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General Composites Discussions Showcase
#1

I have not seen much new composite struggles on the thread in a while. I’ll have a go at what’s been going on in my garage.

some of you know I work on race cars. I do it alone, in my small 2 car garage with equipment I’ve built, copied, modified because I don’t have a big budget. The important thing is to make it light.

I hope this thread inspires all of you starting out and beating your head against the wall.

I have learned most of what I know lurking here and applying it the best I can. I only watched one video of Infusion before my first attempt. (this is not the 1st.)

the challenge: build a carbon fiber nose for a Carbir
the Tool:


most all my stuff gets painted so I don’t worry about finish to much.

the Part:

needs a Floor:

after it’s built, it needs some aero work installed (have not co-bonded them in yet
louvers:


This thing was a bugger to bag, that requires a lot of patience
the ply schedule was 2 plies 5.7 PW soric plus 1 ply 5.7 the floor was 3 Plies 5.7 soric 1 ply 5.7
it has 2 vertical bulkheads supporting it made 1 ply 5.7 foam core 1 ply 5.7
PTM&W 2712 AB
used airtac 2 to hold the plies in.

the little wood thing came yesterday UPS unfinished. I usually build all my own masters and molds as needed

Words from Werksberg: Don’t give up!

#2

Great job!

#3

Looks amazing!

#4

Very nice Tom, about how much does a front end like that weigh?

#5

19 lbs. without the louvers installed

I could have shaved off more, the soric goes all the way to the returns.

#6

today, a day of mud
airbox for a 2L. Mazda powered VanDieman P2


I use a 2k primer wet sanded and buffed/polished for the tool.
this pic shows how it mounts

#7

Very nice. Like the air box. I always enjoy your post so please keep them coming. I mainly deal with classic Mini parts and am making my first full carbon shell so I definitely like to see what others are doing.

#8

It’s really awesome to see some fresh work.

#9

installing the fender louver/vent
I plot the location, use a silver marker to outline the bondline.
I use cleco’s to hold in position. then using a 1-1/2" disc to scarf down the plies.


#10

Some awesome work. Are you saying you went from nothing to straight infusion!

#11

hope this answers your question

I’m saying that all the infusion stuff I learned here. plus many other techniques I did not have a clue of. I had done a lot of work with pre preg & wet lay up. So I kind of know how resin and fibers react.
I did spend 25 years in the composite shop with the airlines
I switched on to this board after the old board with fiberglast was runout.

this is an old pic of a 747 engine cowling metal bond repair I did around 1986 (guess)

#12

Damn fine repair Tom! I love when you post in showcase!

#13

I shot some clear on the airbox yesterday with the same HF gun that I used to shoot the gelcoat for the mold. I have been painting a long time and have some very expensive spray guns.
the HF gun is a lot of bang for the $
I almost never clear coat my stuff, maybe 4 parts total since I have been doing this stuff. I had some cosmetic flaws that needed to be camouflaged.

I will wet sand/buff today and ship tomorrow. it will be on a car running in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Laguna Seca in October.


#14

Looks great. I’d love to do lots of stuff like that but a mixture of too many projects already and laziness means I will probably never get around to it. :frowning:

#15

it fit!

#16

Wow Tom, that is some seriously cool work you’ve done there! My brother and I are just starting out on what will hopefully be a similar path to you, just minus the 25years of composite shop experience… Hoping to catch up with you some day, but it’ll be a long road I think!!

#17

great work!

What resin did you infuse with? Did you post cure?

#18

He used.

PTM&W 2712 AB also known as Aeropoxy
http://www.ptm-w.com/index.asp?pgid=180

#19

Great thanks!

So you had no problems infusing that size in <70min with degassing first etc? Esp with a 320cps viscosity?
Any insight as far as how everything was set up before infusion, flow pattern, material etc?

I always try to have the longest gel time available, I’ve had nightmare infusions a few times where things gel partly due to the resin viscosity/gel time characteristics… I would love to learn what techniques/tricks were used.

Thanks!

#20

Hi guys-
I’ve been on the road for a while and busy with a few cars for the National.
just got back last night from the last race of the season.
Now it gets real busy.

the airbox was done wet bagged with PTM&W 2050. I use 2712 for all the big stuff.
By the way the airbox car took 2nd. at the National. He came in 1st. but got busted back for passing under yellow. (it happens)

I finished this car last month. I did it years ago for the wife of a friend of mine. (made a scoop too) This time I fitted it a lot better, fixed up a used nose and squirted it in back of my garage.
She took to the track with it this last weekend.

I widened the tail a bit for better tire clearance. Did a lot of upgrades, & closed up the shut lines by cutting and moving the edges closer. I wanted it to look like credit card slots

I will get back here soon, shop is a disaster