where to buy Carbon Fibre

[BigFas]

Does anyone know where I can buy raw carbon fibre sheet? I've had a naughty thought and with some research, want to experiment with stuff myself.


I've checked ebay and all i can see is the vinyl crap. I have no idea where to look or even begin to look, so any ideas or tips or links to sellers would be awesome. Not looking for massive amounts, just a small amount to experiment with.

thx

[peppernick]

www.fibre-lyte.co.uk

I bought all my carbon sheets from them when I was building model racing cars.

[BigFas]

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding the website or if I was unclear, but that site seems to sell the ready laminated carbon sheets? I was after the actual material, the cloth like stuff.

Unless I've missed it completely on that site!

[peppernick]

Ah, I misunderstood you. I have no lead on that I'm afraid.

Why not send them an email and ask if they are willing to supply you with raw material? I'm sure they've got tons.

[JazzMan]

These guys sell weave: http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

Just ordered a lot of fibreglass stuff there. They've also got kevlar :)

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS_Catalogue__Carbon_Fibre_Fabric_35.html

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS_Catalogue__Carbon_Fibre_Tape_34.html

[Silver]

I used these guys texalium aka silver cf..

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=382&PHPSESSID=20070129042029252854122

need alots of patience!! for texalium..bloody alot stiff than carbon fibre


all you need is resin, clear coat..and dremel

[kpkpkp]

Isnt it really hard to get a nice external finish though. I thought carbon was like fibreglass in the way that to get a perfect finish you would need to break it from the mould unless you were gonna use some filler and then paint.

Fas - what you doing - the only reason I ask is the guy that lives next door to me works for Mclaren as an QC engineer at the composits site in Portsmouth.

Kp

[JazzMan]

If you would like a short tutorial on skining stuff with CF, someone on talkaudio did a nice write up a while ago: http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?p=2615129#post2615129

[BigFas]

If you would like a short tutorial on skining stuff with CF, someone on talkaudio did a nice write up a while ago: http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?p=2615129#post2615129

LOL, that's exactly the guide I found last night and started getting ideas.

I want to highlight some bits of my ICE and interior in CF just for experimental purposes

[Tilly]

Plain Weave Carbon Fibre Tape 300gm 100mm wide. 1-49m rate
Price per m. Enter number of m required in Shopping Cart.


Price: £4.30 (Excluding: VAT at 17.5%)

Now that is extremely interesting for dash trim that is less than 10cm wide ie. an E46 dash piece. Although £4.30 + vat does sound extremely cheap. I'm wondering if I have the wrong idea of what it is as it's nearly as cheap as the horrible imitation vinyl stuff that doesnt look remotely like carbon fibre

[mystic sport]

Fas, you may be interested in a thread that ran very recently on PBMW. It has also got me thinking about several things ;) . From memory is may cover most of what you wish to achieve. I think he bought the C/F sheets from ebay but doesn't say from which supplier but has included a very useful 'how to' guide based on his experiance.

http://forum.performancebmwmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=6506

http://forum.performancebmwmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=6601

[G60 VV]

Have you had a look on http://www.carbonology.com/cont.asp?sec_id=2116

HLH ;)

[andy318is]

Glad to see my how to is inspiring people!

The chap I bought mine from: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/5083tony0

[andy318is]

I've done:
Door Pulls
Mirror Blanking plates
Interior Mirror trims
A-pillar tweeter builds

INTERIOR TRIMS
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04347.jpg

DOOR HANDLES
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04351.jpg

BACK SIDE

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04350.jpg

MIRROR BLANK PLATES
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04354.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04361.jpg

TWEETER A-PILLAR BUILDS


http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04359.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04456.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04458.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04457.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04460.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04451.jpg

Steel/Carbon & Leather!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04462.jpg

Steering wheel cowl

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04370.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04368.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04369.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04374.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04378.jpg

Inner & outer sill plates

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04398.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04401.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04402.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04405.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/tincorner2/DSC04399.jpg

[G60 VV]

as I've said before Andy, you got some serious skills!

[benny boy]

:eek: that looks sick Andy how long did they take you then you have got me thinking now lol how much was materials then roughly :)

[peppernick]

^^^ WOW!!! :cool: :cool: :cool: ^^^

[andy318is]

:eek: that looks sick Andy how long did they take you then you have got me thinking now lol how much was materials then roughly :)

How long did what take? I've been doing bits on and off for the last month or so

[BigFas]

jeeeez andy! I knew you were a DIY god, but that CF is awesome. Can I be cheeky and ask you where you got the raw CF from?

EDIT: saw ur link, getting it bought!

[benny boy]

Andy what do you do for a living man. Any idea when the car will be ready.

[phat///M3]

Oh crap thats just plain awesome, I need to try this.

[JazzMan]

Andy, those all look awesome :)

Isn't he main headache with CFing stuff the time it takes for the resin to dry - you've got to keep going back and making sure its OK.

[Tilly]

wow... Andy. Can I ask, I know you mentioned about taping it on the back of the mirror plate in your write up which is fine but what happens when you want to do something like the door handle in your pic where the back is exposed and you need to wrap the job lot, how did you manage that with the resin etc?

[scorcher]

Wow Andy- that is awesome!

[bigshout]

yeah great stuff, how easy it it to work with. How many attempts did it take to get to the quality your at?

[Griff]

looks fantastic!! would you consider CF'ing and selling it?

[andy318is]

Andy what do you do for a living man. Any idea when the car will be ready.

I'm am Architectural CAD monkey :) the car will be out next year!! :cool:


Andy, those all look awesome :)

Isn't he main headache with CFing stuff the time it takes for the resin to dry - you've got to keep going back and making sure its OK.

The main really headache is right as the very start when you wrap the material around the piece... cock that up e.g mess the weave up and you may as well pull the carbon off and start again!


wow... Andy. Can I ask, I know you mentioned about taping it on the back of the mirror plate in your write up which is fine but what happens when you want to do something like the door handle in your pic where the back is exposed and you need to wrap the job lot, how did you manage that with the resin etc?

Ahhhh took me abit of head scratching, what I did was stuck the carbon at the back then worked it up and around the handle so bacisally wrapped the handle in a 'P' shape with the hole being the handle, then hung weighty hand grip of it to pull it tight :)


yeah great stuff, how easy it it to work with. How many attempts did it take to get to the quality your at?

I've done 1 mirror back where I messed the weave up, the link was posted back on page one. and I did a door handle where I got the resin mix waaay off and it didn't set, everything else has been first time! :)


looks fantastic!! would you consider CF'ing and selling it?

Already ready offer my services, going to be an e36 at Gaydon this sunday wearing alot of my carbon! :cool:

[JazzMan]

Already ready offer my services, going to be an e36 at Gaydon this sunday wearing alot of my carbon! :cool:

I may call upon your services, but I think I might give it ago myself first see how much of a mess I can make :lol: :)

[mr sideways]

your stuff is amazing! could you give me a rough price for CFing some rubbing strips and bumper inserts on a e36 saloon. cheers and see you sunday!

[huzi7]

awesome work mate

[Tilly]

just to dig this thread back up...

I know you mentioned about having to correct the weave to prevent any pulls and deformation of shape etc... As you unroll the CF, is the weave already pulled or does that only happen when you try moulding it?

The reason I ask is, is it possible to purchase a like for like sized roll of masking tape to place on one side of the carbon material to hold the weave firm and then use spray glue on the trim for when you apply the CF without disturbing the weave and once applied you can remove the masking and resin the CF or is it not so simple?

[andy318is]

No, you need to allow the weave to move a certain degree so you can work it around corners, otherwise it will just bunch up.

[M3ACS]

Andy -Do you know what the carbon on the CSL is called?

[Raj_325]

Andy -Do you know what the carbon on the CSL is called?

It's Plain weave mate.

[XKaLiBaR]

that is awesome mate. who ever is trying this out, please post up pics of your mess ups :p

[andy318is]

that is awesome mate. who ever is trying this out, please post up pics of your mess ups :p

Never happens.... :cool:

[Scholesy]

Anyone who hasnt seen Andy's CF stuff in the flesh, it is fantastic quality! There was quite a bit of it on show at gaydon!

[M3ACS]

Andy - Any new updated pics of your work??