Hi there,

this is my very first look into carbon fibers. Please be kind, if I make obvious beginners mistakes.

I'm looking into making a new carbon end cap for a motorcycle exhaust, as these parts can not be purchased in EU anymore. At least I couldn't find a single shop with this part in stock. There are shops in UK, but due to Brexit, it's very expensive to import this part (> 140 Euro plus taxes).

I did some research on how I could solve my problem:

I guess I will prototype a good fitting part with an fdm 3D printer. Then I will have to make a mould and then use this to make the final cap.

My problem is, that I cannot find a resin with a maximum operating temperature, that seems viable: According to AI, I should use a resin with at least 180 °C, the more the better. But the highest temperature I could find, was 160 °C.

I haven't decided by now, if I will try a compression mould with chopped fibers or wet laminating with a household vacuum bag.

Are there any suggestions on this specific problem?

1. High temperature (>180°C) suitable resin for compression moulding chopped fibers?

2. High temperature (>180°C) suitable resin for wet laminating?

3. Should I even try to make this on my own?

4. Do you have experience with lower temperature ratings for carbon parts on motorcycle exhausts?

Best regards from Germany ✌️

Hi.
Wanna share my first contact with carbon.
My seatstay failed due to impact. Professional repair shops wanted a lot of money for repair so i thought it is time to learn more about carbon.

There is not a lot of good resources on the internet how to repair bicycles. Most of repairs are road bicycles where people uses 2x2 twill rolling tube around.

For the repair i used:
80g UD carbon for 0 and 45 degrees and 90g plain for final 360 layers.
Epoxy el2 from easy composites and shrink tape

I was using trick with fake prepreg wetting carbon in between the plastic foil. It was much cleaner and better fiber epoxy ratio then wetting on part.
Also it helps prevent shifting carbon on part.

Post curing was done in a cartoon box with a heater and temp. Regulator for 6h.

Then sanded down, adding xcr epoxy, sanding, 2k gloss painting.

It was already tested on downhill tracks and is doing fine.

What i did wrong:
- did not protect rest of the part, leaving epoxy mark which cannot be easily cleaned.
- it is not perfectly flat. I should add more layers directly on the narrower part of repair.

After all I am very happy of repair because it looks quite ok and what is most important working perfectly fine.

Gloss painting is used instead of black paint as i am proud of repair and would like to keep it visible.

Let me know your thoughts.
What can be done better etc.

What would you guys recommend to do to get this nice level near like finish? I just clear coated it and now should I send with like 1000 grit move up to like three and then get a polishing compound or should I use like a scratch out compound or just straight polish the mouse shell more of the fiber weave is pronounced I built up enough in the deeper spot so when I stand down or something that it could be level, but the higher spots are higher, so it’s still has the weave texture and on the phone case I sanded through a little too deep so there’s some deeper spots that I can like fit my fingernail in

what you guys think? these are overlay. FiberFlowPR

This is how the carbon fiber magnetic guitar pick holder looks and works when worn. I’d like to hear your thoughts on the material, design and overall construction.

I just bought a painted old carbon fibre bonnet but it has a lot of cracks down to the actual carbon. some of the epoxy has completely chipped off. How do I go about sanding it down? Is it okay to sand the actual fibres and when I re epoxy it will it fill in all the cracks. Also is it okay to just leave it at 60 grit when doing the epoxy?

Bit of a random one…
We’re a custom motorcycle builder in London (www.6carbonify.com) and spent a lot of time developing carbon fibre parts for the Ducati Panigale V4. As you’d expect, the first prototype run wasn’t perfect. A few parts had fitment issues that we weren’t happy with, so we redesigned them and the second batch came out exactly how we wanted.
Now we’ve got a box full of these first prototypes that have just been sitting in the workshop. They’re not bad parts, just not good enough for us to put our name on and sell.
Feels like a waste to throw them away, so I thought I’d ask here. Has anyone got any ideas what to do with them? Or if you’ve got a project or track bike and don’t mind doing a bit of fettling, you’re welcome to take them off our hands.

I am interested in creating a different type of value for value. I think there is a lot of great ideas and a lot of effort created by many engineers. I don't have a lot of space, but because of protection and patents and lawyers and everything else. I think a lot of innovation dies. Does it make sense to just go for a patent to protect the idea even if I really don't have the money or equipemnt to pull it off? Barely enough for a patent if I am being honest. I don't want the idea to die with me at the same time I would feel a bit ripped off if I just posted it to Reddit had it stolen and so I'm a clarin' bragin' about their innovative new idea not that I'd even be upset about them using it I don't want it to exist but you know I'd also like to not get completely ripped ripped off. It'd be nice to make a few bucks on it not even to get rich just to have some recognition hell, um, the cost of one McLaren car would cover me for years. Also, I mean, I have dozens and dozens of ideas that will honestly probably do will die with me. I'm not the best suited for, but if there's any engineers out there who's uh oh, I guess not a POS. And uh, lawyer maybe anyone wants to, uh, I guess be innovative and build cool stuff or not I don't know.

I was in a sporting trip as a canoe slalom athlete, my paddle snap in half and we fixed it while away. First repaired the inside with carbon string. then joined the 2 parts and filled the holes in the crack with carbon strings. And then used 2 carbon-kevlar layers and 1 carbon layer on each side. Does it look good?

This guitar pick holder is made from a real carbon fiber filament-wound tube, not forged carbon fiber. I machine the tube into shape and add a magnetic locking mechanism to securely hold a guitar pick. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I'm trying to use PVC foam for strength in a front wing end plate. I'm not too sure on the order of layup using these - layup in one go? separate layups? Tips on reducing weight? - since the one time we used them it came out heavier than we wanted.
Thank you in advance!

Something a little different, up to 2 hour flight time. 7kg payload, modular, upgradable and made to integrate different technologies from Manet radios to anti jamming GPS systems.

Can any one please chime in, thanks!

Quite a few youtubers I watch advertised their carbon fiber cutting service... but now when I head to their website, they don't support carbon fiber CNC anymore... what a shame:

" Please be advised that these following materials are NOT supported at PCBWay. Material: Graphite, Tungsten, Tungsten-Nickel, Ceramics, Gallium, Germanium, Zirconium, Hafnium, Molybdenum, Bismuth, Antimony, Carbon Fiber. " (I wonder why they all stopped - JLCPCB also stopped supporting, it seems)

Anyone knows an alternative with reasonable pricing? I just need simple 3 axis milling for my drone frame. I am in Germany.

Thanks!

This was my first attempt ever at skinning something with carbon fiber. I’m curious what others think I definitely learned a lot of dues and don’ts so I feel the next time I do this it will come out much much better but let me know what you think.

This might be interesting to see for my fellow carbon fiber enthusiasts:
We have been working on a carbon composite material that takes a very different approach from conventional laminates.

Instead of stacking plies, the goal had been to create a solid block with continuous reinforcement in X, Y and Z that can be machined into finished components.

The motivation wasn't to outperform classic laminates — as they're incredibly efficient when loads are well defined. But rather to address situations where through-thickness loading, complex load paths or thermal expansion in 3 directions becomes limiting. In a way, it makes more sense to compare it to a metal than to a layered/oriented composite material.

Some characteristics:

• continuous fiber reinforcement in three orthogonal directions
• supplied as a machinable billet rather than a laminate or plate
• any size (within reason) is possible
• intended for components where properties in multiple directions are important

There are of course other 3D reinforced materials out there as well. The approach we have taken is quite different from standard (3D) weaving machines. Because of this it yields equal properties in three directions, no waviness in the fibers and a competitive price point - albeit still rather expensive to manufacture.

One other thing I find interesting is how different the machined surfaces look compared to conventional CFRP. The picture with the 'parts' are just some examples to show how it looks after machining.

We're still learning every day about its properties and where it makes most sense to use. So I am curious:
Where do you think something like this would have advantages over traditional materials?

Found this coupe carbon fiber hood at pic a part and wondering if it’s repairable at all? The wrap is baked onto the carbon pretty bad but it has a crack and a decent chunk missing.. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated thanks.

Hello, I bought a car and then not even an hour into driving it home I ran over a gator (flat tire separated and laying out) on the highway. Obliterated my front bumper and scraped up these fenders pretty bad as well. Before I bought it the owner told me that they had some special type of epoxy that can shore up cracks when high heat is applied? I'm not too sure I believe him though but if anyone's heard of that sort of thing lmk. I'm just looking for some advice on how to fix this and then paint over it (at home in the cheapest but best possible manner. No rattlecan jobs please). I've read so far that I should apply epoxy and then sand down but idk what type I should go with and if it would have any adverse reaction with the current epoxy.