Custom Carbon Fiber Cuts
 

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a good cost effective cnc shop that will make one off custom cuts from carbon fiber... they should also be willing to ship the final product... it would be great to find one that you already had some good experience with.

any help will be appreciated
Alien

A member here RyuJames has done a lot of good work with CF. I emailed back and forth with him a few times recently and he has been making various CF parts for different vehicles and selling on RC Tech. Probably could help you out with what you are looking for.

You should also try contacting Damon at Diggity Designs. He made a few custom CF parts for me not too long ago. Good quality and price. He makes CF parts for quite a few different vehicles and I know he has lots of experience. Contact info is on his website: www.diggitydesigns.com

Not trying to skirt around Mike or anything, I just didn't really think he did much work with CF. Might be worth asking him too though if you haven't already.

Hey Champ,

I actually asked Mike before making this thread, but he said he doesn't do work in carbon... so I will contact Diggity Designs and RyuJames... I'll let you know if they can help me...

Thanks man

Well, I'm still looking for some options... I attempted to make contact with the above mentioned with no luck:neutral:... I welcome other suggestions...

Alien

Are you looking for fairly simple parts like a chassis or other basically flat parts? If so, you could get a CF sheet and "machine" it pretty easily with a dremel to the shape you want. A dremel cutting wheel, side cutter bit, and sanding wheel will let you cut pretty much anything you want within reason. It's pretty easy, but a bit messy - and definitely wear a dust mask.

Well... I have done some of that before, I'm really looking for accuracy that my hands won't be giving me because of the design's intricacies...

Alien

Might be worth giving the Candyman a try, he works mainly in aluminium and plastic/delrin, so CF should be easy for him:

http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/member.php?u=162

Hmmm... that is am option... but he lives so far away!! :lol:... will shoot him a PM soon...

thanks Neil

Out of interest; did you find someone who could CNC carbon fiber?

yes I did... i spoke with four people so far... the cost is the major factor, so i am holding off for a little while... hopefully I'll get to speak with local people
soon to see if I can get a more feasible deal...

Alien

Thanks Alien. 'Same here. Found a few people but it's pricy.

hey Alien,
havent been on the forums in ages and just happened to jump on today and saw this thread.

you are pursuing a tough road for sure. i did a lot of work with carbon fiber there for a couple years and it was expensive. actually, first i coudnt find anywhere that would cut it. when i finally did find a place that was willing they didnt really want to but needed the business so they did. the results were not great. i finally took a job at a machine shop just so i could learn how to cut it myself and do it right. let me just say i know why places dont mess with it: you have to run diamond coated carbide bits which run anywhere from $60-$300 per bit and they are only good for 10 to 30 parts (depending on holes, size, etc). secondly, the carbon dust plugs up the filtration systems in CNC machines. i learned this the hard way and flooded the damn shop with coolant. lol. also, many dont like to machine it because the dust can get in the ways on the CNC and slowly work on them like sandpaper and cause friction. anyway, i still love carbon fiber and will still build with it in the future but only for special project. my typical cost, with tooling, for a 1/8 carbon chassis was probably $150. i even tried lazer cutting shops to save money but the lazers frayed the edges because it melted the epoxy around the cut. also tried waterjet but waterjet only works for 2d cutting. most chassis have recessed pockets for bulkheads and such. anyway, i encourage you to do it because it was fun and challenging but be prepared for some trial and error. hit me up if you have any questions. oh, and by the way, the end result was always worth it personally. it was hard to profit on selling my items but without doubt the carbon pieces i made always held up better, looked better, and were of course lighter and tronger.

wow... did not know it would be difficult for you guys as well... well lasers did not work for me as well... waterjets aren't available here... and the CNC machines are run by sign companies
that hates doing work other than what they are use to on a daily basis...

the search continues...

Alien

I know you said you didn't want to dremel it yourself due to the intricacy, but if you are re-creating an existing metal part, you could secure the CF to the part and use it at a cutting guide. The result should be just as accurate as the original.

Might get you by until you find your source...

Well unfortunately, I won't be replicating existing shapes, I'll be creating completely new ones... I have seen that method before in another thread on this forum... very cool actually... :yes:

been wondering if trying to build a Dremel CNC would be worth it...

[YOUTUBE]slduuXvXAuw[/YOUTUBE]

Alien

its hard to even find CF rigid sheet in the thickness I want (3mm) of the size I want. I've only found ONE seller on ebay, and its 2mm. I can do 2mm no problem. I just haven't ordered it yet. Price was good too.

What I would really like to find is someone who COULD machine it, but that is hard. I'm amazed at how hard it is to find someone to who can machine it. I hadn't realised the dust was such an issue, or that the bits could be so expensive. The dremel I have cut through the RC stuff like butter.

I'm not looking for full-on carbon fiber, the graphite impregnated stuff they use on RC's and shock towers would be fine too.

What do you guys plan tocut? I know someone who can machine CF plates. However he only has 3mm plates. Price is quite reasonable. Email me at othman.hafiz@gmail.com if you need further info.

One of my small projects is for ESC and radio mounting plates forward and aft of the center diff.

The ESC will be mounted behind the diff between the batteries. And the radio tray will be mounted forward of the center diff between the motor and the steering servo.

the ESC tray needs to be 45x140mm. It would extend from the center diff to the rear bulkhead, tying them together for extra rigidity.

The radio tray would extend from the center diff bulkhead to the front steering brace.

Essentially tying the entire chassis together like a double decker chassis.

These would just be flat rigid plates in 3mm. Nothing super special.

See below pic.

http://home.comcast.net/~thirdgen89g...crt_plates.jpg

Forgot to mention that this guy would need a CAD file in order for him to cnc machine the parts. You can use google sketch..

I've got 3mm & the machining capacity however I'm aslo in Australia

The shapes you want are very basic & if you use a cutting guide (like an aluminium strip clamped onto the CF to form a straight edge) with a Dremel you will get a high quality cut & finish. Just do everything you can to keep the dust down & out of your lungs!

where I get 3mm http://www.fullforcerc.com/Carbon.htm

I use a wet tile saw for as many cuts as I can. It pretty much eliminates dust.

Simple shapes are cut easily with a cutoff wheel and finished with sandpaper... so, you shouldn't have much of challenge Thirdgen...
I am not sure if the options below are cheap, but I am considering them...

2.6mm - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Fiber...item19cc68fdc4

4.4mm - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Fiber...item1c22878760

3.5mm - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Fiber...item1c22878728

Alien

The 3.5mm one would be GREAT for a chassis build. 12" by 24" is definitely big enough to machine a chassis in its entirety.

I ended up buying a smaller section last night in 2mm. Its not thick enough to be a structural part, but it should be rigid enough with support to be a ESC or Radio Tray. Was also only $17 shipped.

Finally arrived. Took a while to ship from the UK, there is definitely PLENTY of material here to make my center diff brace extensions to the front/rear of the truck. And its exceedingly rigid. I don't want to test its flexibility yet. Hopefully with the strut mounts I add below it won't have the opportunity as i imagine it would crack. Thankfully I'm not using it in that fashion.

Looks like they sent me a 3mm version I think. I'll have to measure it at home with the calipers.

http://gallery.me.com/thirdgen89gta/...13279466560001

http://gallery.me.com/thirdgen89gta/...13279466580001