How To Do Perfect Vacuum Resin Infusion of a Carbon Fibre (Fiber) Part - Basic Tutorial

Video guide to accompany our http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/resin-infusion-starter-kit.aspx - This practical guide explains exactly how to use the Resin Infusion technique to make a strong and light carbon fiber part with a perfect, pin-hole free, surface finish. Follow the video step-by-step, including never shared before professional techniques and you too can master this technique.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• resin
• infusion
• carbon
• fibre
• fiber
• vacuum
• bagging
• epoxy
• pump
• how-to
• DIY
• tutorial

[raining0724]

Hi,

What is the mold made of?

Thank you

[easycompositestv]

@raining0724 : The mould used in this video is made of epoxy tooling gelcoat (the bright green finish that you see) and then backed up (reinforced) with epoxy mould making putty. Both of these materials are included in our Mould Making Starter Kit or can be purchased separately. The import thing (if you're going to use a chemical release like we do in this video) is to ensure that the mould's surface is made of epoxy, otherwise an epoxy part may stick in the mould.

[xzu]

when you trim of the exess in the end how do you get the edges nice and smooth? sandpaper and put some resin on?

[easycompositestv]

@xzu : We tend to trim all our parts with a Dremel using a Perma-Grit tungsten carbide wheel - they're amazing and last forever. Never trim using anything with 'teeth', always a gritted edge instead; teeth will chip the composite around the cut line. Once trimmed we use a Perma-Grit block to smooth the edge and then finish with different grits of abrasive paper (up to about 800). To finish either the part is lacquered or we just wax it and leave it at that.

[Zyworski]

Can the resin be degassed in a vacuum chamber to assure all bubbles are out, or is letting it just sit sufficient? The part about connecting the vacuum connectors was a little vague, but what I finally assumed is that it is just a vacuum divider that sits under the bag, but is not actually attached in any way. Rarely do I watch a video 2 much less 3 times, but this was very interesting.

[easycompositestv]

@Zyworski : You can degass but we've never found it neccesary. If you do, you need to be very careful that the resin does not exotherm in the pot whilst degassing causing it to gel prematurely. You need to be infusing 10 mins after mixing at the latest. The RICs (resin infusion connectors) are connected to the tube inside the bag, ours are designed for a 9mm OD tube to be pushed into them. Since the connector is *inside* the bag though, it doesn't have to be an airtight seal.

[inkspray]

Couldn't you put the resin into a de-gassing chamber first instead of just leaving it out?

[soundslikescience]

Hi - which of the components are re-usable in this method - the mold, the RICs? Anything else?

[TheAMGLover]

well i'm convinced ! I think i'm starting a new hobby here ! Thanks guys!

[koloasurf2012]

Hi

How do you cut the carbon fiber to give it a smooth edge after its molded, and what type of cutter do you recommend?

[TheRaulr151]

This is the best tutorial I have seen on this process! Very detailed step by step. Thanks !

[beachcomber2008]

Total quality. Thanks. :)

[carbonmods]

@matthieutje65 : Peel ply on the inside and outside will certainly give you a none glossy finish but it will be reasonably textured by the peel-ply. If that's what you're after then it's fine, if you just want a smooth, none-glossy finish then you might want to just use a scoth-pad on the finished part to rub the gloss away. I'm not sure what the optimium resin uptake is on flax but I think it's around 50% by weight to weigh the reinforcement and plan for the same weight in resin.

[matthieutje65]

i'm planning to do a vacuum resin infusion with 16 layers of flaxfiber, I have a few questions:

1. I would like to have a non-glossy finish so I use the following set-up; peel ply, 16layers of flaxfiber, peel ply, green mesh?

2. How can I know how much resin I need?