carbon fiber - Northern Colorado Rocketry

This topic has 70 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 1 month ago by James Russell.

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November 21, 2007 at 4:08 am #40033
SCOTT EVANS
Any one have exp. with carbon fiber?

Scott e
November 21, 2007 at 4:47 am #45872
Ken Plattner
Participant
I do, as well as some other members in the club. Whats up?

KenP.
November 21, 2007 at 1:59 pm #45873
SCOTT EVANS
Just thinking…….hmmm
Id like to see someones rocket built out of carbon fiber.
Maybe in a few months my next rocket will be.
Stuff is kinda expensive.

Scott e
November 21, 2007 at 5:21 pm #45874
Ken Plattner
Participant
I have a couple I can show you. I’ll send you a PM.

KenP.
November 21, 2007 at 5:30 pm #45875
Warren B. Musselman
Moderator
Carbon is expensive, but the price has dropped substantially over the last 6 months or so as production has ramped up. You can thank Boeing, Airbus and the Joint Strike Fighter for the price increases over the last 2 years. Prices went from about $25/yard for 6oz and jumped to nearly $90/yard IF you could find it in stock. That has fortunately changed.

Laying up carbon is an art – particularly if you want a cosmetic fabric weave sort of finish. There is a yahoo group called Composite Rockets that specializes in this sort of thing and a resident expert named Mick Kelly who is truly a god of carbon layup. I highly recommend you go there and learn all you can before you spend dime-one on fabric and epoxy.

Personally I have a full vacuum bagging rig and the result one can optain with it are amazing.

Warren
November 21, 2007 at 6:00 pm #45876
SCOTT EVANS
Vacume bagging!

I guess I have a lot to learn. 😯
Ill check out that group.

Scott e
November 21, 2007 at 6:12 pm #45877
SCOTT EVANS
HEY

My wife has a food saver I bought her for christmas a couple years back.
Will that work? Its always nice if you can get them presents that you can use! Shotgun, chainsaw or

Food saver for vacume bagging!

Scotte

Dont laugh, my wife has her own chain saw.
November 21, 2007 at 7:22 pm #45878
Warren B. Musselman
Moderator
I used a food-saver for years before I stepped up to a full vacuum system. Best for use on fins to be honest, although I have done a few airframe with it. Biggest problem with airframes is you end up with two wrinkles running the length of the tube from the crease in the bags.

One nice thing about the food saver is that once you pull the vacuum and seal the bag, you don’t have to leave the vacuum pump running. Since I’ve changed over to a vacuum bag system, my pump has to run continuously until the epoxy has kicked off to a hard gel state – typically 6-10 hours.

Warren
November 22, 2007 at 3:07 am #45879
SCOTT EVANS
Warren

What vacume system did you get??

Dammit, you guys keep making me think of spending more money!!!
I thought after an altimiter, level 2 cert, and a tracking device, that would be it for sure!! I just can’t afford a L3 attempt in January. Well I shouldnt! 😉

Scott e
November 22, 2007 at 3:36 am #45880
Bruce R. Schaefer
Scott, slow down! 🙂 Only Art Hoag does all three in one day (of course, he was around it since he was eight!). 8) Enjoy the journey! You’re on the right track with people who know about carbon fiber (Conway helped get Ken [Xman] get started; Ken’s pictures of Carbon Diem are in the Photo Album section), Warren, Wilke, and others have the art down, and other aspects that take time to learn. There are no quick and indestructible ways to do this. You have to fail to succeed… I know about that. And, it’s fun! And when Tim Thomas lends you a motor case and closures after you’ve bought a reload from him, you will know just what he’s offering. Check the prices of motor cases and reloads in the 75/98mm range.
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