Carbon Fiber Fun

[Rick Youngblood]

So far this has been a wet winter here in Northern California leaving me time to learn a thing or two about how to layup carbon fiber.

My main goal is to build a carbon fiber tailbox for my Vendetta (or Silvio). I watched a lot of videos online, and read a few how to articles. Purchase some carbon fiber cloth, resin/hardener, etc. I decide to start out laying up a few small items to test the waters and get a feel for how this works and found it's quite easy and most likely any do-it-yourself-er can layup carbon fiber. Now of course I'm not going to pretend I'm a pro, as I've still got a lot to learn yet, and haven't even got into vacuum bagging yet. My projects have only been hand laying up the CF using a roller and paint brush.

Below are some photos of a neck rest mast and the pad rest with compounded curves. And a CF plate mounted to my bag to mount my tail light to (mostly just for the CF look).

As I've discovered, the most important part of a CF project is the mold or a way to mold the CF.

 

[LarryOz]

Excellent work Rick - Looks pretty professional to me!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Hey, thanks Larry! I see you have a whole lotta carbon fiber laying around your yard !

 

[ReklinedRider]

Wow....looks professional to me!

 

[ratz]

Rick's seat upgrade kit; coming to a web store near you.

 

[Robert Holler]

Is that a click-stand on your chainstay?

 

[Bentas]

Great work Rick,,just thinking about starting to dabble in cf myself ,as mentioned in another post I have aspirations to reduce the front triangle weight of my home built mbb with carbon , pictured is the beginnings of the boom made from a discarded racing rowing oar.Would love to see some step by step pics of your wok in future .your attention to detail +1as usual .

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Is that a click-stand on your chainstay?

Yes Robert, it's one of the areas I want to work on. For me it's not a clean area to place it. It's the non-foldable click stand. However this is location that's fast to get the click stand set up. I a
Want to incorporate it into the seat bag somehow.

 

[RAR]

Looks to me like it will fit on the back side of the seat...for fast retrieval.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Bentas, I would suggest getting a fiber carbon off eBay and start with some small projects like I did to get a feel how the carbon cloth and resin works together. Then work your way up the ladder to the triangle, which would be a large cf project due to it being structural. You seem like a great do-it-yourself-r. You would pick it up quickly. Good luck!

 

[JOSEPHWEISSERT]

I want to get on the list for a carbon fiber Vendetta tailbox. Can I get one by next weekend? I know it will look cool because the headrest looks professional. Nice work Rick! You've outdone yourself.

 

[Tigerpaw]

Nice work!

 

[super slim]

Rick, they look VERY professional!!!

How much does the headrest weigh?

Is the battery inside the seat bag CF support for the tail light?

 

[Rick Youngblood]

SS, I don't have exact figures on weight, but approx half of adem headrest. I used a lot more carbon fiber than I really needed trying to get stiffness. I wanted to minimize the spring. I know I could have used small layer of foam to create stiffness, maybe next time. But I pretty happy with the out come.

Yes battery is inside bag.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

In response to Bentas's post. I will try and summarize the process I used to make the carbon fiber visor pictured below. I did this in one afternoon. The visor was quite easy and simple, and I was pleasantly surprised by the final product. I used a procedure I learned on my own through experimentation.

Disclaimer: I'm just an ordinary Joe, that may spend too much time in my garage, and love's to spend even more time on my 'Ol Yeller Vendetta. I'm no pro and have only learned enough about CF to be dangerous ! Please don't take my procedures as gospel.

1. I cut the shape I wanted out of 1/8" flat ABS on my band saw. See photo below.
2. Layout the CF cloth on a flat surface, then lay the ABS on top of it. I outline the CF cloth with blue masking tape with about a 1/2" offset from the ABS. I did this 5 times, to get 5 CF layers.
3. Cut-out the CF cloth shapes down the middle of the masking tape. The masking tape keeps the CF cloth from fraying or coming apart, and helps keep its shape.
4. On the smooth surface the ABS shape, I apply a couple of coats of PVA release film. This goes on liquid, dries quick to adds "plastic-wrap" type surface on the ABS which enables the CF to easily pull away and off the the ABS.
2. Mix 2-parts resin to 1-part hardier. I measure this using my postage scale set to grams. This give a very prices measurement. EX: 40 grams resin + 20 grams hardener = 60 grams total. Stir for 2 minutes.
3. Working time once mixed is about 20 minutes depending on room temp. Room temp should be about 70 D Fahrenheit.
4. I use the super cheap paint brushes to apply the resin. I cut about 3/4" off the end of the brush, and pull out as many of the loose bristles as possible.
5. Bush a thin smooth layer of resin on the ABS.
6. Lay first layer of CF cloth on top of ABS/resin.
7. Use the specialty roller (see in photo below) to roll out and wet the CF cloth. Some the resin will soak true.
8. I then will add a thin layer of resin on top the CF cloth with the bush, then roll it smooth. The special grooved roller helps to remove any air pockets/bubbles, and compact the CF layers together.
9. Repeat with the all CF cloth layers.
- laying up the resin and CF cloth for this project took me about 10 minutes.
10. I then let the CF+resin setup for about an hour and a half or until it was not sticky. I would check it about every 15 minutes.
- at this point it is very malleable.
11. I pulled it off the flat ABS and laid it on the existing plastic visor (while it was attached to my touring helmet) and hand formed it the the new shape.
- spent about 15 minutes molding and forming the CF to the existing visor.
12. A little time on the band saw to cut off the excess (masking tape and extra) to get the final shape. The some hand sanding on the edges, and rounding out the corners.
13. Zip tied to my old Bell helmet.
14. Shade my face from the Summer Sun, and no Melanoma. Note my brother-in-law is currently battling this terrible disease.

 

[Bentas]

Wow Rick
This is exactly what I need to get started ,great pics and commentary, I have had a quick look on eBay but have not been able to find small quantities of resin, hardner etc as in your pics as yet.
Thanks for taking the time to document ,love this forum!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Wow Rick
This is exactly what I need to get started ,great pics and commentary, I have had a quick look on eBay but have not been able to find small quantities of resin, hardner etc as in your pics as yet.
Thanks for taking the time to document ,love this forum!

Try these ebay links for the resin:
6oz
24oz

 

[DavidCH]

Sorry about your brother in law.

Your carbon creations are great.

I use plastic zip ties to support my iPhone holder on one of my bikes but the sun and vibrations weaken them so consequently I have to keep changing them. It's quite amazing how much air rushes over you at speed on the V. So I guess that visor will take some punishment.

 

[Bentas]

Thanks Rick,
Have found some suppliers a bit closer to home ,down under ,down under , Tasmania
Cheers Rob

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Thanks David.

Yeah, the visor will outlast the helmet for sure, it's over constructed. It reminds me of Alien vs. Predator, being the Predators skin. The zip ties on the helmet last a good season or 2, but don't get vibrations like they would on the bike. But I don't need to do a little chin tuck when passing a 10 wheeler truck hauling bananas coming from the opposite lane .