Carbon fiber wrapping

I've seen these videos before and it doesn't look too hard. I like the kits for mold making and lamination, CF skinning doesn't really thrill me.

I would love to try out these kits and see how hard it really is. I'm sure it'll take some practice to get good at it.
 
interior or exterior?

If you're keen towards a "dry" carbon-fiber look for interior parts/trim & so on, then look into this offering:

Neffy Wrap

It's a textured synthetic unwoven fabric w/ the aesthetic/cosmetic appeal of woven carbon-fiber, and it's much easier to overlay on top of parts/trim using 3M spray-adhesive vs. actual carbon-fiber + epoxy-resin + gel-coat + clear-coat.

Contact the company in the linkie, and ask for a sample. Google/Yahoo! search for D.I.Y. tutorials & pics from others, it's been the rage w/ the BMW community for quite awhile.

Overlaying existing parts/trim w/ carbon-fiber has a relatively steep learning'curve, and requires a fair amount of experience, technique, and proficiency to get acceptable results.

I've seen various custom trim/upholstery shops which have access to this carbon-fiber lookalike fabric & other similar unwoven fabrics. The vendor in the aforementioned link is back-ordered for a long time, and the price is kinda/sorta on the high side (IMHO). . .
 
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sduffass said:
Dry that means dull looking right?

I have a first gen tamsoke console so all I'm concerned is it to be close. I'm still researching. This seems like a cool diy though.
Click to expand...
Dry, as-in non gel-coat appearance. Non-cosmetic carbon-fiber components generally have a 'dry' appearance (ie. carbon-fiber monocoque tubs, frames, etc'). It still looks 3D w/ some shimmer, but not glimmery/wet-like carbon-fiber parts that have a gel-coat. . .

I have a sample of this fabric on my desk as I speak. I don't think dull is the right word, as the fabric has a sheen to it. I guess satin to semi-gloss is the most apt description, based on the following spectrum:

unfinished -> dull -> matte -> satin -> semi-gloss -> gloss -> bling-bling

The fabric won't have the gel-coat appearance, but it looks very comparable to actual carbon-fiber parts & wouldn't look out of place (IMHO) next to them. Obviously, it also depends on the weave of the carbon-fiber parts (1x1, 2x2, or 4x4, twill, etc').

Send the aforementioned vendor an email for a sample, and go from there. I have a feeling it'll be a reasonable match at a cost-effective price point. On a ~$300 JDM nav' pod, the only other viable alternatives would be to send it to Kane here on 'Prime (his company's work is flawless) or to STMPO also here on 'Prime (their work is hit-or-miss from what I've observed). I personally wouldn't try to learn wet layup carbon-fiber overlay technique on a brand-new JDM nav' pod, epoxy-resin is permanent stuff & the gel-coating/wet-sanding/clear-coating protocol require a fair bit of attention to detail. . .
 
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it is easy depending on what finish you expect. to get that perfect epoxy finish will require a mold. people wrapping with carbon will usually sand and clear the part with auto paint to make it look decent but is not the same thing.
 
Dude, this is so cool!? Maybe now I can finally wrap my T-TOP in faux CF, sweet!! Should lows about 7 lbs, lowering my center of gravity and increasing my horsepower by about .7!!

:biggrin:

...Yes, I'm joking about the weight reduction and horsepower thing, but this is great!
 
I taught myself to do this years ago. Practiced on small pcs. I started on a wooden board and progressed to harder objects. The final pc I had done was a headliner for an NSX 3 yrs ago. Very tough. I researched and bought all the necessary components and bought from ebay a vaccuum pump and bags. Went to Jamestown distributors and started my wet lay up with the Westin system. This isn't cheap over time, a lot of trial and error. Mold making with a plug isn't so bad. I would research quite a bit before dipping and again starting simple and practice is what gets you good. Getting the weave a good weight of the carbonfiber is what helps. Knowing the materials before applying them also helps quite a bit. practice practice. soon enough using a needle and patience will top notch the straightness of weaves with lighter oz. carbonfiber material.

Searched ebay and bought about 1200.00 in carbonfiber rolls from 5oz to 14oz. twill weave, regular patterned and 4x4 twill weave. I am still learning. I have it down and made my own molds for layup and then vaccuum bagging. The rest is history over practice.

When I am back in the states I will focus on the business I will start up and apply carbonfiber to quite a bit of designs for Modern Furniture.:biggrin:
 
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Anyone have any recommended places to buy the carbon fiber sheets? I know the 2x2 twill is the best for wrapping but what thickness since I see all sorts? Is it better to have a thinner carbon fiber fabric so it flexes easier?

I plan to try things on my daily driver civic before I hack up my nsx, haha.

Stephen

PS. Can someone with an old armrest "the one with a one compartment top" measure how long it is? I don't have my car anywheres near me at the moment. Thanks.
 
Re: interior or exterior?

Osiris_x11 said:
If you're keen towards a "dry" carbon-fiber look for interior parts/trim & so on, then look into this offering:

Neffy Wrap

It's a textured synthetic unwoven fabric w/ the aesthetic/cosmetic appeal of woven carbon-fiber, and it's much easier to overlay on top of parts/trim using 3M spray-adhesive vs. actual carbon-fiber + epoxy-resin + gel-coat + clear-coat.

Contact the company in the linkie, and ask for a sample. Google/Yahoo! search for D.I.Y. tutorials & pics from others, it's been the rage w/ the BMW community for quite awhile.

Overlaying existing parts/trim w/ carbon-fiber has a relatively steep learning'curve, and requires a fair amount of experience, technique, and proficiency to get acceptable results.

I've seen various custom trim/upholstery shops which have access to this carbon-fiber lookalike fabric & other similar unwoven fabrics. The vendor in the aforementioned link is back-ordered for a long time, and the price is kinda/sorta on the high side (IMHO). . .
Click to expand...


For the neffy carbon fiber someone could just gel the top of it correct and just keep sanding until getting the finish they want and it would come out more like normal carbon fiber then?

Stephen
 
wrappin'...

sduffass said:
For the neffy carbon fiber someone could just gel the top of it correct and just keep sanding until getting the finish they want and it would come out more like normal carbon fiber then?

Stephen
Click to expand...
You know what, out of the handful of forums for misc' makes/models of vehicles who have ongoing threads of using "Neffy" wrap, no one has done what you suggested.

I believe it can be done, though I'm not sure of the final results (ie. appearance, and durability/longevity). Gel-coats generally adhere to the epoxy-resin on the woven carbon-fiber material.

A gel-coat layer over the 'wrap', followed by some wet-sanding to get a mirror-like finish & attenuated 3D effect w/ the carbon-fiber, followed by some clear-coat for UV & scratch protection, would plausibly give the same appearance as actual woven carbon-fiber. However, doing a gel-coat over multi-dimensional objects w/o a mold is challenging.

IMVHO, if you're keen towards a carbon-fiber appearance for your interior console/trim/etc', just use the Neffy wrap or something similar to it for all the parts, even the carbon-fiber center-console piece made by Tamoske. That will give an uniform/consistent theme that will look very good. I've seen a few Neffy wrap interiors in-person, and they all look good. Only additional step I'd suggest would be some protective 3M Scotchguard/anti-static/dust-repellent treatment or something analogous (art-supply shops have lots of similar products to protect fabrics, canvasses, drawings, and so on. . .

First things first, get a sample of Neffy wrap to see if it is even something you'd even consider. . .
sduffass said:
Anyone have any recommended places to buy the carbon fiber sheets? I know the 2x2 twill is the best for wrapping but what thickness since I see all sorts? Is it better to have a thinner carbon fiber fabric so it flexes easier?
Click to expand...
If you know precisely what you want in terms of weave & size, lemme' know. I have dozens & dozens of misc' sized pieces of carbon-fiber of various weaves/twills & weights/densities. You don't have to be overly concerned w/ weight as you're not layering/pressing the fabric & the heavier/denser offerings generally come at a premium.

Here are a few web-sites that I used to frequent when I was more into carbon-fiber/composite hobbyist/D.I.Y. projects...

- www.racingcomposites.net

- www.tapplastics.com

- www.fibreglast.com

- www.uscomposites.com

- www.hexcel.com
 
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I did my sills in CF a few years ago. I really tried to do a first-class job, but it still came out wavy. The Cf is easy enough to work with but the gel coat was a pain.
 
ChopsJazz said:
I did my sills in CF a few years ago. I really tried to do a first-class job, but it still came out wavy. The Cf is easy enough to work with but the gel coat was a pain.
Click to expand...

Can you explain why?

I thought the gel coat process would be easy since it's just thin layers over and over again with wet sanding with fine grade sand paper.

Also, do you have any pictures of your work?

Stephen
 
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sduffass said:
Can you explain why?

I thought the gel coat process would be easy since it's just thin layers over and over again with wet sanding with fine grade sand paper.

Also, do you have any pictures of your work?

Stephen
Click to expand...

I laid a clear film over the lay-up as directed, and I had a hell of a time getting it to level out.

I'll try to take a pic sometime soon.
 
http://www.fibreglast.com/




sduffass said:
Anyone have any recommended places to buy the carbon fiber sheets? I know the 2x2 twill is the best for wrapping but what thickness since I see all sorts? Is it better to have a thinner carbon fiber fabric so it flexes easier?

I plan to try things on my daily driver civic before I hack up my nsx, haha.

Stephen

PS. Can someone with an old armrest "the one with a one compartment top" measure how long it is? I don't have my car anywheres near me at the moment. Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Osiris_x11 said:
Dry, as-in non gel-coat appearance. Non-cosmetic carbon-fiber components generally have a 'dry' appearance (ie. carbon-fiber monocoque tubs, frames, etc'). It still looks 3D w/ some shimmer, but not glimmery/wet-like carbon-fiber parts that have a gel-coat. . .

I have a sample of this fabric on my desk as I speak. I don't think dull is the right word, as the fabric has a sheen to it. I guess satin to semi-gloss is the most apt description, based on the following spectrum:

unfinished -> dull -> matte -> satin -> semi-gloss -> gloss -> bling-bling

The fabric won't have the gel-coat appearance, but it looks very comparable to actual carbon-fiber parts & wouldn't look out of place (IMHO) next to them. Obviously, it also depends on the weave of the carbon-fiber parts (1x1, 2x2, or 4x4, twill, etc').

Send the aforementioned vendor an email for a sample, and go from there. I have a feeling it'll be a reasonable match at a cost-effective price point. On a ~$300 JDM nav' pod, the only other viable alternatives would be to send it to Kane here on 'Prime (his company's work is flawless) or to STMPO also here on 'Prime (their work is hit-or-miss from what I've observed). I personally wouldn't try to learn wet layup carbon-fiber overlay technique on a brand-new JDM nav' pod, epoxy-resin is permanent stuff & the gel-coating/wet-sanding/clear-coating protocol require a fair bit of attention to detail. . .
Click to expand...



we were never inconsistant... just had to change our finishing company

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118233

Regards
 
My wife just got done wrapping her interior trim of her 04 325Ci including the inside door rest handles. She used a fabric with carbon fiber layer on top of it and super 77 and super 90 adhesive. The fabric cost around 80 for 2 yrds. It turned out amazing. This was her first experience with this and just took her time. She is leaving it matte finished but you can clear it. She is going to do the NSX center consol and door switch panels. It almost has us looking around at what we can wrap around the house.:tongue: I will post pictures of her work and the source she got her fabric from in the next day or so.
 
Cool, Yeah post pictures for sure. If you have an extra scrape laying around and some gel coat maybe you could just toss a layer of gel on it and sand it down and see how it looks? I bet it looks pretty darn close to the real thing if a gel is applied and everything else.

Stephen
 
Here is a pic of my home-made attempt. I never tried to sand a re-coat. Perhaps with more patience and another few coats I could get a better finish.

You can see the bubbles on the right and the waves in the finish on the far left.
 

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  • IMG_0651.jpg
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Here are some pics. She is running into a little trouble with some small bubbles on the shifter area. She is going to try the super 90.
cfbmw.jpg

cfbmw2.jpg

cfbmw4.jpg
 
sduffass said:
Not bad man. I think with a little more time it would've turned out great.

How'd you do the layup? Because if I remember the plates had grooves running throughout. Did you fill them with like bondo before hand?

Stephen
Click to expand...

No filling. I simply stretched the fabric over the sills. After the first resin coat set I trimmed the CF to fit around the edges and around the ID plates. Now that you have me thinking about them, I just may take the time to give them a good sanding and a couple more coats.
 

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