Carbon fibre moulding

[Tweedledee]

Anyone got any experience with carbon fibre moulding, or do it for a living?

 

I'd like to learn how to work with the stuff.

[+Bino-viewer]

Be careful with it Pete.

Its funny stuff. Cutting it can be hazardous too.

 

Are you looking for something for your 20" build ?

 

Check out UK Astro Buy / Sell.

On the homepage, theres a link to a German supplier : Klaus Helmerich

 

http://www.klaushelmi.de

 

I can't find an English translation, but he supplies a wide variety of carbon stuff.

[Tweedledee]

Thanks Rob. I've already researched the health and safety aspects, and happy that I can control them.

 

I would like to do pretty much the whole of the 20" build in a radical carbon fibre design I'm planning, that will be ultra light weight and very portable, ( to compensate for the possible use of humongous eyepieces and focusers etc. ).

 

I've seen that website thanks Rob, but my design doesn't need a tube, just some bespoke parts.

 

I am in contact with a company who will create anything in CF to my design, however, it is starting to look like I'd need a second mortgage to get them to do the job, hence the idea of learning to do it for myself.

[Bottletopburly]

I work in the marine industry , used fibreglass same principle 

[BAZ]

We did some work for Scorpion exhausts some years ago, part of the process involves baking it in an oven to cure it. You might need a big oven to do long struts and top housings.

[Bottletopburly]

i would say a lot of carbon fibre stuff that built for weight and strength is infusion moulded and not hand made ,infusion uses less resin comes  out thinner and stronger our hulls are infusion moulded fibreglass and when you cut through with a holesaw it`s like steel a lot harder .

[Tweedledee]

Thanks very much for the input chaps, all your thoughts are welcome.

 

I'm more than happy to be put off the idea of moulding CF, but just want to explore all the possibilities.

 

4 hours ago, BAZ said:

We did some work for Scorpion exhausts some years ago, part of the process involves baking it in an oven to cure it. You might need a big oven to do long struts and top housings.

I would not have a problem getting access to a suitable oven or kiln if necessary, and the largest single item would be the primary cell. Struts or larger sections can be purchased off-the-shelf and engineered. I was inspired by the following website which seems to use a simpler method without needing a kiln. This guy has built a 16" carbon fibre dob, weighing in at a ridiculous 21kg!! My telescope design would be a totally different configuration, but I'm looking into the possibility of using his techniques to produce rigid, lightweight components...

http://uuki.kapsi.fi/cf16in.html

 

3 hours ago, Bottletopburly said:

i would say a lot of carbon fibre stuff that built for weight and strength is infusion moulded and not hand made ,infusion uses less resin comes  out thinner and stronger our hulls are infusion moulded fibreglass and when you cut through with a holesaw it`s like steel a lot harder .

Maybe it is the case that the most lightweight/rigid components are made using the infusion technique, which is not a DIY job. My design could be more easily made using a welded aluminium structure with some off-the-shelf carbon fibre parts that just need a bit of cutting and drilling. I suppose I am just trying to explore the extremes, and see if it might be possible to go one better than aluminium.

 

Edited April 17, 2016 by Tweedledee

[philjay]

There are several processes Pete, handlaying like RGF is the easiest for the layman but wont have the strength of the more commercial sophisticated processes that are around but will give excellent results for scope making but wont be suitable for you Ferrari F1 spoiler :-) 

There was a German guy on SGL awhile back building tubes for dobs etc and he had loads of pics of the process. He made a nice job as well.

Edited April 18, 2016 by philjay

[Tweedledee]

Thanks Phil, I've decided to stop tinkering with the Ferrari spoiler anyway 

 

Do I take it that you may be intimating that home DIY methods of working with carbon fibre may be of little advantage, weight and rigidity wise, over a good conventional dob design in wood or aluminium?

 

Will have a search for the SGL guy.

Cheers 

[philjay]

Weight and rigidity wise it should be fine, what I was intimating is that if your after high strength super fine finish like we see on super dooper stuff churned out via the industrial processes then its not for you but a good finish on a dob will be fine. The guy on SGL I seem to remember did a stunning finish on a tube but it took some elbow grease with polishing.

 

I have only worked on small bits in carbon fibre some years ago but my forte was GRP, its not that much different.

I rebuilt my old Lotus Elan plus kept several 0.5Mw electric motors together on power stations using GRP, its messy, smelly but easy

Edited April 18, 2016 by philjay

[Tweedledee]

1 hour ago, philjay said:

Weight and rigidity wise it should be fine, what I was intimating is that if your after high strength super fine finish like we see on super dooper stuff churned out via the industrial processes then its not for you but a good finish on a dob will be fine. The guy on SGL I seem to remember did a stunning finish on a tube but it took some elbow grease with polishing.

 

I have only worked on small bits in carbon fibre some years ago but my forte was GRP, its not that much different.

I rebuilt my old Lotus Elan plus kept several 0.5Mw electric motors together on power stations using GRP, its messy, smelly but easy

Thanks Phil, might have to buy a CF kit and practise first