as well as good looks. It all depends on your application more fiber in different directions usually adds stiffness and strength.
@Lazethakid : Yes, there's no reason why you can't do this. Composites hoods could be made in a variety of ways using a variety of materials and the closer those materials are to the 'skin' you add the better but even if it's a different resin system (polyester for example) then it should still bond well and give a new lease of life to your faded C/F hood.
In the video a simple off the shelf rattle can automotive lacquer was used. In an ideal world a 2 pack lacquer would be used as they have a better UV resistance than rattle can products, however this is not always financially viable or practical for smaller parts.
@AZURA888 : Lacquer (clear coat) out of a spray-can is not very tough and can flake off over time. A 2K lacquer (a 2 pack with the paint and a separate hardener) is much tougher (and better) and is unlikely to fail over time so if you have spray facilities or a local sprayshot that will drop the lacquer for you then that would be the ideal option.
Hi again faYte0607, It's normally very straight-forward normally you would leave the carbon 'bridging' over the hole and then trim it out after the first coat of top-coat. I hope this helps, Carbon Mods
if your worried about thickness, choose the thinnest TWILL WEAVE carbon fiber sheet you can find (twill weave looks better than plain weave). Plan on the final product being at least twice as thick as the actual sheet. If you use 1/2 mm sheet, expect the final thickness to be more than a millimeter. Both the fuel door and the hood should provide more than enough extra space to accomodate for this slight change.
@gsxr1300fan123 : Everything is harder the first time you try it and skinning with carbon fibre is no exception. What we normally suggest is that you have a practice run on something small and insignificant so you can learn the technique and make any mistakes on that trail run before wasting time/material making a mistake on a larger part. I don't think a motorcycle helmet would be particularly difficult but like I say, start small first!
Hi Dipacalypse, You could use the topcoat on a prepreg part, however you would probably be better having it lacquered/clear coated, using a good quality automotive system. any decent spray-shop should be able to do this for you. Hope this helps, Carbon Mods
this video is absolutely amazing!! a fuckin fello in my class was really irritatin me like hell dat there is 1ly 1 person in chennai(india) who does carbon fibre kits, but thanx 2 u coz i've planned 2 start a garaga of my own n gonna start makin coool custom body kits!!! MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!
@psasmh1 : Adding a layer of real carbon fibre to the outside of a part will certainly add some strength to the part. If you wanted to add more strength (as much as you want really) you could just add extra layers of carbon. This would be great if you were using this process to add a layer of carbon onto the outside of part you'd shaped yourself out of foam for example.
@tukajjelos : Well, technically the carbon fibre (and the resin we use) are exactly the same as the carbon fibre and resin used to make carbon fibre parts (rather than cover parts in carbon fibre) and so yes, it's just as strong. When you 'skin' something you're only adding a single layer of reinforcement though, whereas if you were laminating a carbon part you would use probably 6 layers of a 200g cloth like this one.
Yeah I get you. Sometimes it's hard for a beginner for things the first time. It can definitely be done it just depends on how long it's gonna take to get done. I myself don't like making overlays because it takes to long. I would rather make a mold for the part to be made out of. This calls for a more accurate part, but I understand this is for someone who's just starting out.
@brutussteel : Wrapping something with a layer of carbon fibre and epoxy will certainly add strength and durability to whatever is wrapped inside, yes.
If your covering a part, that for whatever reason requires the carbon fibre cloth to be cut so that it will lie properly, how would you go about making the seam invisible? Also, is there a specific tool to cut the carbon fibre cloth properly? Or will any old pair of household scissors do? THANKS!! I also like that your videos are short, succinct, and to the point. Thanks again
Instead of using a clear coat, you can use a small amount of alcohol and resin and wipe it on and it will create a clear shine. But the resin needs to be thinned out a bit. It's what I would do for carbon bits for the race car I worked on
![How to Simply Change your Car Parts to Real Carbon Fiber (Carbon fiber Skinning) [DIY]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zKGwHYBcs-U/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you, Ik it's a wee bit idiotic to leave a comment on a 12 year old video and hope this reaches you, but this is easily the best tutorial I've found on the subject. Thanks!
Thanks wires, we've actually re-made a skinning video on our Easy Composites channel applying the carbon to a more complex shape and using slightly different materials than this one but the processes are still very much valid :)
@@carbonmods i know this is 15 years old now. But i was trying to do this to my interior trim on my porsche and had a wild idea of building each part from the carbon fiber. Can you point me to someone who can design molds for me?
@@Devil_Dog_Ultra We don't specifically keep a list of mould, pattern or indeed part makers as whilst we deal with lots of people who potentially could, we rarely get to see the end product and how in turn those people/businesses deal with customers so its difficult for us to recommend anyone in particular. However, if you're reasonably hands on, our Easy Composites channel has many, many more videos than this (old) channel of ours and a number of pattern and mould making videos encompassing more modern techniques and materials including 3D printing, etc.
I have a lot of experience with carbon and a little trick is to mist a light layer of super 77 spray adhesive or equivalent on the under side of the cloth. this allows you to cut edges without fraying so easily :) A light layer will not effect epoxy or other resins
Carl White can you sand bare carbon fiber, my hood's clear coat has peeled off and I want to re-clear it, but idk if you can sand the carbon fiber.
Not to butt in but you can only sand the resin covering it, as soon as you reach the carbon itself you are going to damage the carbon strands and the integrity of the carbon, not to mention the look will deteriorate too. For sure you can run back the clear coat and re-coat it though if that's what you are wanting to do.
You notice there are two different super 77s now? Both 3m but the one sold in different areas like CA has a different voc rating and doesn't work nearly as good. I'm in VA. Wal Mart here sells the version that isn't as good but Lowe's has the better version.
can i use automotive clear coat of the resin
@@robertmahaney7650 yes -like literally, that is exactly what he was showing us how to do.
This is a great product that worked very well for me. I followed the instructions to the letter and I would just emphasise the need to give thin, even coats of the clear resin. I was a bit heavy handed with the first resin coat and ended up keep having to wipe drips away from the lower edge of the item I was coating. When it was cured, I had to sand away the excess but thereafter with thinner coats, everything went well and I'm very pleased with the end result.
+Brent Chiswick Great feedback Brent; it's great to hear from people using the kit and I'm glad it went well for you :)
This is one of the best things i have ever seen in my whole life.
A lot of Repect to you carbon mods. love this kind of DIYs and people like you who show how its done. I hope you have an awesome bussiness with it.
Thanks Cossietone,
We remember how hard it was trying to get the info and the materials, people who know 'how' don't normally want to share the secret... I don't think they want to admit to how easy it is! The secrets are all coming out now!
Carbon Mods
@dazzelya: Where you're dealing with tight curves (and angles) it's sometimes neccessary to add a cut line in the fabric. This allows you to really stretch the fabric over the worst of the curves and then have a separate, less distorted piece for the remaining surfaces. A great tip to get a nice clean cut line in the fabric is to spray the fabric with plenty of hairspray before cutting it. That way, when you do you're left with a sharp clean line that doesn't frey. Hope this helps!
If you think any grease or contaminents have got into your process somehow (off your hands, rags etc.) then this is good advice. If you're working very clean and changing water reguarly then this isn't always neccessary. We didn't wipe this part down between coats, kept it clean and it was perfect.
Hi Delsol, The base coat is very sticky so it can hold the carbon tightly against the surface of the part even on very sharp corners.
It is also posible to do parts in multiple pieces, where joins might be necessary/desirable. If you were to do one side of a cube with a cut, you would apply the carbon and then trim it at the corner once is was 'tacked' down... this would leave a very neat cut right on the corner that wouldn't be visable... simple!
Thanks for the question.
The results look unbelievably good. That sure wasn't the guy's first time doing that.
I just did my jetski pole with clear resin. It is important to have the first coat is black it helps to hide inperfections in the carbon fiber and when you sand it to flatten it out it hides the thin parts. I did 4 coats of clear ontop of carbon fiber and looks awsome I should have done a smaller part my first time but am very happy with my first thing I have ever done
@pballer72: The resin we use doesn't actually exotherm very much so that wouldn't be a problem. The tricky bit would be finding a temperature that the wax would melt at but that wouldn't harm the part. The resin we use in this skinning kit is happy up to about 80 degrees C so you'd need a wax that melts before then.
Hi Tulaconalas, normally this kit is used for the look, however the materials used are the very best in structural performance too, so it would be fine to use this process to strengthen you speedboard, people have used these materials for making there own wakeboards and surfboards you may want to use more than one layer of carbon to get ultimate strength though. I hope this helps you out.
@arun ranjit Actually, if you buy the kit off the Carbond Mods website you should find that you can buy the kit with Alufibre cloth as an alternative to carbon fibre. Alufibre is a silver version of the carbon so sounds like what you're after.
Hi Dazzy2para,
You can Have joins in the fabric, normally the cut is made when the top-coat has part-cured (still slightly tacky) you overlap the carbon at the join and then carfully cut along the desired the seam line with a knife and remove the exccess material. so in short yes a sphere would be possible with one seam/join running around it. Thanks For the Question.
Carbon Mods
@dotless : It would be possible but motorcycle exhausts run pretty hot so we would suggest using the 'HIgh Temperature' version of the kit. It's exactly the same but uses a special resin system that's dimensionally stable (doesn't expand or contract) up to about 160 degrees C (which should be fine for most exhuast systems). The you just follow the same steps. The HT kit is listed on our site too.
I didn't buy their kit but this "how to" really helped me a lot. Thanks!
Hi Transam, the best way to get a neat line between a skinned area and an unskinned one is to mask out the area you don't want the carbon to be, then apply the base-coat, when it goes to 'tack' remove the mask then apply the carbon over the line, then you want to carfully scalpel down the line, mask it off after and apply the top-coats. you should get great results this way!
@28hypnotic : Yes, you can file it. We use Perma-Grit tools (which are a range of tools with Tungsten Carbide grit on them), they do sanding blocks and files etc. The main advantage is that they don't really blunt or clog but for a cheaper alternative you can't beat a range of different grits of abrasive paper around a block. Start with coarser grits and work your way up to finer grits. By the end you can have a perfect smooth glossy adge.
This is very useful for other projects too, I'm doing a carbon fibre skateboard and this is very helpful, thanks
Hi Tuga77,
The reason that we reccomend snading after the first coat it because there is often small 'nibs' and sharp spots that are best being removed early to allow the subsequent top-coats to build a fairly flat surface. if you don't have any of these small problems areas then it's fine to continue without sanding, thanks for the question.
Carbon Mods
Hi Simon, Yes, you can drill through the carbon skin without any problems. You should always make your appertures slightly too small and then open them out using a file or abrasive paper - this will prevent any cracking or chipping of the skin.
A little tip I've found when skimming is instead of using the tape that can be messy and awkward I use small bull dog clips to fasten the c/f fabric tightly to the piece, the last thing you want are air voids between your fabric and piece. 2-3 coats of clear resin and a final wet sand with 1200 wet paper, then I use a dremel to remove the hardened excess c/f fabric from the back and sides, and finally 1 coat of 2k lacquer, dry via IR light and you have a perfect finish every time.
@MillieMills77 : You can clean epoxy off the brushes uses Acetone. It's not a chemical you can generally buy at a hardware store and it's not one we can ship safely but any fibreglass supplier will have it or you can buy nail cheap nail polish remover, which is basically acetone (don't get one with 'moisturisers' or other additives).
Hi Yonchvader, well, firstly, steel can be cut and sanded too. The main reason it's much easier with carbon is because carbon fibre's strength works differently to steel, it's a bittle material with poor 'elongation to break' properties which means fibres can be individually broken easily (which is why sanding is so effective). Weight-for-weight however the tensile strength is higher than steel which is why it's referred to as 'stronger' than steel.
Hi rinjingan,
Yes you can use vinylester or polyester resins, however they do not perform as well as epoxies and often their clarity is not as high. All top composite workshops will use proper carbon fibre laminating epoxies like we supply.
Thanks for asking, Carbon Mods
Hi Taff, we spent a long time getting the right resin for the job, you are right though, epoxies are generally tough to polish well, our system flats out and polishes by hand perfectly, if you wish to machine polish you must ensure the part is fully cured and the head set at a low RPM otherwise the surface can soften with the friction generated heat and a good shine can't be acheived. We don't know of anyone who has experienced problems polishing our system to a full gloss. Thanks for asking.
Hi Plooke, you could use normal carbon fibre epoxy laminating resin as the first coat, however you may get problems with the level of 'tack' and quality of bond to the part, also with it not being black you might get visable gaps between the weave on the surface, I would say if you can get hold of some skinning base-coat, it would make your life much easier! Any more questions please ask.
@drzflyest4 : No, the masking tape is just a temporary measure to hold the carbon in place whilst the basecoat cures. Generally, you'll have completed removed any carbon/resin from the inside/reverse of the part after you trim and finish the excess material off earlier in the process.
@Monk3yman77 : Yes, sort of. The trick is just to skin straight past the edge (no curling the fabric) and then when it's cured to cut it off and sand the edge smooth. This method works really well for getting very neat edges, especially when you have other parts that the skinned part needs to meet up with perfectly.
This is all exactly right. The standard twill weave we supply is only 0.3 in thickness. The top coats will take you up to about 1mm. Changing to a lighter carbon fabric will only have a very slight effect since a thinner fabric would be 0.2, the rest of the process would then take it up to 0.9mm (although in reality it will vary more than that).
@mlinecomposites1 : Actually, if you put the carbon onto the basecoat at the right time (when it's firm but still slightly tacky) you can lift it back up again before you put any pressure on if it's not lined up quite right. We did a bonnet the other day and the carbon went down a little out of line, it was easy enough to lift it up and get it right second time. Once you press it firmly down, it's down for good.
Hi Urbanfirth,
@ 20deg it takes 8 hours to cure so it can be sanded/polished. It will have 'tacked-off' and additional layers of resin can be added after around 3 hours.
Hope This helps,
Carbon Mods
Good thorough video, nice job, I did see a couple of imperfections but the process was good and enough to be able to repeat and take time to get it perfect, although it's a fine art and takes years to get a very good job, definitely easier to sit back and criticise.
Yes we ship to the US everyday, a kit typically costs £16.00 which is about $25 so all in with current exchange rates it would total $93 on your doorstep, as for working on ceramics it would bond quite well especially if wrapped around onto the back... not sure about dishwasher safe, there's no real reason why it wouldn't be however we couldn't guarantee it. i would imagine the worst that would happen would be losing the glossiness.
Hope this helps,
Carbon Mods
It depends what type of foam the canopy is made from. If it's Depron then the bond will be ok but it won't be fantastic. If it's PU foam, styrofoam, or PVC foam then the bond will be a lot better. You should ensure that the canopy (or anything you are covering) is keyed-up properly (with coarse abrasive paper) which will help the 'skin' stick to any material.
@rnr04072 : Yes, it works in exactly the same way. In fact, the blue/black carbon fibre is an option on the product page when buying the Skinning Starter Kit.
@0livia9991: Hi Chris, you can use any standard body-filler to prepare your body panels before skinning. In fast, because the skin is so solid and you're going to do so much flatting the quality of the part underneith is unimportant. We've just filmed a video (not edited yet) which shows us skinning a whole bonnet (hood). The bonnet itself had lots of scratches and a couple of bits of body filler. The end result was stunning. I'll be uploading it soon. We can do your size, no problem.
@bloodieduckies : Skinning is the process of making something look like it's a carbon fibre part by adding a single layer of carbon fibre to the outside of it. Laminating (although the word sounds like the same thing!) is the traditional name in composites for actually layering reinforcement (i.e. carbon) and resin into a mould to make a composite part (i.e. a carbon fibre part) so laminating is making carbon parts, skinning is covering existing parts with a layer of carbon.
Hi emj0001,
You Can get a great finish with either larger parts such as bonnets and roofs we would recommend a clear-coat or laquer as it is quicker. if you are looking for a flawless finish from laquer you can flat and compound this using the same method.
Thanks, Carbon Mods
@krios50 : -30 degrees to 50 degrees should not be a problem. Much above 50 degress and you would want to use our High Temperature Skinning Kit which can take temperatures up to 200 degrees C (for engine bays, heat shields, gearbox covers etc.).
@bloodaid: Well, the reason we're doing it for parts like this is to give them a completely genuine carbon fibre finish. As a side effect, adding 1mm of carbon fibre and resin to the outside of a part would add considerable strength but in the case of a mirror it's strong enough already so the reason for the 'skin' is cosmetic. You could use the same process to cover something very thin and light (like papier maché) then you would re-inforce the part considerably.
@dutchguywillem : This certainly depends on the temperature you're working at. We recommend an ambient temperature of 20 degrees, this is what most epoxies are designed to cure in and if it is 20 degrees you'll be at the 'tack' stage in around 4hrs. It's worth checking fairly reguarly; if you catch it just right it makes the job a lot easier!
Yes you can, although i would recommend you just use a simple laminating technique and minimise the numbers of layers of resin for weight purposes. We do stock a wide range of fabrics on our Easycomposites website including lightweight carbons and woven fibreglass often used in aero modelling,
Hi Ddizzle287,
Generally a helmet can be done in 1 peice fairly easily, the best way is to start from the crown and allow the cloth to drape from there,
Thanks for the question
Carbon Mods
@MikkoMuhis Yes, it will certainly add some strength to a fibreglass part if you add a layer of carbon fibre over the top. It is only one layer though so it's not going to be a huge increase in strength. If you want it much stronger then you could add additional layers of carbon fibre.
Hi AcryllicWonder,
We have made our kits to give you the best start possible, I wish they were around when I started! as for a steering wheel, I would say that you've picked a tricky part to skin, and a very very tricky part to mould, I would suggest starting with some simpler parts such as interior trim, where you should get great results straight away, then move onto the more complex parts as your experience builds,
Thanks for the interest, Carbon Mods
@red666A : For a set of mirrors like that, you're looking at doing them over a period of 2-3 days, of which you'll spend most of your time either waiting (for the resin to cure) or sanding and polishing. There's probably 5hrs worth of sanding and polishing in a set like that.
@F1BOY2007 : Yes, it's 200gsm we use in the kit. It's the most common weight of fabric. The weave is 2/2 twill, also the most recognisable of the carbon weaves. When you say what thickness it's made of I guess you're talking about the finished 'skin' of carbon fibre not just the fabric before it's coated in resin?) in which case the finished skin adds about 1mm or less to the part.
The fabric we're using in this video (which is included in the kit) is standard 2/2 twill, 3k carbon fibre. We do also sell a version called ProFinish which includes an almost invisible epoxy powder bonding on the reverse to make it much stiffer and easier to handle/do cut lines. For flatter parts or where you need to make neat cut-lines ProFinish is a great choice but for more contoured parts (like this mirror) then I would stick with the standard 2/2 twill and just get used to handling it.
@malibooroo : TT mirrors really are very domed and would be right at the limit of how far the weave could be distorted without the need for a cut-line. If you do need a cut-line I'd suggest using our ProFinish carbon (so that you can have a perfectly neat join-line) and doing it in two peices - this will reduce the amount of distortion needed considerably.
Hi Kapullas, yes, this is perfectly possible although sometimes the time saving that you would imagine (by not making a mould first) doesn't actually materialise because you'll spend so much longer flatting and polishing the finished part that you would if you'd taken a mould off the nice, smooth, glossy part in the first place. The other thing to consider is that a part made in this way (without a mould) would be larger than the original, unlike if you made a mould off the original first.
Hi SummerTheFuzzy, It's totaly fine to go over the top of a painted part, just sand it back a bit so that the basecoat bonds properly to... simple!
Hi ReALiT22,
It's fine upto 80deg C (176F) We are currently developing an 'engine bay' version of the kit that will take much higher temperatures. Thanks for the question.
Been skinning quite a few years, also thanks to the clip which got me started back then .. but as I look at it now, I can't help to feel a little annoyed. If you look at these parts you can clearly still see marks and pits in them..which would all be solved if they wouldn't advise people to use a rattlecan to apply clearcoat. Use real clear laquer applied either by yourself or by a pro with a regular spraygun and it will look so much nicer. I've skinned parts for some high end vehicles for which those specific parts were not available in CF .. If I handed over the parts like this .. ppl wouldn't come back at all :-) Props on the sanding and applying resin though, can't go better than this :-)
Johan DeWilde Hey man what's your email I want you to skin some parts for me
Mohammad Al-midani
johandewilde28@gmail.com
+Johan DeWilde
It's not the clear coat that has caused the pitting its the carbon fiber material not contacting totally with the piece he's skimming allowing the resin to fill the void left and not to sit on top of the carbon material giving it a mirror finish, this can be avoided using vaccuum bagging or "rolling" the carbon material after applying to the piece. I skim then coat with 3 coats of hard resin allowing to dry by ir between coats then wet sand with 1200 grit then hit it with 2k clear laquare- theres no need to spend hours polishing if you use 2k clear coats.
@wayakuza111 No, you can't I'm afraid. The carbon effect vinyls are generally cast PVC which is very difficult to bond to plus when it gets coated in resin the resin fills the texture of the carbon pattern and it actually stops looking like carbon fibre. If you're going to the trouble of the rest of its, why not just use carbon inside and get the proper genuine appearance!
Hi DaveVU2,
There is no real way to soften epoxy far enough to reseal cracks in it, I would recommend trying laminating epoxy brushed on the area, then heat it with a heat gun to lower it's viscosity, in many cases this will allow the resin to capillary into the damage and reseal itself, you can then wipe away the resin from the surface. Thanks for the question and good-luck with the repair,
Carbon Mods
If you use epoxy resin (like we do in the video) to skin the part then it would be a good idea to use a 2k lacquer over the top of the part to provide UV protection to parts that will spend a long time in the sun. An epoxy gelcoat wouldn't be necessary because it wouldn't actually add this protection. An alternative (really when making parts, not when skinning them) is to use an epoxy compatible polyester gelcoat like GC50 - this provides UV stability to epoxy based parts.
@Saferetias: The small version of the kit (as shown) is £47 (for UK/Europe customers) or £40 if it's going out of Europe (USA for example). In USD this is about $59. We also do a large version of the kit and a bonnet/hood sized kit (with a massive 1.6m x 1.25m peice of fabric!).
@CritikylMass : Yes, you could add reinforcement to a compound bow to make it more powerful, ideally you would want to be using unidirectional carbon fibre not a biaxial woven cloth (like you see in this video) - we sell unidirectional cloth on easycomposites.co.uk - You would need to heavily 'key' the limbs with abrasive paper, wet them with epoxy, layer on the UD carbon, wetting it as you go, and then ideally you would want to squash the carbon down with something to consolodate whilst curing
@Keitho958 It gives a sticky layer for the carbon to adhere to, it also masks the part colour as the carbon has tiny holes in the weave. I also use the black (gel/epoxy coat) to paint the underside of parts afterwards. Glovebox lids for instance. Been using this stuff a while and it's very good.
@groundhabit : Well, a few things might help. The first is to skin straight over things like the button holes, not trying to go down into them and wrap it round inside - this would end up a mess. One the part is skinned you can drill through and then fettle the button holes to have nice clean sharp edges. Also, skin straight past the edges of the moulding and trim those off when it's all cured too - much neater. Also, consider using a lighter carbon fabric or maybe a 'ProFinish' fabric.
Hi faYte0607,
It's very easy to wrap around corners and curves because it's real carbon fibre and not vinyl. the weave can move freely against itself this allows it to conform around complex curves, unlike vinyl which can often wrinkle where there is an excess.
Thanks for the question, Carbon Mods
@lolligheidddd : Yes, metal is a good starting point. Make sure it's keyed up well. We haven't seen any problems with skinned metal parts.
@oldhpirs4 : It depends on how difficult the parts you try to make are. Really detailed or intricate parts with lots of tight corners can be very difficult or even impossible to skin (or replicate completely) in carbon without at least a bit more equipment. If it's simpler shapes or items then it's perfectly possible to do a good job of making these even as an enthusiastic beginner.
At first I was thinking it will be an awful result but in fact that's great job !
@mlinecomposites1 : Precisely. If people want to make the part out of carbon fibre (not just skin it) then we have our mould making kit and laminating kit. If they want to go further than that and make some pretty high-end light weight parts then we have our full resin infusion kit too.
Hi MIAStrat, The Resin used for the top-coat is a very UV stable one... obviously no epoxy is 100% UV stable, however we have never experienced or known of anyone who has experienced problems using our system. I hope this helps.
@Bonerific0 : Rear diffusers are a tricky shape, either to skin (like in this video) or to actually make. Our advice for skinning would be to use ProFinish carbon (see our website) so that you can make all of the fins and flat parts up in separate sections. This way you won't struggle with the massive weave distortion that would be neccessary to get the fibre into and out of the fins and back onto the flat sections (if possible at all). With lacquer over the top you won't see the joins.
@thmisaac : We actually sell a 'bonnet/hood skinning kit' specially for skinning a car hood. That kit includes a piece of fabric that's about 5' x 4'. If that's not big enough then yes, we sell everything separately and can make a kit up to any size you need. The hood kit includes instructions for skinning a hood with lots of tips and a video on the way!
@summitsvift : It's the 'Carbon Fibre Skinnin Starter Kit'. We also have the special 'High Temp' version and also a 'Large' version. They're all listed in the 'Carbon Fibre Kits' category.
Very nice tip!!! without mould is a very nice product/result. Congratulation for the idea!
@ibanezrg2550 : I'm not sure because epoxies can be very different from eachother. All I can say is that if you've got those materials already then it can't hurt to try. Our carbon cloth is good quality fabric that wets out well but otherwise is it's normal cloth so you carbon should be fine. The epoxy resin we use has some quite special properties that many epoxies don't have so that's where your probelm (if you have one) could be.
@turboboost27 : The kit is £39+VAT (if you lice in Europe). You wouldn't pay the VAT if you don't so it would just be the £39 (which is about $57 US. The High Temp version (I mentioned above) is a little more. Also we have a Large version of the kit which has a peice of carbon that's 1sqm (3' x 3') and an even larger one for skinning bonnets/hoods (over 5' x 4'). Check our site for all the prices on those.
With some shapes it is a good trick to wrap the skinned object in tight fitting glad wrap. Glad wrap does not stick to epoxy. When the epoxy is dry, the glad warp is removed,, and the object has a beautiful smooth finish.
Sounds like a good idea. Has anybody else used this method?
Shrink wrap works good to.
Hi Buhrrito,
To make a hood/fender you could do either, in fact we are just about to launch a video showing this exact process on a hood/bonnet, as for what the pros do; for a complete one off this skinning process is normally used, however for mass production moulds would be made and the parts would be moulded, check out our other videos for info on this.
Thanks for the question. Carbon Mods
@9kevin : Yes, there's no reason why you couldn't just start laminating straight onto the outside of the foam bike frame pattern. The basecoat is special because (a) it's black and (b) it stays tacky for a long time making it perfect for the careful positioning of the carbon for a single skin. What you'll be doing it wrapping many layers of carbon around the frame making the black nature of the basecoat and the tackiness unneccessary.
Go to easycomposites.co.uk. In their carbon fiber section they have all of your standard twills, weights, and weave sizes. if you scroll down a bit you'll see one of the options with a blue "PROFINISH" on it. That's what you want. It comes slightly pre-infused with resin. It won't separate or fray when it's being formed to a mold or cut (unless you're really rough with it). Also, try using carbon fiber shears because they won't pull when your cutting. Good luck!
Thank you so much for your time, I took a look on your web site and it looks like I am going to buy the carbon fiber cloth and the epoxy as well... thank you !!!!!!!!!
@tuner1gti : Yes, there is a full text guide which goes into even more detail than the video does. We're all about sharing the information though and you can download this text guide for free from our website before you even buy the kit. Just go to our site, find the kit and the instructions can be downloaded from that page.
Hi Low402,
People use this method for skinning hoods all the time, the kit here isn't big enough to do one, but you can get all of the materials in larger quantities on our website. Thanks for the Question,
Carbon Mods
We've got quite a few different weave patterns available, especially on our Easy Composites website. These include the new 'giant print' spread weave carbons, plain weave, twill (like you see here) and others. Nothing I'd describe as a hexagon print but a huge range nonetheless.
depends on the part and how long you are prepared to spend working on the part. Both can achieve a great finish (as seen in the video).
@TheWhoTheWhereTheHow: The fabric itself is about 0.3mm. When you use it in this skinning process then the fabric and the resin together add about 1mm.
@carbonmods
thanks for your replay I was checking my inbox everyday so you finally did it. lol. This is what I am doing, I have the core already, I am planning to put a light coat of fiber glass to add some stiffness, My dilemma is that I work for a paint company that also make industrial epoxy coatings for water tanks and Disney parks. I have 50% off for every item, including epoxy coatings, but the company does not make epoxy resin, which apparently is the best glue for carbon fiber and...
This type of technic does add some added strength to the part you are covering as well as good looks. It all depends on your application more fiber in different directions usually adds stiffness and strength.
@Lazethakid : Yes, there's no reason why you can't do this. Composites hoods could be made in a variety of ways using a variety of materials and the closer those materials are to the 'skin' you add the better but even if it's a different resin system (polyester for example) then it should still bond well and give a new lease of life to your faded C/F hood.
In the video a simple off the shelf rattle can automotive lacquer was used. In an ideal world a 2 pack lacquer would be used as they have a better UV resistance than rattle can products, however this is not always financially viable or practical for smaller parts.
@AZURA888 : Lacquer (clear coat) out of a spray-can is not very tough and can flake off over time. A 2K lacquer (a 2 pack with the paint and a separate hardener) is much tougher (and better) and is unlikely to fail over time so if you have spray facilities or a local sprayshot that will drop the lacquer for you then that would be the ideal option.
Hi again faYte0607,
It's normally very straight-forward normally you would leave the carbon 'bridging' over the hole and then trim it out after the first coat of top-coat. I hope this helps,
Carbon Mods
if your worried about thickness, choose the thinnest TWILL WEAVE carbon fiber sheet you can find (twill weave looks better than plain weave). Plan on the final product being at least twice as thick as the actual sheet. If you use 1/2 mm sheet, expect the final thickness to be more than a millimeter.
Both the fuel door and the hood should provide more than enough extra space to accomodate for this slight change.
@gsxr1300fan123 : Everything is harder the first time you try it and skinning with carbon fibre is no exception. What we normally suggest is that you have a practice run on something small and insignificant so you can learn the technique and make any mistakes on that trail run before wasting time/material making a mistake on a larger part. I don't think a motorcycle helmet would be particularly difficult but like I say, start small first!
Hi Dipacalypse,
You could use the topcoat on a prepreg part, however you would probably be better having it lacquered/clear coated, using a good quality automotive system. any decent spray-shop should be able to do this for you. Hope this helps,
Carbon Mods
this video is absolutely amazing!!
a fuckin fello in my class was really irritatin me like hell dat there is 1ly 1 person in chennai(india) who does carbon fibre kits, but thanx 2 u coz i've planned 2 start a garaga of my own n gonna start makin coool custom body kits!!!
MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!
@psasmh1 : Adding a layer of real carbon fibre to the outside of a part will certainly add some strength to the part. If you wanted to add more strength (as much as you want really) you could just add extra layers of carbon. This would be great if you were using this process to add a layer of carbon onto the outside of part you'd shaped yourself out of foam for example.
@tukajjelos : Well, technically the carbon fibre (and the resin we use) are exactly the same as the carbon fibre and resin used to make carbon fibre parts (rather than cover parts in carbon fibre) and so yes, it's just as strong. When you 'skin' something you're only adding a single layer of reinforcement though, whereas if you were laminating a carbon part you would use probably 6 layers of a 200g cloth like this one.
Yeah I get you. Sometimes it's hard for a beginner for things the first time. It can definitely be done it just depends on how long it's gonna take to get done. I myself don't like making overlays because it takes to long. I would rather make a mold for the part to be made out of. This calls for a more accurate part, but I understand this is for someone who's just starting out.
@brutussteel : Wrapping something with a layer of carbon fibre and epoxy will certainly add strength and durability to whatever is wrapped inside, yes.
If your covering a part, that for whatever reason requires the carbon fibre cloth to be cut so that it will lie properly, how would you go about making the seam invisible? Also, is there a specific tool to cut the carbon fibre cloth properly? Or will any old pair of household scissors do? THANKS!! I also like that your videos are short, succinct, and to the point. Thanks again
Oh! The EasyComposites guy!
Instead of using a clear coat, you can use a small amount of alcohol and resin and wipe it on and it will create a clear shine. But the resin needs to be thinned out a bit. It's what I would do for carbon bits for the race car I worked on