Carbon Fiber chair

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#1

I’m looking for something idle to make myself. It’s either this or a suit of life sized carbon fiber plate armor, (I’m thinking something classy like the Japanese Lacquered armor meets high tech). Anyway tangents aside, how thick would you recommend I make a chair? I was thinking either a regular core material, or a fiberglass core to save a bit on cost.

It’s going to be a large gradually curved shape (in a general shape of my back as a single flowing part, maybe a center design cut out for looks). I’m not sure how thick I need to make the back/seat. The legs would be made from metal and screwed through the top of the seat (4).

I think back to myself of a time when I nearly impaled myself on a folding chair and now imagine 30 thousand carbon needles rubbing against my skin if I do it poorly…

I’m an average guy, about 170 but I’d like something to hold ~300 just in case my gf blows up. (she’s ~100lbs… busted, but I do have a friend that’s 250s and I wouldn’t put it past him to sit in the chair)

#2

I am about to do something like this, and have figured at least a 1/4" min for most sections. If you are adding legs, you might want to go up in layers around the mounting points. Might be hit or miss until yu have one chair to know what you need for the next.
As for adding a core, try a 1/4" core and 6 skin layers. If your shape is a nice compound curve, you will gain strength from the shape, as well as the actual thickness.

#3

This article may be of interest to you guys

http://www.carbonfibergear.com/making-of-sir-james-dysons-custom-carbon-fiber-furniture-set/

#4

That’s awesome. How do they make the hinges in the chair?

#5

wouldn’t want to be the first one to sit on the carbon beach chair after a long day of baking in the hot sun!

#6

Why not? You know for sure the epoxy had a thorough postcure…

I once made some deck parts of my sailboat in carbon. Bad idea…

#7

Because it’d burn your bum. :smiley:

I’d be interested in knowing how to build strength in the curved radii of the edges of both the chairs and side tables. I have kids, so at some point everything is a chair. Ha!

I’ve been thinking about building a coffee table out of glass, stainless, and carbon, so strength is a huge factor.

#8

Just make the corners single skin. The pictured chairs have Soric in the laminate. But I guess the corners are single skin as well.

#9

Link to Nicolas spens website for some more chairs tables etc

http://nicholasspens.co.uk/sub_gallery.php?gallery_id=2&gallery_name=Carbon