Carbon fiber without Vacum?

ESK8 Mechanics
21

do you have a tip on where to get the stuff to get started?

22

roarocket.com

23

I get my stuff from http://www.carbonfiber.com.au/ and vacuum bags I get from the dollar store or ebay in bulk

24

You need a vacuum!!

Without that, process will make you mad as hell, because corners will not stick. I recommend my style- I call it “GHETTO VACUUMING”! So items you need is:

  1. Vacuum bag for cloth storage- they cost about 3-5$ it is strong bag with zip and hole for sucking out air (it has membrane inside, so air coming only out) . just choose right size of the bag.

  2. Vacuum cleaner.

So that’s it, I invented this for myself, didn’t find this style anywhere :slight_smile: And it works! First time when I heard word vacuum for carbon part making, the first thing that came in my mind was vacuum bags for cloth storage. My girlfriend is using them to save space in closet for winter clothes.

I made my enclosure and board as well with this style.

So process is:apply resin on your mold than apply cloth then again resin and so on. When you finish- just put your detail with mold in vacuum bag, press air out, close zip, connect to vacuum cleaner and suck out rest air, close hole with lid and wait 24h, and you done!! :wink:

One thing- outside of part what touches bag will have pressed out resin bumps in bag form, but you can sand it or probably you can use peel ply between part and bag. I heard that there is some kind of peel ply that sucks all not needed resin in, after you just peel that ply off and you end up with surface clean without deformation, but it will look like sanded, so not glossy. But I didn’t try that because didn’t know that peel ply exists!

This GHETTO VACUUMING works and it presses a hell out of that part in mold- So you end up with precise and stronger part due to compressing and less resin in your product!

One tip: Use resin as little as possible, just to soak the cloth!!! More resin you use- Uglier and Weaker part will be. When you mixing resin use same weight as cloth you are going to use.

So about 5$ you can get GHETTO VACUUMING system at home, isn’t it great! And you can use that bag over and over again!!! :wink:

So photos, because maybe you won’t believe me :slight_smile: :

DSC_0192.JPG4288×2848 2.68 MB
<img src=“https://esk8content.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/db2454/original/3X/b/f/bfc91920b017fadbb61fb5b6d1f5801da920f1d4.JPG” wid
DSC_1325 (2).JPG1513×2272 1.01 MB
DSC_1329.JPG3430×2278 2.14 MB
DSC_1326.JPG1512×2278 1.01 MB
th=“690” height=“458”>
DSC_0194.JPG3430×2278 1.88 MB
DSC_0066.JPG4288×2848 2.8 MB
DSC_0095.JPG3430×2278 1.89 MB
DSC_0232.JPG4288×2848 2.92 MB
DSC_0215 (2).JPG4288×2848 2.81 MB
DSC_0259 (2).JPG4288×2848 2.86 MB
DSC_0202 (2).JPG2848×4288 2.73 MB
DSC_0251 (2).JPG3430×2278 1.94 MB
DSC_0092.JPG2848×4288 2.87 MB
DSC_1491.JPG1512×2278 956 KB

13 Likes
25

why is it that the resin does not stick to the bag and “destoys” it this way? I would have thought that the hardened resin will cause the bag to be unusable afterwards.

26

@ninja This looks really good! Making me re-evaluate 3d printing an enclosure.

I have some questions :

  • Does the bag stay ‘stuck’ to the resin, and is embedded on the outside of the tray ?
  • Do you use anything to make sure it peels off the mold ?
  • What kind of epoxy resin did you use ?
27

Bag stays and presses your cloth to mold all the time till it cures, but later you super easy peel bag off, it will not bond to resin:)

I use only mold wax on the mold, so only to get carbon part off mold, bag will never ever stick to rsin.

I use epoxy resin, i have 3 type at my local store 1)cheaper and 2)two times expensive one and 3)super clear finish,self leveling + UV resistant, so i used expensive one, because it more durable,clearer… better quality. After i took a carbon part out of mold- I sanded it and then applied that finish, self leveling resin, sanded again applied again- so need to repeat that till everything is smooth in level. That other resin is not UV resistant so anyway i needed to protect my part from UV yellowing. Last step is buffering to get it super glossy and clear.

1 Like
28

It never sticks to bag and bag stays like new even after several times, so use it again with no problem! :wink:

29

I have been “ghetto vacuuming” for years now. except I call it “vacuum bagging”. the plastic wont stick to carbon fibre it just peels off, although I never use the same bag twice. they develop leaks…

also I use a jar in between my bag and pump. so that you don’t suck resin up and ruin your vacuum.

1 Like
30

I used one bag for 6 times now, it looks like new, it is very thick! :wink:

But of course it can be leaks as well, but even then just close holes with some tape and you are done :slight_smile:

Visually I watch if resin is coming close to sucking hole, for me it never gets close to it! It’s very easy to see where resin is moving! I use vacuum cleaner only for 10 sec I guess, I take it off and rest job is doing by itself. Since there is vacuum, resin still slowly moves away by bag grooves, sometimes I help with my fingers to pull out more resin. As I press with fingers towards grooves I can see a lot of resin mowing away from my carbon part.

1 Like
31

What did you lay in for the grooves that will hold the led strips. I love the integrated led design. :battery::flashlight::sunglasses:

32

I will be ghetto bagging then :wink: I’ve bought the carbon and just need the epoxy now - what kind of stuff should I search for?

Edit: Am I right in assuming I could use this epoxy: http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/resin-gel-silicone-adhesive/epoxy-resin/epoxy-infusion-resin.html and this hardener: http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/resin-gel-silicone-adhesive/epoxy-resin/at30-epoxy-resin-hardener-fast-or-slow.html ?

33

Use this for laminating http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/resin-gel-silicone-adhesive/epoxy-resin/EL2-epoxy-laminating-resin.html , that you showed is for infusion.

And use this for coating http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/resin-gel-silicone-adhesive/epoxy-resin/GlassCast-Clear-Epoxy-Surface-Coating-Resin.html

You don’t need to buy hardener, because it is already added in tke kit :wink:

34

I will be making a thread in next two days how I rebuild my build , maybe tonight :slight_smile:

Info will be there with pictures and explanations :wink:

1 Like
35

Regarding the epoxy/resin and hardener: Ordering to Switzerland is so damn expensive for me - What can I search for on the local market?

36

Look: for 1) epoxy resin and if you want protect it from UV (so that does not getting yellow afterwards) get also 2) coating epoxy with UV protection

37

I just want to say from all the great and cool things I’ve learned in this forum so far this Ghetto Vacuuming just blows my mind. I am new here and I’m just learning how to build my own board and here I was thinking I would need crazy expensive material to do some of those amazing looking carbon laminates. If you could make a proper guide with video or images and where to get these materials I would be in your debt. I know the epoxy material I can get local and should be easy to find. My question is which type of carbon cloth do I need and where to get such a thing.

38

@ninja looking forward to a detailed build !

I’m all about the ghetto-solutions that look great in the end.

39

@ninja Yes please a tutorial would be amazing! After looking at so many amazing builds using vacuum pumps from the likes of @whitepony, @mastercho, @unik and many many others I was almost resigned to the fact that I would never be able to do that without buying some really expensive gear. If you made a tutorial for this I’m sure many members would hugely benefit from it :slight_smile:

1 Like
40

Anyone know where we can get the material in the US? Ive done this kind of molding before for insulation work and i have been wanting to try it for myself just need the material lol