How would you do it?

General Composites Discussions Composites Talk
#1

I have a not so cheap plastic gauge cluster dash that I would like to replicate out of CF or a mix CF/Kevlar. (all for aesthetics) I has many many contours and im not sure how I should approach this. I have done a few things in the past with CF and know that with this many contours im likely to get the weave all wrinkly and bunched up. here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what im working with:






(all images were borrowed from random forums. Not sure what the deal is with the orange silicone, but gives you an idea of what I would be working with after a female mould was made)
How would you go about recreating this dash?
Looking for suggestions, because im a bit overwhelmed

#2

Your best bet is making a template for each and every shape. That or try to group shapes and make a few templates of it all. Take some carbon, lightly spray it with super77 or some kind of adhesion that is recommended, cut from the template, and piece the entire thing. I’d say do the indents first, and then do the biggest main piece at the very last. I do this with many of our parts since some of our parts have a dozen shapes or so going in different directions, and its really the only way to get a nice looking part. If people complain, explain to them how carbon fiber is not rubber, and it will not conform infinitely with out cuts or pleats. If you do it well, they wont complain. I’ve never had anybody even notice my cuts.

#3

Also, I’m risking my neck saying this, but have you thought about just painting the rings black and having the rest in carbon fiber? If your customers expect this to cost a few hundred dollars I would not spend all that time making this entire thing in carbon.

#4

Cool Mini dashes. I specialize in Mini parts and honestly I don’t think I would try that part as it currently is. It’s really looks nice having the gauges set back with the ring around them but I would recommend at least flush mounting the gauges and then you can add individual rings around the gauges after the gauge is installed.
I’d definitely like to see how this turns out.

#5

Here is three different ways how I would approach it.

I would break it up like 2talljohn says. Where each gauge and vent hole is layered up with biaxle tubing, only because I have a lot of it, then cut after curing so it all fits together so they look like the middle gauge cluster. Just leave two cylinders for the vents Then with the bottom or flat part that is not vent or gauge lay it up like normal and cut the appropriate holes for gauges and vents. Slide in the cups for gauges and vents and adhere with some glue. You would then have to add on a layer or two of fabric over the transition areas on the vents but would only have to match the weave on the top side or use a looser weave to make it look like one piece, since the bottom would almost never be seen. For the transition area of the gauge cluster a small layer of tape would work and and if its a tight weave it would be fairly non noticeable.

  1. Make a solid block of CF that its the dash’s rough dimensions and mill it out on a CNC. It would look wicked and be simpler save for the half dozen endmills that would be run through.

  2. Pretty much the same as my #1 suggestion but throw in aluminum accents on the transition areas so that way it looks cool and hides the seems.

#6

i agree, if they aren’t paying big $ don’t make it in all cf finish.

If they did want all cf I would charge them full price for the mold cost, my time, and to make it from prepreg/oven cure. prepreg you can cut the pieces out from a template and place them nicely into the mold. That mold will never happen with a single sheet of cf. I see many pieces there needed to make it look good.

#7

I would try it with three pieces and try to do it with two separate cures. I would lay a single piece of carbon and get the majority of the dash covered as best as possible with little regard to the gauge pods. Vacuum it down and infuse. Then I woul remove it and trim out the mess that would be left from bridging of the gauge pods as neatly and as possible. Clean the mold and place the trimmed piece back in. Now you should have two holes left and right. one big and one small where you trimmed. I would neatly wet lay around the pods and patch in a good amount of material. I’d just suck it down and let it cure.

This would be my only approach because trimming templates would be time consuming and failure prone.

#8

The rubber mold surface would help with picking away the cured resin too from the mold aurface

#9

I dont think it would be that bad I’ve tackled way worse but it would be next to impossible to keep a sane mind trying to do it with one cure or trying to shoot it with one shot