Carbon fiber lightness is cool.

[Morgen 3Eman]

I popped my prototype carbon fiber fender out of the mold this morning, and it looks pretty good.  It isn't as stiff in twisting as I want, but that can be corrected in the next layup.   It is very stiff in bending, tho.   What really pleases me is the weight improvement.  The steel fender weighs 4 lbs 9 oz, while the carbon fiber fender weighs only 10 oz.  Now I have to figure out how to mount it to the suspension upright....

TTFN,
Dennis

[truly_bent]

Pictures please.

[skylinenitro]

Where is the 'like' button!?!?!

[Morgen 3Eman]

Here is what it looks like fresh from the mold.  It needs to be trimmed, etc.  As you can see, I'm just holding it in place with the blue tape as I evaluate a possible support shape( the white sheet plastic)  When I get happy with the shape and placement I'll lay carbon fiber over the sheet and bond it onto the fender. I'll probably use plywood instead of the sheet plastic so I can put some airfoil shape cross section to it..   I'm thinking it would look pretty good to have a bucket headlight shape attached near the top of the support....Any thoughts?  Suggestions?

TTFN,
Dennis

[Morgen 3Eman]

Where is I put that picture???

[truly_bent]

Nice job Dennis!
How did you find working with the carbon fiber? Sticky? Is this your first go with it?

[Morgen 3Eman]

Thanks,

It has been about 10-12 years or so since I've messed with CF. I made some appearance items for my '91 Lotus Elan, and a couple of radio control gliders for my kids before that.  Or course any time you fool around with resin you can get into sticky situations.  As far as working with CF, it is much the same as fiber glass, fibers everywhere, resin spills where they make the biggest mess, etc.  But this stuff is so much lighter and stiffer for a given thickness.  So the materials are more expensive, but you use less of them.

TTFN,
Dennis