hi, i was wondering how easy is it to cut fully cured cf. i will be making a part out of cf, but the i need to cut a hole in it to fit a custom light in it. i would also need to drill some holes in it too… thanks in advance
I think your best bet would be to tape off the area and then use a stepped drill bit. It gives you a little more control than a regular drill bit. The drill bit looks like a cone.
thanks that answers the drilling holes… i should have mentioned that the “hole” for the tail light is not round. so would i tape of the area and use an electric saw to get the basic shape then sand till its right?
Sounds right I would still use the tape to prevent chip out. Then use wet sand paper and work yourself to finer and finer grades. Finish with a polish, for that cleaned look. But to tell you the truth I just know the theory, I have never actually cut and sanded CF myself.
well ill have to try it and let everyone know how it goes. i already have some cf and im going to order the resin and release agents from here. so hopefully i can get everything and start working asap.
One of my composite textbooks also suggest using a bandsaw or hacksaw blade in reverse when cutting carbon fiber. Instead of using the hook side of the teeth, cut with the backside of the teeth.
I would def use carbide drill bits to get the best results. They last longer and cut cleaner. For cutting a larger hole I would use a Dremel with a carbide cone. It looks like a little Christmas tree with little burrs coming off it. This assumes the laminate is pretty compact. Voids in the laminate could cause fraying and or chipping. Tape is a great idea. Wear eye protection of course and get ready for dust. A hole saw might even work for some applications. Make sure you put the part on top of a box if your doing this freehand so you don’t have to worry about cutting into your work surface. Hope this helps.
I’ve found the best way to cut carbon is a diamond wheel with dremel.
Thanks eveyone for your input. Well I finally got my “cheap” cf in today 3 linear yards of it. Im going to use this to practice, then when I get better I have 2 linear yards of “silver” cf waiting for me.
shouldn’t the silver “cf” be cheaper than the carbon fiber?
or did you fall victim to the $50 a year fibreglast prices?
The 3 linear yards is cf “uni” I paid a total of $28 shipped and the “silver” cf I paid $33 shipped for 2 linear yards. the silver seems a little stiffer than the regular cf, but both were rated at 5.7 oz.
I’m curious as to where you pixed up 3 yards of cf for $28 shipped, unless you’re talking about a thinner strip than the typical 50"
$33 for 2 yards of the aluminized fiberglass sounds about right
why in the world do people sell this as “cf”?
Those carbide dremel bits work great as do the diamond cutoff wheels. Usually I will just pick up a pack of fiber-reinforced cutoff wheels over the diamond versions, easier to find them around here and cheaper.
Anyhow, for most of the smaller projects I use these 4-5 type of heads for the Dremel…*carbide bit, sanding drum (sm and large) and then the cut off wheel both diamond and fiberglass wheels. The long cone shaped on ein the pic is what ARW is talking about. Like 12 bucks for that bit!!! Also, only time I will use tape is if I am cutting a custom shape and then the tape is just so i can draw my guide lines. These cutting bits at a high speed leae a nice clean edge (sharp though, have to sand them, BUT NEVER FRAYED OR FUZZY)
Leo
Found it on ebay. The “uni” cf isnt the greastest quality, like I said its more for practice. The cf is 50" by 108". The “silver” is 50" by 72".