Making your own race parts

Exactly what it is. Used parts from an old stove, shielded/ insulated then used this air tank with a lid that opens and closes, no idea what it’s original purpose was. Sealed it all up and it does what I need it to. I want to build a bigger one as this ones round and only about 35 gallons for size reference. You don’t “need” heat it’s just a lot quicker and to me the bigger benefit is adding pressure but even then you have to be very careful as it can go south quickly.

 

Blue Polyester hybrid(not kevlar, from uk). not clear coated straight out of mold.... looks crazy in some light conditions

 

07 yz250f fairing tucked in at tank for leg feel

 

Not a bike, and not nearly as awesome as some of the cool stuff in the thread.

I'm putting cruise control on my Nova, and needed to pull the column apart to install the new blinker stalk with the cruise controls. I made this lock plate compressor to remove the lock ring that holds the guts in the column.

 

They don't have to be fancy...useful is sexy too.

 

How are you controlling pressure/temperature? I've tossed around ideas for a home autoclave, but haven't been able to source a pressure vessel that's both cheap(ish) while also having a large opening to load parts.

 

fyi there is a reason they make "out of autoclave pre pregs" ... too damn expensive to make or buy. only material that really needs a pre preg is a spread tow.. bag it and a vacuum pump is my go to...heat is mandatory on high temp/some resins... i use west epoxy (fast hardener unless a massive piece)

 

Can you send me info on that cloth? Link or something? That stuff looks awesome and I'm sure is way easier to trim than the Kevlar hybrid I'm using.

 

I use a Festo pressure control valve off one of our old machines at work, low flow and psi in just barely above where I want it and the valve open more or less. Not the most efficient but it works and doesn’t use much air. Plus as a side benefit on the air inlet inside to the tank I put a t and 2 pcs of copper tubing with a series of holes that somewhat circulate air in there. Temp is controlled by thermocouple )s) through an arduino processor that trigger the relays to the heating elements. They are only running at, if I remember, 90 volts or so. They don’t need to get that hot. One day I’d like to do a forced hot air unit but reality is this redneck cobbled up thing has made some

 

Best things I have made are taking someone’s over complicated concept and making it simple.

 

For me it’s just quicker and was basically free. In the summer I’ll turn the heat on in the very beginning then let it slowly come down to room temp. The pressure is what I like more than the heat though. It really handy when you need to ensure tight corners get filled but down side is you need to ensure there’s plenty of space for excess to go and don’t get stupid with the pressure. Plus the mold needs to be fairly stable.

 

I’ve always f’ed up the fast stuff mainly due to getting distracted. I still have a good bit here though.

 

Curious what you guys clear coat with or just gel coat, or buff/ wax. Always lots of opinions on that. Some times I’ll put a layer of gel coat down first while others I’ll put s layer of, think it’s the West 207 clear. Never a clear on after demolding but have added some epoxy for some spots I was a bit aggressive sanding that I didn’t out the first coat down correctly in the mold (too dry).

 

I have always cleared the parts (post mold) that I want to show the carbon weave because epoxy resins generally don't have good UV protection properties. Polyester resin has much better UV properties, so it's not always necessary... or so I've read on the interwebs.

I've heard of people clearing their mold first, then laying up the part. I've heard mixed results for that so I've never tried it. To me, I can lay a couple coats of clear on something with very minimal effort and get a great finish. To me, that's easier than sanding/polishing.

 

I’m the same way as there are many ways to accomplish this. I don’t have a booth so I’d at least have to, at a min, wet and tape an area off to get it relatively dust free. I don’t have room for that, but if I ever build a new house it will. Clearing would overall save some time on the other hand as if you don’t your mold needs to be damn near perfect as you expect the part to be or else you will be sanding andbuffing for a long time. It’s either pay me now or pay me later but like anything with a surface finish it’s all about prep work. I actually sanded andbuffed a mold for my rc boat at 3am while sitting on a conference call. I cannot wait to see how it does when it launches itself into orbit at 75+ mph and slams into the water I don’t have any time to finish doing the hull though. I may take my carbon stuff down to Santa Rosa Beach in a couple weeks when I go on vacation. I always need to be busy and can only fish so much.

 

its from the uk... i was lucky to find a yard on ebay...it does the same furry shiz as kevlar... really too teal, purple looking after resin darkens it unless in beaming sunlight

 

i used west 207 special clear hardener on those... if its just carbon on the outside i use 205 fast hardener with a few drops of black pigment

 

Do you know the brand name? I'll be in the UK in July.

 

In an odd twist of fate I’ll be making some carbon/ aluminum test fixtures over the weekend at home then flying with them to one of our manufacturing plants. They nor a vendor could figure out a concept or how to make them. I said “send me some sample parts, I’ll make molds with some clearance for variation and just fly with them on next flight I can get on afyer they are done, we are pissing away a ton of money screwing around”. Will be an interesting expense report . Pretty sure all of the manufacturing “engineers” are a bit taken back right now by a PM Director designing and making parts at his home workshop but that point won’t be forgotten by my colleague in that dept. this isn’t f ing rocket science. Off to west marine as I’m going to need a lot of resin for this one.

 

Google blue polyester carbon hybrid... There are a few results.. I found cristex on my phone but a few more on my computer... Avoid composite envisions ... Shit company... F from better business bureau