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SV Carbon Tank project for Zoran

god damn I love this thread. about once a year I look at it in awe. i'm starting a new project and I'm thinking about trying out some simple fiberglassing. no CF yet, just some simple stuff.

simply awesome work bro. :)
 
Man I love this thread! Reading it over and over to make sure I didn't miss anything. I have a question and I am pretty sure you haven't already answered it in this thread. Why did you do a layer of fiberglass on the final product tank? Oh yeah, does anyone have a link to tygaboy's stuff on youtube???
 
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batman911 said:
Man I love this thread! Reading it over and over to make sure I didn't miss anything. I have a question and I am pretty sure you haven't already answered it in this thread. Why did you do a layer of fiberglass on the final product tank? Oh yeah, does anyone have a link to tygaboy's stuff on youtube???
Click to expand...


Not sure what you're looking at. I did add a layer of fiberglass as part of the layup - it's reasonably strong but much cheaper than another layer of carbon. Why do I do that? Because the guy I learned from (Composite Sensai) did it that way! So long as there's enough material...
And there was some fiberglass added between the gas cap and the carbon because I've heard there can be some reaction between Al and carbon. I could be totally mistaken - and may well be since I see hard points bonded to carbon all the time - but it can't hurt...
Is that the fiberglass layer you're talking about?

And if you search YouTube for "tygaboy", you'll find those vids.
 
Yeah, I was talking about the layer you put on the final layup. I was just wondering why you did that... Makes sense. It is plenty strong and alot cheaper. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any pics of you making a tube would you? I am interrested in seeing how you modified the innertube to work for the application.
 
batman911 said:
Yeah, I was talking about the layer you put on the final layup. I was just wondering why you did that... Makes sense. It is plenty strong and alot cheaper. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any pics of you making a tube would you? I am interrested in seeing how you modified the innertube to work for the application.
Click to expand...

I've made a couple tubes but they we're not "pretty", nor did they need to be. I've talked to one guywho did tube building and he used inflatable bladders: layup inside the tube, inset then inflate the bladder. Seems simple enough (famous last words...)
Depending on the size of the tube you need, you may be (way) better off buying it...
Sorry I can't help more.
Chris
 
Well, my exhaust can has some rash on it and I was thinking about covering it or just building a new sleeve for it. Does someone sell different diameter cf/kev tubes cut to specific lengths?
 
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For the last month I have been making ABS brackets, those I convert into a fiberglass mold without using the vacuum bag technique. My issue I am having now is when I vacuum bag fiberglass or the carbon fiber the final product is not smooth. When running my nail over the finished side I can feel all the fibers, and not a glossy finish, but when I do not use a vacuum I get a perfect finish. Any ideas what this can be?

Is there an air bubble in the part that I am vacuum bagging?
Should I let the part gel first before vacuum bagging?
I vacuum bag the parts for about 3 hours till everything cures, is this to long?

Thanks Tyga.
 
Hellraizer547 said:
For the last month I have been making ABS brackets, those I convert into a fiberglass mold without using the vacuum bag technique. My issue I am having now is when I vacuum bag fiberglass or the carbon fiber the final product is not smooth. When running my nail over the finished side I can feel all the fibers, and not a glossy finish, but when I do not use a vacuum I get a perfect finish. Any ideas what this can be?

Is there an air bubble in the part that I am vacuum bagging?
Should I let the part gel first before vacuum bagging?
I vacuum bag the parts for about 3 hours till everything cures, is this to long?

Thanks Tyga.
Click to expand...

When you say you can feel the fibers, is it consistent across the entire part or are some areas "ok"? And check to see how much vacuum you're pulling. It sounds like you might have too little epoxy.
 
I lost the link... but how's the burb coming along?
 
tygaboy said:
When you say you can feel the fibers, is it consistent across the entire part or are some areas "ok"? And check to see how much vacuum you're pulling. It sounds like you might have too little epoxy.
Click to expand...

The pattern is uniform throughout the product. It does seem to have very little epoxy, but when I apply the epoxy during layup, I use a lot. I do not have a gauge to see how much vacuum I am pulling. I can install one in the next couple days, what should the Hg read?

Sergio
 
Hellraizer547 said:
For the last month I have been making ABS brackets, those I convert into a fiberglass mold without using the vacuum bag technique. My issue I am having now is when I vacuum bag fiberglass or the carbon fiber the final product is not smooth. When running my nail over the finished side I can feel all the fibers, and not a glossy finish, but when I do not use a vacuum I get a perfect finish. Any ideas what this can be?

Is there an air bubble in the part that I am vacuum bagging?
Should I let the part gel first before vacuum bagging?
I vacuum bag the parts for about 3 hours till everything cures, is this to long?

Thanks Tyga.
Click to expand...

tygaboy said:
When you say you can feel the fibers, is it consistent across the entire part or are some areas "ok"? And check to see how much vacuum you're pulling. It sounds like you might have too little epoxy.
Click to expand...

Hellraizer547 said:
The pattern is uniform throughout the product. It does seem to have very little epoxy, but when I apply the epoxy during layup, I use a lot. I do not have a gauge to see how much vacuum I am pulling. I can install one in the next couple days, what should the Hg read?

Sergio
Click to expand...

Sergio
can you post some pictures of your parts in the bag and under vacuum?

Are there tight radii that the bag has to conform to? if so, the bag can "bridge" over them creating a pocket for resin to pool in and if there are enough bridges or large enough ones it could pull resin out of the part creating a the "not smooth" condition. letting the resin gel a little might alleviate the issue if bridges are the problem. pulling partial vacuum and manually shoving the bag into the tight corners then going to max vacuum might help also.

structurally speaking, being able to feel the fibers in the finished product isn't a big deal unless there are dry fibers with no resin in them at all. the shiny resin look is cosmetic
 
The piece is extremely strong, very stiff. The front side is smooth(minus feeling the weave very slightly), but it is lacking the gloss look in which I am trying to achieve. I am currently making 6 different brackets at the moment, but by that time I want to get some sort of finished look before I start the carbon layup for the tank.

For the brackets which are going to be mounted around the engine to hold all of the electrical which I have removed from the rear I am using a polyester resins for my molds and brackets, but will use high grade resins for the airbox and tank. Using the polyester resin the pot life is long, so when vacuum bagging the item the resin's viscosity is almost like running water until an hour+. The non polyester resin I have been using from tap plastics will gel within 20-30 minutes. This leads me to believe that while the viscosity is low I am pulling out all of the resin during vacuum bagging.

I am at work, so here are some pictures of my first carbon fiber layup.
 

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if it's that runny and the vacuum is pulling the resin away you'll see unsupported cured resin "flashing" around the part, it has to go somewhere. if that's what's happening be really careful you don't pull resin into your vacuum pump
 
Hellraizer547 said:
The piece is extremely strong, very stiff. The front side is smooth(minus feeling the weave very slightly), but it is lacking the gloss look in which I am trying to achieve. I am currently making 6 different brackets at the moment, but by that time I want to get some sort of finished look before I start the carbon layup for the tank.
[...]
Click to expand...

I've used this technique from tygaboy that I read (below). Basically get a coat of epoxy down and tacky first, then proceed with the layup. Maybe that'd help you get a bit more surface coat for the smooth, gloss effect you're after?


tygaboy said:
Give this a try:
Prep the mold with a good waxing/wiping then apply the PVA and let it get nice and dry.
Mix up your epoxy. I wix mine for about 1 min and that's it. Yes, more may be better but so long as it's mixed, it's mixed.
Apply a coat of epoxy to the mold then let it sit for 10 mins or so.
Take clean brush (I use those cheapy ones from Home Depot), pull on the bristles over and over to be sure you remove any loose ones.
Then, gently and with only the weight of the brush, drag the brush across the surface of the epoxy to remove all the air bubbles. You'll do this for "a while". Drag, let it sit for a few mins so bubbles can work themselves to the surface. You can also poke at the bubbles with a pin.

Now the fun part: wait for the epoxy to start to set up... a little.
What you want is the expoxy to setup enough that you can touch it and leave a finger print but have none stick to your finger. You may want to prep a "test" part so you have a control environment and aren't messing with your production part.
Then, once the epoxy is set up like this, gently but firmly, press your first layer of dry fabric into this "clear gel coat". BE CAREFUL as you do not get to pull it off, move it around, etc. If you do, you pull this initial layer off the mold and you'll get voids, etc.
Once you have the layer pressed into the epoxy. go do something else while it cures a bit.
Come back in a couple hours and wet out the layer in the mold and add your remaning layers, let them cure, etc.
This appoach should give you a perfect, no pin hole result. And you don't even have to bag.

Again, this is just one approach to composite layup. Maybe it'll work for you, too.

Best of luck...
Click to expand...
 
I am on my 6th carbon fiber piece and have greatly improved. Since the resin takes a while to cure, I leave a coat of resin on the mold for an hour, from there I continue my layup of carbon fiber and a new batch of resin.

Sergio
 
Your Tank

Im currently on my 7th tour in Iraq. I was wondering if you still made these tanks Im very interested in I would like one for a tribute bike For my friends that lost thier lifes. If thier is any chance you happen to have one of the mv-sv tanks laying around or can make one would you part with it?



Thanks
SSgt Travis Putnam
USAF
 
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Is it possible you could make a list of how much to use of different materials such to make the tank and mold.
is from Denmark so my english sucks a little. :)
regards
lars
 
Wow! I just had to register so I could log in and say thank you for this great thread. I woke up at 01:30 in the night and could not sleep. I decided to surf a little using my phone. I found this thread and could not stop reading before I had read it all. By then it was time to get up. I have saved all 30 pages, so even if the whole net disappears, I have a copy of this thread. Thank you very much.
 
Also just registered to say thanks for sharing. Very helpful, and much appreciated.
 
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