Moderator Snakebite68 Posted July 27, 2023 Moderator Share Posted July 27, 2023 So, as you all know, getting plastics for older bikes is a nightmare... I've been contemplating having a go at manufacturing some for my Thunderace. The obvious easy option is to go for Fibreglass, but, meh, it's tacky and quite heavy. The super expensive option is to create injection moulding equipment, but, we all know that's not going to happen! So what's left is Carbon Fibre... With the little I know about CF so far, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages to CF. But I'm interested in discussing it with anyone with a bit of knowledge... Questions/observations currently include: 1/ There are two types (as far as I can tell), one that requires an autoclave and one that doesn't. Which would be best? 2/ How the hell do you get the various metal fixings into the damn mould? lol 3/ Could I build my own autoclave? 4/ Does either type of CF shrink as they cure? 5/ What else aren't I asking? Discuss..! I figure this Thread is either going to get no interest at all, or is going to snowball... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE0 Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 (edited) Hi Snake, I can't imagine this snowballing as so few post these days! You seem to be the exception bud! Having said that at least with this post it's gone past "the no interest at all"! As regards to the AutoClave, we use them in hospitals to sterilize the instruments. They are big steam ovens and they are huge! if you're building one? it would have to be big enough to hold the largest part you want to make! and you'd have to generate enough constant steam for the curing process of carbon fibre! (sterilising instruments is a 2 hour cycle) I don't know the time you'd need for CF. ....then there's the plumbing!! ..........I can't imagine building a home one to be honest having said that...you tube is your friend and it looks like someone has done just that!!! If this is what you propose...then presumably you're considerably richer than me!!! ...I'm thinking maybe is there a service which can produce CF parts from your design type place? You could design the part in 3D with Autocad and send it off to a company which would produce your bespoke design.... or They can design the part and produce the part. Either way it doesn't sound like a cheap service , hence why i guess you've been contemplating a DIY approach. I do know of someone that builds all sorts of things out of CF, including submarines ....but I haven't heard from him in a while! Which brings us back to Glasfibre and mould making , the obvious easy option! but also the tried and tested methods of custom car builders for the past 50 years! afterall ANY part can be fabricated using this method. Edited July 28, 2023 by NE0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Snakebite68 Posted July 28, 2023 Author Moderator Share Posted July 28, 2023 Yeah, I'm a bit of a reformed spammer... lol Fibreglass is just too heavy. There's gotta be a way to use CF! I wonder if there's any reasonably priced courses available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted July 28, 2023 Moderator Share Posted July 28, 2023 i thought you need a vacuum to fix the Carbon and glue to each other. you don't want delimitation as that weakens the product. I think autoclave might just for speeding things along Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Snakebite68 Posted July 29, 2023 Author Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2023 I think they go into a vacuum bag, then the autoclave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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