How to make your self a Carbon Fiber front fender

[ebrabaek]

So I`m at it again.....But this time I thought that I go a little more in depth with techniques a little more advanced.....Well....Perhaps not more advanced....but a little more informative for the advanced user. I made the first front fender a couple of years back, and all thought it have served me well, and beside a few scratches it still looks good. Only thing it doesn`t look cool, and boy when it rains..... :bonk: .......

So it begins......With a doner front sm fender....cutesy of my great friend Brian....(aspencop129).....It has now started.

When you take on a new project it would serve you well to give the piece your gonna mold from a good look over. Any sharp corners....edges.... will need extra attention...to get the fiber to conform. There are days a vacuum setup would be nice......But a few tricks to be discussed a bit later will deal with this.

First you need to build a sturdy base somehow..... It is no fun to stand and poke at the piece with the brush or roller...and see it fall on it`s side.....

Then the waxing.....Plastic you only need to give 2 layers of wax.....Then for good measure I used a light coat of mold release....Which is really not necessary....On the plastic......That is.

Then I covered the holes with aluminum tape. If you don`t there will be resin filling the holes....and it will be hard to pull off the mold....

Mind the scratches on the front part of the fender......Rather than fill them now....We will deal with that issue in the mold in the next few days.....

Then brush on the first layer of resin......I will be using polyester.....But if you ride a lot off road in the forest epoxy will be a better choice.....

Don`t be alarmed of the uneven resin......What you don`t want to do is brush it over and over.....One layer....and let dry till tacky....

Then add another layer......

Again....see how the resin is now even more uneven....

The as soon as it has dried to a tacky finish......place a pre-cut mat of fiberglass on the piece, and careful trim it. Try to have no more than 1/2 inch of overhang.....It will be pulling away when it gets wet.......Note the diagonal cuts.....It will help to conform the mat. I used non weave 5 or 6 oz...

Remember the sharp curve issue earlier...... I use a roller (aluminum fiber specific) to roll all the air out....but sharp corners are hard.....So here is what happens.....

Wait till it tacky....then with a little screw driver.....carefully make a little hole where new resin can dripple in......

What happens....is... that when you now roll the next layer on....the resin then fills up the void.....

And...Voila.....

To be continued after dinner.......... :bonk:

Erling

[restosud]

ok,7 mn,dinner is over now.

lets get back to the business at hand.and make it snappy,we're waiting:smirk:

[ebrabaek]

Okay...okay..... :bonk:

Then add a second layer of fiberglass.......

And a third......

I decided to add a stand that will help in controlling the movement once finished... I used two pieces of 1x2 pine.....It will all so strengthen the mold when finished. You then just cut a string of fiber and dribble them over.... Only your imagination is the limit.......?

That`s where I`m at today..... Tomorrow I will brake the mold open, so we can see how the mold came out, and how much needs fixing beside the scratches mentioned earlier......Time for espresso.......Till then..... :bonk:

Erling

[aspencop129]

Wait!!!! If you are drinking espresso at this hour, you should just get back to work. :bonk:

j/k looks good so far. I'll be interested in the process.

One question......do you lay on the fiberglass dry and "dab" it into place or lay it on wet?

[shift1313]

i remember seeing your parts awhile back. Glad you are doing a step by step on this. Did you ever make a tank? i think in the picture above it looks like you wrapped your tank?

I dont want to threadjack but on the topic of making something to hold your part i wanted to show what i do. Here is a current project of mine. I use a long 2x6 inside the part and situated on my rolling tool cart. This way it hangs off the edge and i can walk around it and roll the whole thing around if needed.

edit: pics removed...

cant wait to see more on this. if youd like me to remove my pics just let me know.

[ebrabaek]

Wait!!!! If you are drinking espresso at this hour, you should just get back to work. ?

j/k looks good so far. I'll be interested in the process.

One question......do you lay on the fiberglass dry and "dab" it into place or lay it on wet?

I lay the mat over the fender........(tacky resin underneath to hold it in place...but past it`s gel state)....Then cut the pattern.....then I wet it.....

I`l pour you a shot or two if you come visit...... :bonk:

Erling

[ebrabaek]

i remember seeing your parts awhile back. Glad you are doing a step by step on this. Did you ever make a tank? i think in the picture above it looks like you wrapped your tank?

I dont want to threadjack but on the topic of making something to hold your part i wanted to show what i do. Here is a current project of mine. I use a long 2x6 inside the part and situated on my rolling tool cart. This way it hangs off the edge and i can walk around it and roll the whole thing around if needed.

cant wait to see more on this. if youd like me to remove my pics just let me know.

It would be nice if you wouldn`t mind to wait with the pictures a few days...Till I`m done, so the thread would be less cluttered...... :bonk: The tank ended up being a clarke covered in CF.....

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=665061&page=12

Thanks..... :bonk:

Erling

[shift1313]

no problemo:) thats why i asked

[ebrabaek]

Mold breaking time.....Be back shortly..... :bonk:

Erling

[ebrabaek]

Put the mold "right side up"......

Then I use a few pieces of plastic.... These ones I cut from a plastic rain gutter. Start at one end....and carefully pry an opening along the edge of the fender.....

Then What you want to do is take a stiffer piece..... Wood will do great....But make sure no hard wood...Pine is good So to minimize the scratching of the mold. Now work along the entire rim of the fender.... The trick is to break the bead of resin that holds the fender in place......

As you go along you will hear a lot of "cracking" That is the fender releasing from the mold..... Hopefully..... :bonk: It will the usually pop loose, and now is just a matter of removal.....

Note the scratches are now inverted to a "raised imperfection" rather than submerged....Like they were in the plastic......

Normally I would trim the edge with my band saw....But even with 24 tpi (tooth per inch) blade you all ways run a chance of "bite`ing in the fiber which will then spider....etc... So since not much is overhanging this time....I will just "gnaw" it off with 60 grit on my belt sander.......Ohhh... Wait....My wife sold it on our garage sale last week-end.....Ohhh....Well....Off to Sears for a new one.....he-he.... :bonk:

Erling

[Johnson79]

looking good nice work

[aspencop129]

....I will just "gnaw" it off with 60 grit on my belt sander.......Ohhh... Wait....My wife sold it on our garage sale last week-end.....Ohhh....Well....Off to Sears for a new one.....he-he.... :bonk:

Erling

Be careful with that mold, it looks great! Any excuse for a new power tool!!!

[aspencop129]

What about a dremel or rotary tool with a cut-off wheel?

[ebrabaek]

What about a dremel or rotary tool with a cut-off wheel?

A dremel will take all day....But more important....The "puck" is so small it is hard to "cut" in a straight line. A stationary belt sander is very easy to work with.... It removes material like an oil drill....and when you hold the composite piece in your hand, is easy to control..... A cut off wheel produces too much heat and will damage the composites rather than cut it.... By the way the fender came out cleaner nicer looking that when you gave it to me..... :bonk:

Erling

[aspencop129]

:bonk: :bonk:

[f2dog]

Great work (as allways) !

Keep it up :=)

Steinar

[ebrabaek]

Ahhhhhhhh.... new sander.....Had to make a change in my buying.....I don`t buy tools made in China....but no us made belt sander available in this town of all most 1 million people....? Ohhhh... welll...

Amazong what 50 grit sandpaper will do.....I use a vacuum and a fan behind me to blow all the dust away.....This is no joke....If you don`t have these two....wear a respirator....not just a paper mask... Once you get these crystals in your lung.....they will NEVER leave....plus they scar...

[/img]

So now we can see a few imperfections, that has to be dealt with.

two places had a bubble......

You want to take a small piece of 120 grit sand paper, and with light pressure even it out....If you are lucky the now inverted scratches will be lowered....I wasn`t...

Now the mold is prepped for a brush on layer of resin on the sanded parts, and the two bubbles....

Dripple one drop at a time in the bubble to fill the void....then cover with tape......

One layer of resin.....

While you have some resin on the brush.....Give the sanded edge a coat....remember between the dremel cut out.....This will easr the release of your print....Note how smooth and straight the dremel area now is after getting at it with a straight and round file....

This now has to sit till tomorrow......Sorry..... :bonk:

Erling

[kawasakimx8]

cant wait to see it when its done.

[BrandonCA]

I personally do not really care for the CF look...but your craftsmanship is truly inspirational!

[aspencop129]

Why must it wait until tomorrow? Are you tired?

I want more!!