Quote:
Originally Posted by MetalMan
But to lay carbon fiber you at least need a strong vacuum pump, and even better would be an autoclave. A vacuum pump wouldn't be too hard to come by, but then other materials would be needed - vacuum bag material, thick rubber adhesive tape to seal the bag, mylar, wax for the mylar, and of course the carbon fiber cloth and epoxy resin. Two identical pieces of aluminum or some other metal with the kickup angle would be placed on both sides of the carbon fiber cloth, and clamped together to make the desired shape.
Mr Constructor in Germany has done a lot of 7075/carbon fiber integration. I will try to find his website and post it later after I get home from work.
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Using a FoodSaver for vacuum bagging CF works very well. FoodSavers can be bought brand new for $100 and at a yard sale for $10. Use a wood (for ease of shaping) form for the angle and finish it nicely with poly and mold release wax. Lay it up on top in quasi-iso orientation, use some peel ply and cotton batting on top for the excess resin and insert in double sealed FoodSaver bag. Draw the vacuum and double seal the other end. Surely not as good as pre-preg in an autoclave, but leaps and bounds better than a wet cure and only a shade behind a professional vacuum bagged set up.