Making real Carbon Fiber parts (at home)!

I'm upgrading my Voron - with carbon fiber! The Stealthburner toolhead has never looked better.
Thanks to Aurapol for sponsoring this video! Check out their PLA HT110 at www.aurapol.com/pla-ht110 and use code AURAPOL10 for 10% off
Printed on the Prusa MK4 go.toms3d.org/MK4
Based on the Stealthburner design github.com/VoronDesign/Voron-...
All the modified files on Printables www.printables.com/model/5914...
The materials I've used are all from shop.hp-textiles.com/ (who I can absolutely recommend), but also check out www.easycomposites.co.uk/ as they've provided invaluable learning material for this process through their KZbin channel (and ship worldwide!)
Product links are affiliate links - I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you)
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[@RadioactvPanda]

Everyone, YOU MUST USE A RESPIRATOR. I cannot overstate this. Make sure your enviornment is well ventilated. When using resin, make sure you have an Organic Vapor Catridge and a particulate filter. When sanding, cutting, and trimming carbon fiber, please use a P100 filter and make sure your respirator fits right. And probably do it outside. Carbon hairs are tiny tiny and a P100 particulate filter barely has the ability to capture them. Please please please do safety research and take every precaution!

[@faxxzc]

Hi Thomas, i have some experience with carbon parts.

[@jothain]

Easy Composites Ltd has by far the best videos about proper techniques for very high quality production. But this kind of videos are really good to show what can go wrong in process like this and to show the methods for not having all of the fanciest tech, but for hobbyist to reach "good enough" parts. GJ 👍

[@djpenner34]

Use blue painters tape on the cut line of the CF weave before cutting it. It'll keep everything in place and keep from making a mess of the loose fibers

[@SarahKchannel]

Why not making a negative stamp, that fits inside the laid carbon fibre, so it compresses the shape nicer in the corners while under vacuum. Of corse some vent holes/channels would

[@mr_voron]

Let Glue Dry reference to Laura’s channel was a nice touch 👌🏻 Incredible job, as always.

[@gergorian]

One tip. You could try using a stabilized carbon fabric. That way it maintains its structure as its cut and laid into the mold. You wont get those edges that want to pull apart.

[@notepadgamer]

a quick way to re-finish the part surface would be to sand it down till flat with your sanding sponge, then use a gloss PU spray instead of brushing it on. It should provide a very even surface and is what I use whenever I make mistakes with my CF parts

[@dodger0101]

Thanks for another fun video Tom. For the last step instead of clear coating with resin how about using 2-part automotive clear coat? You can get the “touchup” spray cans for cheap. They’re crystal clear and hard wearing.

[@riccaregio]

Tom, total newbie here, I just did few fiberglass parts for my old motorcycle, but I think a friend of mine that used to do carbon fiber for nautical items used a gloss first layer of resin called gelcoat. It's thicker and gives it that deep glassy smooth finish to the parts

[@Chopped86]

For that last coat you should really use clear coat, not resin. It will protect your resin as it doesn’t do well with UV.

[@andyb7754]

Interesting video. When we needed to make repairs to fiberglass aircraft, works on boats or whatever, we would put a piece of plastic down, put the fabric down, pour the resin on it then another piece of plastic and use a plastic squeegee to spread it into the fabric. Its easier to cut a shape when the fabric is wet. Peel one of the pieces of plastic off, put it in the mould (wet side down) and using a wooden stick or plastic stick push everything where it needs to be. Remove the second piece of plastic, make sure nothing shifted out of place then vacuum bag and suck it down! Very good video. Thank you.

[@raise-project]

Ah the good stuff! I like to tape the CFK with tape and then cut it so the edges of the mats stay in place. Also pretty overlooked is NFK natural fibers that are used mostly in Ski making because they have a nice flexibility. Together with organic resin its slightly more environmentlly friendly, even if its still Sondermüll.

[@Underp4ntz_Gaming_Channel]

I do this for years for automotive stuff, using 3d printed molds, really awesome especially the "forged carbon" process.

[@ensoniq2k]

Since looking at a 3D printer for hours on end while printing is mesmerizing adding a bit of bling makes it even nicer.

[@jlg23us]

Loved watching this, ive been interested in molding carbon fiber, vacuum mold process. I can't wait to try my hand at this. Thank you

[@veritanuda]

FYI, you could probably line the mould with a thin layer of latex. There is some special latex for vacuum forming which is designed to release. It can be applied with a brush and should make the resin not stick to the mould while retaining all the details.

[@ThunderBird80085]

You should try out forged fiber. Doesn't have the same weave look but also looks super cool in its own way and should be easier since you won't have to vacuum bag.

[@ThantiK]

You can also do chopped carbon fiber compression molding as well. ("Forged Carbon Fiber") It's quite a bit messier, but you don't need to rely on the vacuum bag that way, and the printed part can be doing the compression work.

[@farahat9]

I love how you show the fails as well as the successes. I wonder if it would work if you use another 3d printed part on top of the carbon fiber instead of all the cloth, if its about breathing air you can make it meshed, so it would go mold > carbon fiber > part. it would help a lot with the pressing the corners and angles.