Custom RC8T carbon fiber chassis question.

[MetalMan]

Originally Posted by pb4ugo

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.

Man, thanks for the inspiration . Any future carbon-fiber chassis I make will be your fault . Granted it helps that I have laid carbon fiber and fiberglass before with great success, but with the FoodSaver idea this will enable me to do it at home.

I'm imagining laying a carbon fiber chassis with the desired front kick-up, built-in mud/dirt guards, and built-in battery holder. A mock-up chassis would be used that would already have these features, possibly made using 1/8" thick polycarbonate (which would be way too flexible to use as a chassis).

But to be realistic, if I (or anyone else) were to do this, there are some things I would like to know:
-what drill bit material or coating would be best for drilling? I have dulled standard high speed steel and TiN coated drill bits on softer composites than carbon fiber.
-What's the best way to cut/shape the piece after it's done curing? I would normally use my scroll saw, but those blades were made for wood and are dull after cutting only 3 inches of 1/8" CF.
-Which CF cloth to get? I've been looking here:
http://www.shopmaninc.com/carbonpage.html
The 11oz. two twill fabric has caught my eye, and would require 7-8 layers to give the desired thickness. Is this what I should be looking at?

[lutach]

Originally Posted by MetalMan

Man, thanks for the inspiration . Any future carbon-fiber chassis I make will be your fault . Granted it helps that I have laid carbon fiber and fiberglass before with great success, but with the FoodSaver idea this will enable me to do it at home.

I'm imagining laying a carbon fiber chassis with the desired front kick-up, built-in mud/dirt guards, and built-in battery holder. A mock-up chassis would be used that would already have these features, possibly made using 1/8" thick polycarbonate (which would be way too flexible to use as a chassis).

But to be realistic, if I (or anyone else) were to do this, there are some things I would like to know:
-what drill bit material or coating would be best for drilling? I have dulled standard high speed steel and TiN coated drill bits on softer composites than carbon fiber.
-What's the best way to cut/shape the piece after it's done curing? I would normally use my scroll saw, but those blades were made for wood and are dull after cutting only 3 inches of 1/8" CF.
-Which CF cloth to get? I've been looking here:
http://www.shopmaninc.com/carbonpage.html
The 11oz. two twill fabric has caught my eye, and would require 7-8 layers to give the desired thickness. Is this what I should be looking at?

Carbibe drill bits are best suited to drill carbon fiber. I've seen most carbon fiber sheets be cut with a band saw. Cheap CF cloth can be found in ebay.

[pb4ugo]

Originally Posted by MetalMan

Man, thanks for the inspiration . Any future carbon-fiber chassis I make will be your fault . Granted it helps that I have laid carbon fiber and fiberglass before with great success, but with the FoodSaver idea this will enable me to do it at home.

I'm imagining laying a carbon fiber chassis with the desired front kick-up, built-in mud/dirt guards, and built-in battery holder. A mock-up chassis would be used that would already have these features, possibly made using 1/8" thick polycarbonate (which would be way too flexible to use as a chassis).

But to be realistic, if I (or anyone else) were to do this, there are some things I would like to know:
-what drill bit material or coating would be best for drilling? I have dulled standard high speed steel and TiN coated drill bits on softer composites than carbon fiber.
-What's the best way to cut/shape the piece after it's done curing? I would normally use my scroll saw, but those blades were made for wood and are dull after cutting only 3 inches of 1/8" CF.
-Which CF cloth to get? I've been looking here:
http://www.shopmaninc.com/carbonpage.html
The 11oz. two twill fabric has caught my eye, and would require 7-8 layers to give the desired thickness. Is this what I should be looking at?

Those plans sound similar to many of mine! The norm to work on CF is carbide like Lutach said. Dave at DA Graphite actually recommended cobalt bits with a higher helix angle than the standard. I haven't had trouble at all using a center drill followed by carbide standard point drills.