Thread: Carbon Fibre for Body Covering

Originally Posted by IWieldTheSpade

Hi guys,

My current build requires some carbon fibre cloth for a body covering, and I'm still researching what's on the market at the moment. Anyone have any recommendations of carbon cloth suppliers that would have suitable material for instruments? It would be helpful if they were slightly close to Sydney too.

Regards,
Miles

Hi Miles , FGI have it . They have stores Australia wide . just google it for their address.
The cloth your after would probably be 5oz twill weave or lighter , I would also suggest the use of peel ply if its an external hand layup .

Cheers Mark

Originally Posted by Mr K

Hi Miles , FGI have it . They have stores Australia wide . just google it for their address.
The cloth your after would probably be 5oz twill weave or lighter , I would also suggest the use of peel ply if its an external hand layup .

Cheers Mark

Thanks Mark, a person I know that uses it for model yacht building also recommended FGI, they seem to be the place to go to.
As for the type, I'm pretty sure I just need to stick to a standard twill cloth as I won't be using a mold. It's built like a surfboard, with foam body wings and a through neck acting like the stringer (prototype picture attached)

if you plan to cover your instrument in a layer of carbon fibre like a serf board , good luck

most carbon fibre is moulded in a reverse mould with the good side against the mould , the mould in coated with a couple of layers of clear , a layer of 0.5oz fibreglass is layered down to get rid of fine bubbles in the carbon fibre weave ( you wont see the fibre glass ) then the first of several layers of carbon cloth , then bagged up under vacuum ,you just have to polish it for a mint finish

i don't recommend covering it in carbon then coating in epoxy , but if you do heres a few tips

stretching the cloth and pinning it down with pins on then out side will work on one side , one problem is the fraying of the fibres when cut, so if you have to butt up against a line it will look like crap ,
laying glad wrap over the instrument , laying cloth and pinning down , a line of resin where the cut will be , wait 24 hours , then cut to a straight line and sand straight will work

where the fabric stretches around the complex shape it will open up and show gaps , 2 lays will be needed , and murphy states that in some places the gaps will line up , so painting the foam black first is a must ,

fibre glass resin is crap , it will leave a blue tone , any one who knows about carbon fibre will see it straight a way , its not a true epoxy , "diggers clear casting resin " is better but still not a true epoxy and way to thick ( bubbles and blue tint )

"west system 105" is good , hit it with a heat gun so it gets right into the fabric , its still a bit thick

any moisture will fog the finish , a damp brush , i spot of water on a wiped out pot , one sweat dip , even high high humidity will fog it (dont attempt over 80% humidity )

when epoxy drys it reacts with carbon dioxide and forms a film of CRAP , the stuff that cloggs sand paper , wash with detergent and scrub to remove it , if your sand paper clogs , you have not removed it all , scrub it again , if any is left on it will fog the next coat , sanding with 400 grit is fine between layers , any finer and the next layer might not grip

i think i have dribbled enough , so i hope i helped
cheers ken