I wanted 4 carbon fiber parts for one of my vehicles. The company wanted 3k *per*. I had never made carbon fiber parts before. I watched your videos and made identical parts, all 4 of them, for under $200 total. I VERY MUCH appreciate you!
I had epoxy already, I use it on 3d prints sometimes. I used a vacuum bag my wife had for blankets. The breather material, release film, and carbon fiber twill off Amazon was less than $200. I used my shop vac for the vacuum, following another easy composites video. The parts are small, all 4 fit in one bag.
@labemolon5739 I like the way you THINK OUTSIDE THE THE BOX! Have you ever used any carbon fiber that's bi-axial braided tube? It's amazing for strength, radius/contours incredibly. Oh, it's dry, so wet lay-up is the way to use it.
I only use 2 processes for the parts I make, but EVERY. SINGLE. VIDEO. you guys put out is super fun and motivating. It'd be super if you would post more often. 💙
Thanks and glad you enjoy what we do. We always have the intention of putting out content faster but then so many other things get in the way.... we'll keep trying!
I always appreciate your videos because you treat your customers with a significant amount of respect. There's too many companies that attempt videos like these and they always leave critical details or troubleshooting steps that would eat resources. Your videos are always thorough, and you refined the process so even a hobbiest like me feels completely comfortable taking on similar projects. Thank you for your effort and I hope it continues to pay off.
Thanks a lot, that’s really great feedback to get. Thanks for watching and all the best for your project if you decide to use some of the information from this video 😀.
When you make a video,you never dissapoint.Yet a brilliant video from you guys that will not only help others but inspire others to try and make parts for themselvs. Me included!.
Thanks for the kind words, we hope to inspire as many people as possible to get into this fascinating area of engineering. I hope you share your achievements with us soon!
I feel like with many other companies, they seem to either service the larger industry or service very small and amateur techniques but this channel always shows off some of the more complicated and experimental techniques while doing so in a super easy to understand and motivating way. Strikes a perfect balance between amateur in the garage and aerospace-grade methods that anyone could do.
This is why Easy Composites is one of the coolest and best composites stores out there. These videos are fantastic and can't get enough of them. Super neat that you showed this using basic tools. Thanks again.
Apart from the invaluable knowledge that is being taught here, the production value is on another level. Especially when showing the before and after debulking in the same panning shot. Plus the Cinematic intro to the kitchen oven was masterclass! :D
I'm currently in a "beginner's zone" of silicone moulding, 3D printing and resin casting ... but when I have earned my big boy badge, I am 100% ordering from Easy Composites. Even so, the videos are super informative and ... oddly relaxing.
I recently picked up them projects too to make clear factory style buttons for a RGBW cluster and dash light conversion. I've always been interested in it though.
After years of prepreg using your easy composites oven the results your showing from a kitchen oven are pretty impressive! Iv found its very rare to get 100% pinhole free even with the perfect set up with perfect bag seal. So extra finishing is always needed unless your full autoclave.
I probably will never make anything out of carbon fiber, but I’m watching every video this Chanel posts. There is something about it.. I wish I could pick it up as a hobby, but I don’t really have the place/need CF parts. 😅
Well, even if you're just watching for a bit of education and entertainment, we still appreciate the feedback and always like to hear that people enjoy what we're putting out. Maybe in some future videos we'll stray into an area that you can make some practical use of, so keep watching :)
These videos are awesome! I don't even know what I'd make, but every time I watch one of your tutorials I get the urge to buy an evaluation kit and just make something. One of these days I'm going to find the perfect thing to make.
You guys can read my mind, because this question has been circling around my head for quite a while. There are several items that I want to create and was thinking if an oven cure would be suitable. I‘ve checked the temperature range in my oven between the thermostats heating and idle phase with a precise digital thermometer. It came out that there is a difference of 15 degrees centigrade between the two phases (120 C-105 C). That result and the fact that I couldn’t find any infos regarding this issue anywhere made me hesitate to start my project. Well, after watching this video, I feel more confident and can start preparing my projects now. Thank you very much for your videos, which gave me a lot of inspiration in making my own carbon parts. Working with carbon is just so satisfying.
This video was aimed at you then! We're specifically aiming this at converting the composites 'lurkers' into composites do-ers. Honestly, give it a try, you may never look back!
@@easycompositestv i've also been lurking for a great while, this video made me think about which projects might be good for this kit! awesome by the way that you have an EU based warehouse, can i assume that's still a thing? cheers!
Wonderful video guys! Placed an order with you yesterday for some carbon rods after seeing your video on the different kinds which was brilliant. Love seeing other British companies take their work seriously. The oven would make an interesting use case for some kind of arduino/motor on the temp knob/wiring it directly in to the temp control so you're not constantly back and forth. Cheers!
You guys are really good at including the small but essential details that take away a lot of the frustration when working with carbon fiber for the first time. For me it carbon fiber was a medium that was exclusive for big manufacturers and specialists, but man was i wrong. You guys live up to your brand name and then some. Also that cinematic intro for the stove was unexpected and brilliant!
Paul could make a video about the 4 month old pizza under his couch and it would be entertaining and educational at the same time. 🤷🏼♂️ 😳 And now to something completely different : Thank you to Paul and the team of easy composites for another highly appreciated video.
Man I love your videos! I don't even deal with carbon at all but absolutely love watching these! So clear concise and chronological. Theres never a moment I'm bored or thinking why am I watching this? : )
fabulous video as always!! Haha, this reminds me of my youth, I got some prepreg leftovers from my dad (working in a space company), storing in the family freezer and using the oven really tested my moms tolerance... but I was in makers heaven :-)
20 yrs ago I used to make carbon parts both hand lay and pre preg... Had to used a deep freezer to keep the materials under zero degrees. Man your video is getting excited to start up again
Oh my, the number you did filming that oven... I knew what was coming, because I had paid attention in the intro of course, but still introducing it in a supercar shot like that, SO funny...
It's great to hear that you're considering working with composites, our technical team are on hand to help with any queries you may have when the time comes.
So I was watching, and thinking, "This is really good - I like it so far!" but THEN, you introduced a kitchen oven with some sexy close-up shots and drum-and-bass music. That was when I had to pause the video, click the like button, and leave this comment. AWESOME.
I feel like watching these videos leads to information overload. It seems simple from afar but there are a lot of things going on here, all of them equally important. It’s going to take me a while before I build up the knowledge needed to attempt any of it.
That's bloody brilliant! Definitely going to give this a try, just need to decide what to make 🤔 lol. Only downside is the fiddly mold curing process with the temp increases, but if that's the only really fiddly bit? That's pretty awesome!
Thanks, yes that worked out better than we thought! I'd love to say it was done with a steady hand but it was a rhino slider and a carefully marked position on the bench!
I wish more companies did this. I don't need to make any carbon fiber parts but this was informative and I now have a better understanding of what carbon fiber parts actually are.
Thanks for watching. 'Share the knowledge' is our strapline and a big part of our ethos. Even if you don't intend to make any parts right now, it's good to hear that you've learned something more about the composites process as a whole.
Great job as usual! One idea for the future video - try to produce a flat carbon fiber with a flexible transparant top coat (like PVC plastisole as an example). This can be a new product for interior flat parts lamination with a tack film in between - real carbon fiber which you can cut and just glue on a flat surface in 10 minutes.
Nice one Paul, actually used this system over 20 years ago to make some inner wing liners for a rally car . Back then there was no information like this and everything was trial and error, was even going to attempt carbon exhaust cans but information was very scarce and quite a well kept secret. I’m currently making plans for molding a bodyshell with split tooling and bolted flanges , b nice if you could do a video on something similar as I’m undecided what’s the best way to infuse/ vac bag large multi piece molds without bagging the whole part. ( eradicating vacuum loss through flanges ) . PS . yes I do purchase my materials off yourselves so not being cheeky 😂 🇬🇧.
Thanks, and no, prepreg shouldn't seem scary, that was definitely the purpose of this video. As for 3D printed mandrels, yes, we'll cover this. We did a lot of 3D printing videos so we're exploring some other topics for the next few videos but we will return to more 3D printing in composites!
It's interesting to see how much cleaner it is to work with prepreg. I wonder if it's possible to cut uncured prepreg with a laser cutter? Like if you went into production and you had fine tuned those various parts, and then wanted to just start cutting them out en masse?
Dont know if this helps but I tried to cut thin carbon fibre plates (.5mm) with a small laser and only burned the cured epoxy leaving the fibres unharmed. Even with max. power (which was enough for 10mm wood) and slooooow speeds no success….
@@toastrecon also I know a couple of race cars which sadly burned to the ground. Engine, rims etc everything melted - carbon fibre parts looked intact but got soft again because only the epoxy literally went up into steam.
Great video and easy to follow. Just picked up the high temp mould kit and currently working through a split mould for a large tapered tube. Question on vacuume pump.... Is it essential to have the pump connected whilst in the oven or can the part be vacuumed initially and then thats it? If pump is required throughout does the pump shown regulate the vacuum or does it run continually?
The pump runs throughout the cycle to ensure that the vacuum level is held. Our EC4 pump shown in the video is designed for continuous use against a sealed system so fine to run through the cure cycle.
@@easycompositestv Thanks hopefully the EC4 will be in stock soon? I have just profiled my oven and it has a lowest setting of 50c with 5c increments. However it sits pretty constant without sawring temp but the lowest appears to be 65c (when set to 50c). What would the best situation be,. 65c for 2hrs then 15c every 2hrs?
Hi Paul! Once again excellent coverage of this advanced tecnique. One topic I would love to see covered is the use of High temp SLA or FDM moulds used with prepreg. Newer SLA resins are known to hold dimensional stability up to 200C. FDM PA/CF is also stable up to 150C. using these tecniques would by-pass manual mould production, thus one could design the mould in CAD, 3D print it using on the above tecniques and go straight to to the prepreg laminate process. What do you think? Thanks
Hi Luis, We will come back to 3D printing again in the future and cover things like melt out cores.We've just covered the process in a number of our recent videos so thought people might want a bit of a break and see some other techniques. Surface texture needs to also be considered when drawing a vacuum on a 3D printed mould, you don't want air to pass through and cause a leak or any liquid resin to soak into the surface preventing a clean demould.
Thanks James, PrePreg is often overlooked as its assumed to be much more expensive to get started but hopefully this video helps to dispel some of that thinking.
Just came here to say that the XC110 prepreg is such a great product - very 'forgiving' in the sense that even if you're temps or switched cycle are not *exactly* to the spec on data sheet .....you will still end up with a very good result. In addition - the tech team at EC is extremely helpful and responsive with questions - I truly wish there were a US-based location/warehouse as the only disadvantage for those based in the US is the cost of shipping / dangerous goods 'tax'
looks absolutely amazing. Just like with the video where your colleague made that amazing bonnet, I only need a couple of minutes to already realize I could never, ever, ever be able to recreate what you are doing. It requires a huge list of skills and virtues I don't possess. Meticulousness, patience, sense and feel for technique in general. I don't stand a chance. So can I order one of these kits and have you included in the kit?
These videos you guys post are second to none :) I love watching them :) Question, I noticed on the sample kit box it says to store frozen, How do you ship to Australia and stop it from curing prematurely?
Excellent video! The oven you make is easy to use, your prepregs work great also. I’d love to see a US warehouse, I paid a lot in shipping costs to bring them overseas, just an idea 🙂
Greatly appreciate if someone(s) can shed light, In which countries the carbon fiber automotive parts are demanding and if you can refer the buyers/importers of these parts?
You do some great videos, thank you! I would love to see one of your strength tests like you did for the sled but with hybrid fabrics if you are willing?
Thanks for the suggestion. We do have some more strength tests in the planning stage already and we don’t want to overdo them so it might be some time before we get back to hybrids but it’s definitely something we can return to in the future 👍.
didnt know pre-infused carbon meshes existed. From short work time 2-component resins to heat activated pre-infused meshes with just the right tackiness and shelf-life, material engineering sure evolved in this area
Thumbs upped before I even hit Play. I already knew. ...your solution to not angering the wife by drilling a hole in the side of the oven would have been useful about 7 years ago. I just bought her a new oven lol
Really excellent tutorial! Two comments/questions. First, how well do these hold up outdoor and in the sunlight? I've seen a lot of CF-epoxies yellow with age. Is that a concern here? Second, I noticed your mold seemed to warp when you heated it in the oven. Any tips to avoid this problem, especially on larger flat pieces? Thank you!
It really depends on the amount of exposure that the part is subject to. Unfortunately epoxy is inherently susceptible to UV degradation and will yellow over time. You can mitigate against this with a UV resistant lacquer such as Fantom Clear which will slow down and reduce the effect UV has on the part. The slow and controlled ramp rate will help to reduce distortion and warpage which is why it is so important. This part was actually okay, I think it's just the underside is a bit uneven from the moulding paste.
Are there any safety concerns for using an oven that is otherwise used for food? i.e. can I use the oven for regular service after using it for curing?
Good question. We did think about this, but there should be no problem, neither the moulds or vacuum bags give off any significant (or practically detectable) quantity of vapour or fumes, as a precaution I would probably suggest cleaning the oven before using it again for food.
First of all great video, I really liked the quality, I have a few questions about the point of this whole process. Hear me out, prepregs with woven continuous fibres only serve their purpose if they are complete and not cut up in the component in some form of laminate construction. As shown in the video, the component has no significant structural-mechanical advantages over a technical duromere with a "carbon look-alike" film, which in turn would be much cheaper. Please correct me if I missed something, but I don't understand this trend of carbon fibres if they are not processed and used appropriately.
It’s not correct that there’s no point to carbon fibre if the fibre is not continuous across the entire surface of the part. Where practical to do so it’s usually better to have continuity but many - fully structural - components are laminated in multiple sections. In simple terms, you can think of steel beams holding up a large building. You don’t have to have one continuous steel, you have multiple steels spanning different sections, connected to, and supporting, each other. Panels of carbon fibre work much like that.
Thank you for the response. I do know how and why laminated components gain their strength through oriantation and stacking. The question I have is, why to do it in parts which aren't exposed to a lot of mechanical stress in general? I get it, that you do it here to show how it is done, but I see so many parts beeing manufactured for the whole reason of beeing "carbon-fibre" in a marketing way than an actual meaningful way.
This is a great video. I am a speaker builder and have been on the fence about trying to make some prepreg speaker cones. I have a 101-0AB curing oven from Amazon. I would be making the cone mold from a blank piece of aluminum stock turned in my lathe. How do you think your prepreg will release from polished aluminum as the mold? Maybe stick the mold in the freezer so the aluminum contracts and pops the part off?
Releasing from aluminium is generally not an issue with the CR1 Release agent. Certainly with a cone depending which way round you mould it, the contraction of the aluminium as it cools may release it from the part anyway. Certainly you can use freezers to shrink the metal more if you are having problems.
Thanks so much for sharing this info! A lot of guys in the carbon fiber world like to keep secrets, and gatekeep this trade/skill. Jusy curious, say you want to make a bigger item like a hood, how do you fInd a big oven for something like that?
If you choose to do it in pre-preg, yes you need a large oven, but often large panels are done by other processes that cure at room temperature such as resin infusion.
Paul is such a legend. As an instructional, informative host, I'd put him up there with the likes of Bob Ross or Bill Nye, and that's no exaggeration. Easy Composites, whatever you're paying him, it's not enough!😂
Can you guys do a video on wrapping a plastic engine part. I’ve noticed some parts online are original OEM parts with a cover of fiber around the face. Same with car interior trim pieces. I’m gonna order both of your moldmaking and carbon kits to try it out. It’s super fun and exciting. Thank you.
I want to try a part on my car but it has plastic fake leather texture in it. How can we go about removing that texture without ruining the original part? Smear in wax to the original part then make the mold?
It's difficult to say exactly as the biggest wear on the moulds comes from how easily the parts demould and if any force or stress is required to make the parts release. It's perfectly plausible that you can get many 10's of releases if not more but fundamentally comes down to how well they are used.
Very interesting, I'm gonna buy some kit and build my own race car parts.... Thanks' for the education.. I liked and subbed and will watch more of what you do.
When curing the mould could you split the curing over 2 days? So cure it up to 90 degrees for example, let it cool overnight then a start again from 70 or so the next day? Or will that compromise the mould?
We would always recommend keeping the cure in one session ideally. It is possible to do a post cure up to 120C as a separate session at a later time if necessary.
@@easycompositestv thanks for updating, unfortunately didn’t have solo control over the oven and needed to press on. I cured up to 135 on the second day so hopefully that’s ready to go next weekend.
Could you please try making carbonfiber parts, with pre-tension and how would one do that? Also woul;d be interesting what performace modification would be achived?
@@easycompositestv oh I think you misunderstood, I wasn’t talking about pre-preg, but in general. Like you know how they make pre-tension concrete, what would happen if you just cure carbon fiber parts, with no vacuum using the most basic methods, but while it cures, stretch the fibers and hold them under stress until it cures, and see if there is any improvements to the performance of the composite
Came here ready to learn how turn everything in my car carbon fiber. Left here now more than happy pay someone else the “high prices” for whatever parts are already available that I can afford haha😂
![How to Make a Forged Carbon Fiber Engine Cover [DIY]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tHLCqQFDZjU/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to Simply Change your Car Parts to Real Carbon Fiber (Carbon fiber Skinning) [DIY]](/img/1.gif)
I wanted 4 carbon fiber parts for one of my vehicles. The company wanted 3k *per*. I had never made carbon fiber parts before. I watched your videos and made identical parts, all 4 of them, for under $200 total. I VERY MUCH appreciate you!
Haha! That's great to hear. Well done for giving it a go, most people watch but still pay the $$$!
how much vacuum pump?
Surely your materials cost more than that
I had epoxy already, I use it on 3d prints sometimes. I used a vacuum bag my wife had for blankets. The breather material, release film, and carbon fiber twill off Amazon was less than $200. I used my shop vac for the vacuum, following another easy composites video. The parts are small, all 4 fit in one bag.
@labemolon5739
I like the way you THINK OUTSIDE THE THE BOX!
Have you ever used any carbon fiber that's bi-axial braided tube? It's amazing for strength, radius/contours incredibly. Oh, it's dry, so wet lay-up is the way to use it.
The quality of your videos is extremely good, very educational and still entertaining.
Thank you, that's what we aim to do. It's a fine balance of course but I like to think we get it about right. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I only use 2 processes for the parts I make, but EVERY. SINGLE. VIDEO. you guys put out is super fun and motivating. It'd be super if you would post more often. 💙
Thanks and glad you enjoy what we do. We always have the intention of putting out content faster but then so many other things get in the way.... we'll keep trying!
Quality over quantity.
how do you make your parts??
I always appreciate your videos because you treat your customers with a significant amount of respect. There's too many companies that attempt videos like these and they always leave critical details or troubleshooting steps that would eat resources. Your videos are always thorough, and you refined the process so even a hobbiest like me feels completely comfortable taking on similar projects. Thank you for your effort and I hope it continues to pay off.
Thanks a lot, that’s really great feedback to get. Thanks for watching and all the best for your project if you decide to use some of the information from this video 😀.
The B-roll of the typical domestic oven was hilarious.
Had me off guard 💀
When you make a video,you never dissapoint.Yet a brilliant video from you guys that will not only help others but inspire others to try and make parts for themselvs. Me included!.
Thanks for the kind words, we hope to inspire as many people as possible to get into this fascinating area of engineering. I hope you share your achievements with us soon!
I feel like with many other companies, they seem to either service the larger industry or service very small and amateur techniques but this channel always shows off some of the more complicated and experimental techniques while doing so in a super easy to understand and motivating way. Strikes a perfect balance between amateur in the garage and aerospace-grade methods that anyone could do.
This is why Easy Composites is one of the coolest and best composites stores out there. These videos are fantastic and can't get enough of them. Super neat that you showed this using basic tools. Thanks again.
WHAT IS THIS OVEN MONTAGE OMG, amazing
My work here is done.
Apart from the invaluable knowledge that is being taught here, the production value is on another level. Especially when showing the before and after debulking in the same panning shot. Plus the Cinematic intro to the kitchen oven was masterclass! :D
Thank you - we're glad you appreciate the efforts we go to on both fronts.
I'm currently in a "beginner's zone" of silicone moulding, 3D printing and resin casting ... but when I have earned my big boy badge, I am 100% ordering from Easy Composites. Even so, the videos are super informative and ... oddly relaxing.
I recently picked up them projects too to make clear factory style buttons for a RGBW cluster and dash light conversion.
I've always been interested in it though.
i never thought there would be a cinematic intro for a standard kitchen oven.....i was wrong.
I liked the Ironie behind a lot.
Hi Paul! Can't tell you how excited I am to have found your channel. Its a fantastic resource. Thank you!
After years of prepreg using your easy composites oven the results your showing from a kitchen oven are pretty impressive! Iv found its very rare to get 100% pinhole free even with the perfect set up with perfect bag seal.
So extra finishing is always needed unless your full autoclave.
I probably will never make anything out of carbon fiber, but I’m watching every video this Chanel posts. There is something about it.. I wish I could pick it up as a hobby, but I don’t really have the place/need CF parts. 😅
Well, even if you're just watching for a bit of education and entertainment, we still appreciate the feedback and always like to hear that people enjoy what we're putting out. Maybe in some future videos we'll stray into an area that you can make some practical use of, so keep watching :)
I don't understand how you keep making videos THIS good it's crazy
The B roll for the oven intro had me dying 😂 - hats off to the editors
Haha, yes, editor Ben had free reign on that one! Seems people enjoyed it 😀
These videos are awesome! I don't even know what I'd make, but every time I watch one of your tutorials I get the urge to buy an evaluation kit and just make something. One of these days I'm going to find the perfect thing to make.
As always; the best ad for your products.
Love to watch and gather tips about composites even if I rarely do any work like this :)
You guys can read my mind, because this question has been circling around my head for quite a while.
There are several items that I want to create and was thinking if an oven cure would be suitable. I‘ve checked the temperature range in my oven between the thermostats heating and idle phase with a precise digital thermometer. It came out that there is a difference of 15 degrees centigrade between the two phases (120 C-105 C). That result and the fact that I couldn’t find any infos regarding this issue anywhere made me hesitate to start my project.
Well, after watching this video, I feel more confident and can start preparing my projects now.
Thank you very much for your videos, which gave me a lot of inspiration in making my own carbon parts. Working with carbon is just so satisfying.
Thanks so much for making these videos. All of them have been fantastic. Trying to get brave enough to start making automotive parts.
This video was aimed at you then! We're specifically aiming this at converting the composites 'lurkers' into composites do-ers. Honestly, give it a try, you may never look back!
@@easycompositestv i've also been lurking for a great while, this video made me think about which projects might be good for this kit! awesome by the way that you have an EU based warehouse, can i assume that's still a thing? cheers!
Wonderful video guys! Placed an order with you yesterday for some carbon rods after seeing your video on the different kinds which was brilliant. Love seeing other British companies take their work seriously. The oven would make an interesting use case for some kind of arduino/motor on the temp knob/wiring it directly in to the temp control so you're not constantly back and forth. Cheers!
Interesting idea and a fair bit of programming.
You guys are really good at including the small but essential details that take away a lot of the frustration when working with carbon fiber for the first time. For me it carbon fiber was a medium that was exclusive for big manufacturers and specialists, but man was i wrong. You guys live up to your brand name and then some.
Also that cinematic intro for the stove was unexpected and brilliant!
Glad to help!
I think this is the best video you guys have made so far.
Thanks for another lovely episode of carbon creating, love your content and the nice presentation...
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching and we appreciate the support.
Paul could make a video about the 4 month old pizza under his couch and it would be entertaining and educational at the same time. 🤷🏼♂️ 😳
And now to something completely different : Thank you to Paul and the team of easy composites for another highly appreciated video.
Man I love your videos! I don't even deal with carbon at all but absolutely love watching these! So clear concise and chronological. Theres never a moment I'm bored or thinking why am I watching this? : )
fabulous video as always!! Haha, this reminds me of my youth, I got some prepreg leftovers from my dad (working in a space company), storing in the family freezer and using the oven really tested my moms tolerance... but I was in makers heaven :-)
The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.
This was the one i have been waiting for
Thank you all so much for the time and trouble you have taken to make all your videos
You're welcome, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
20 yrs ago I used to make carbon parts both hand lay and pre preg... Had to used a deep freezer to keep the materials under zero degrees. Man your video is getting excited to start up again
We still recommend keeping unused pre-preg in the freezer to prolong its life.
Oh my, the number you did filming that oven... I knew what was coming, because I had paid attention in the intro of course, but still introducing it in a supercar shot like that, SO funny...
Best ad I've seen in a long time!
Makes me appreciate my carbon fiber motorcycle parts even more. Think I am going to leave it to the experts. Very interesting indeed.
You guys put the easy in easy composites, that's for sure. Would love to try prepreg some day.
Just wanted to say, I like your videos and I'll be watching more when I get into carbon fiber.
It's great to hear that you're considering working with composites, our technical team are on hand to help with any queries you may have when the time comes.
Best composites channel ever. Thank!
Haha, well, I guess there aren't too many full-time composites channels! But, thanks for the support :)
That transition to the kitchen oven was one of the funniest and off kilter things I have ever seen hahahahaha.
So I was watching, and thinking, "This is really good - I like it so far!" but THEN, you introduced a kitchen oven with some sexy close-up shots and drum-and-bass music. That was when I had to pause the video, click the like button, and leave this comment. AWESOME.
Haha, thanks, appreciate the feedback, and glad you liked the oven ad montage!
@@easycompositestv If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong! Thanks for these videos, I've been geeking out watching them.
I feel like watching these videos leads to information overload. It seems simple from afar but there are a lot of things going on here, all of them equally important. It’s going to take me a while before I build up the knowledge needed to attempt any of it.
You make everything look a lot easier than I know it will be!
Best and most useful channel of RUclips. Thank you very much! 😁👍🏼
Thanks for commenting. You're very welcome!
That's bloody brilliant! Definitely going to give this a try, just need to decide what to make 🤔 lol.
Only downside is the fiddly mold curing process with the temp increases, but if that's the only really fiddly bit? That's pretty awesome!
The before and after debulking shot is slick!
Thanks, yes that worked out better than we thought! I'd love to say it was done with a steady hand but it was a rhino slider and a carefully marked position on the bench!
I wish more companies did this. I don't need to make any carbon fiber parts but this was informative and I now have a better understanding of what carbon fiber parts actually are.
Thanks for watching. 'Share the knowledge' is our strapline and a big part of our ethos. Even if you don't intend to make any parts right now, it's good to hear that you've learned something more about the composites process as a whole.
My man makes this look so easy! Super informative and well done!
Essentially letting the customer have a in home autoclave. That's amazing, love this company.
Thanks for watching and commenting, yes we hope this inspires a few more people to give these materials a go!
Great job as usual! One idea for the future video - try to produce a flat carbon fiber with a flexible transparant top coat (like PVC plastisole as an example). This can be a new product for interior flat parts lamination with a tack film in between - real carbon fiber which you can cut and just glue on a flat surface in 10 minutes.
Nice one Paul, actually used this system over 20 years ago to make some inner wing liners for a rally car .
Back then there was no information like this and everything was trial and error, was even going to attempt carbon exhaust cans but information was very scarce and quite a well kept secret.
I’m currently making plans for molding a bodyshell with split tooling and bolted flanges , b nice if you could do a video on something similar as I’m undecided what’s the best way to infuse/ vac bag large multi piece molds without bagging the whole part. ( eradicating vacuum loss through flanges ) .
PS . yes I do purchase my materials off yourselves so not being cheeky 😂 🇬🇧.
LOL that oven B-roll was fire 🔥🔥
Prepreg doesn't seem as scary as it was before.
Though I'm still waiting for your take on internal sacrificial 3D printed mold infusion technique.
Thanks, and no, prepreg shouldn't seem scary, that was definitely the purpose of this video. As for 3D printed mandrels, yes, we'll cover this. We did a lot of 3D printing videos so we're exploring some other topics for the next few videos but we will return to more 3D printing in composites!
I'd be interested in seeing a 3d printed mandrel too :).
Love the videos
I am DEFINITELY getting this stuff! Been wanting to be able to make my own little interior bits! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! !
You’re very welcome, thanks for watching and it’s great to hear you’re going to give this a try!
Another great video as always. Easy to follow.
Ive just finished a wet layup on 3 molds for a 36” rc boat, i wish i had pre preg😂 i may be buying a sheet from you guys for my next boat
One thing I enjoy a lot on RUclips is learning about cool things I’ll probably never do in my life.
Yes, us too! No shame in understanding things you won’t actually do, quite the opposite in fact!
Can you do a video conparing the strength of pure cf vs honeycomb by volume/shape and prepreg vs vacuum infusions by weight?
That was amazing cinematography to introduce the kitchen oven 😂
It's interesting to see how much cleaner it is to work with prepreg. I wonder if it's possible to cut uncured prepreg with a laser cutter? Like if you went into production and you had fine tuned those various parts, and then wanted to just start cutting them out en masse?
Dont know if this helps but I tried to cut thin carbon fibre plates (.5mm) with a small laser and only burned the cured epoxy leaving the fibres unharmed. Even with max. power (which was enough for 10mm wood) and slooooow speeds no success….
I don’t think you can laser cut carbon fibre , I think it’s too resistant to the heat. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard with cured carbon
@@timsane Interesting. It does stand to reason that the CF itself would be really heat-resistant. Thanks for sharing.
@@thomaswoodhams3609 Maybe a very sharp blade and use a vacuum table to hold the pieces?
@@toastrecon also I know a couple of race cars which sadly burned to the ground. Engine, rims etc everything melted - carbon fibre parts looked intact but got soft again because only the epoxy literally went up into steam.
great presentation as always, itching to give pre pregs a try, so this video was very timely - thanks E.C.
No problem, glad you found it useful, we're here to help when you give it a go!
Great video and easy to follow. Just picked up the high temp mould kit and currently working through a split mould for a large tapered tube. Question on vacuume pump.... Is it essential to have the pump connected whilst in the oven or can the part be vacuumed initially and then thats it? If pump is required throughout does the pump shown regulate the vacuum or does it run continually?
The pump runs throughout the cycle to ensure that the vacuum level is held. Our EC4 pump shown in the video is designed for continuous use against a sealed system so fine to run through the cure cycle.
@@easycompositestv Thanks hopefully the EC4 will be in stock soon? I have just profiled my oven and it has a lowest setting of 50c with 5c increments. However it sits pretty constant without sawring temp but the lowest appears to be 65c (when set to 50c). What would the best situation be,. 65c for 2hrs then 15c every 2hrs?
Hi Paul! Once again excellent coverage of this advanced tecnique. One topic I would love to see covered is the use of High temp SLA or FDM moulds used with prepreg. Newer SLA resins are known to hold dimensional stability up to 200C. FDM PA/CF is also stable up to 150C. using these tecniques would by-pass manual mould production, thus one could design the mould in CAD, 3D print it using on the above tecniques and go straight to to the prepreg laminate process. What do you think? Thanks
Hi Luis,
We will come back to 3D printing again in the future and cover things like melt out cores.We've just covered the process in a number of our recent videos so thought people might want a bit of a break and see some other techniques. Surface texture needs to also be considered when drawing a vacuum on a 3D printed mould, you don't want air to pass through and cause a leak or any liquid resin to soak into the surface preventing a clean demould.
That was my thought aswell,.theres several options that are stable at 120degC, inspiring video for sure :)
I bought some of your fabric in a kit and made some parts a few years ago - had no idea how much easier pre preg is to use! Fantastic video as always.
Thanks James, PrePreg is often overlooked as its assumed to be much more expensive to get started but hopefully this video helps to dispel some of that thinking.
Me and the boys renting out an IMAX theater to watch the new Easy Composites video
Just came here to say that the XC110 prepreg is such a great product - very 'forgiving' in the sense that even if you're temps or switched cycle are not *exactly* to the spec on data sheet .....you will still end up with a very good result. In addition - the tech team at EC is extremely helpful and responsive with questions - I truly wish there were a US-based location/warehouse as the only disadvantage for those based in the US is the cost of shipping / dangerous goods 'tax'
Glad you are having great success with our products and happy to help.
8:48 Awesome AD of oven. I'll buy it !!
looks absolutely amazing. Just like with the video where your colleague made that amazing bonnet, I only need a couple of minutes to already realize I could never, ever, ever be able to recreate what you are doing. It requires a huge list of skills and virtues I don't possess. Meticulousness, patience, sense and feel for technique in general. I don't stand a chance. So can I order one of these kits and have you included in the kit?
Sadly we are not able to make the parts for you!
These videos you guys post are second to none :) I love watching them :)
Question, I noticed on the sample kit box it says to store frozen, How do you ship to Australia and stop it from curing prematurely?
The freezer "out life" is over 30 days so most destinations you will receive the goods before that and then you can put it back in the freezer.
Excellent video! The oven you make is easy to use, your prepregs work great also. I’d love to see a US warehouse, I paid a lot in shipping costs to bring them overseas, just an idea 🙂
Thanks Matthew - The good news is that we've got some exciting things in the pipeline for our US customers.
Make it a west coast warehouse 😊
@matthewbarnard461 Is there market of Carbon Fiber Automotive Parts? Pls advise
The unnecessary cinematic shot of the kitchen oven made the video much better! 😄
Love these videos, thanks easy composites
Greatly appreciate if someone(s) can shed light, In which countries the carbon fiber automotive parts are demanding and if you can refer the buyers/importers of these parts?
That B roll for the oven had me in stitches 😂😂😂 9:06
Man I love this channel.
Thanks a lot, we appreciate the comment; that's great to hear :)
Perfect video as always! Thanks guys!!
You're welcome Vasilis, thanks for watching.
Thank yo for doing this and showing the home oven information
No problem, everyone has to start somewhere, thanks for watching!
That oven reveal was spectacular 😆
Another beautiful tutorial.
Thanks for commenting, it's appreciated!
You do some great videos, thank you! I would love to see one of your strength tests like you did for the sled but with hybrid fabrics if you are willing?
Thanks for the suggestion. We do have some more strength tests in the planning stage already and we don’t want to overdo them so it might be some time before we get back to hybrids but it’s definitely something we can return to in the future 👍.
didnt know pre-infused carbon meshes existed. From short work time 2-component resins to heat activated pre-infused meshes with just the right tackiness and shelf-life, material engineering sure evolved in this area
Thumbs upped before I even hit Play.
I already knew.
...your solution to not angering the wife by drilling a hole in the side of the oven would have been useful about 7 years ago. I just bought her a new oven lol
Haha! Sorry, 7 years too late, that's rough. Hope you've been making parts since then!
Really excellent tutorial! Two comments/questions. First, how well do these hold up outdoor and in the sunlight? I've seen a lot of CF-epoxies yellow with age. Is that a concern here? Second, I noticed your mold seemed to warp when you heated it in the oven. Any tips to avoid this problem, especially on larger flat pieces? Thank you!
It really depends on the amount of exposure that the part is subject to. Unfortunately epoxy is inherently susceptible to UV degradation and will yellow over time. You can mitigate against this with a UV resistant lacquer such as Fantom Clear which will slow down and reduce the effect UV has on the part.
The slow and controlled ramp rate will help to reduce distortion and warpage which is why it is so important. This part was actually okay, I think it's just the underside is a bit uneven from the moulding paste.
@easycompositestv Awesome, thanks for the reply. Good thoughts. Basically protect the epoxy with some sunscreen!
I liked the "Oven Trailer" :)
expeted as similer pesentation of the finnished prepreg-part
Yes we let Ben the videographer free on that, glad you appreciated it!
Are there any safety concerns for using an oven that is otherwise used for food? i.e. can I use the oven for regular service after using it for curing?
Good question. We did think about this, but there should be no problem, neither the moulds or vacuum bags give off any significant (or practically detectable) quantity of vapour or fumes, as a precaution I would probably suggest cleaning the oven before using it again for food.
First of all great video, I really liked the quality,
I have a few questions about the point of this whole process.
Hear me out, prepregs with woven continuous fibres only serve their purpose if they are complete and not cut up in the component in some form of laminate construction.
As shown in the video, the component has no significant structural-mechanical advantages over a technical duromere with a "carbon look-alike" film, which in turn would be much cheaper.
Please correct me if I missed something, but I don't understand this trend of carbon fibres if they are not processed and used appropriately.
It’s not correct that there’s no point to carbon fibre if the fibre is not continuous across the entire surface of the part. Where practical to do so it’s usually better to have continuity but many - fully structural - components are laminated in multiple sections. In simple terms, you can think of steel beams holding up a large building. You don’t have to have one continuous steel, you have multiple steels spanning different sections, connected to, and supporting, each other. Panels of carbon fibre work much like that.
Thank you for the response.
I do know how and why laminated components gain their strength through oriantation and stacking. The question I have is, why to do it in parts which aren't exposed to a lot of mechanical stress in general?
I get it, that you do it here to show how it is done, but I see so many parts beeing manufactured for the whole reason of beeing "carbon-fibre" in a marketing way than an actual meaningful way.
I may never need to create carbon fiber parts, but it is interesting how to do it.
This is a great video. I am a speaker builder and have been on the fence about trying to make some prepreg speaker cones. I have a 101-0AB curing oven from Amazon. I would be making the cone mold from a blank piece of aluminum stock turned in my lathe. How do you think your prepreg will release from polished aluminum as the mold? Maybe stick the mold in the freezer so the aluminum contracts and pops the part off?
Releasing from aluminium is generally not an issue with the CR1 Release agent. Certainly with a cone depending which way round you mould it, the contraction of the aluminium as it cools may release it from the part anyway. Certainly you can use freezers to shrink the metal more if you are having problems.
Thanks so much for sharing this info! A lot of guys in the carbon fiber world like to keep secrets, and gatekeep this trade/skill.
Jusy curious, say you want to make a bigger item like a hood, how do you fInd a big oven for something like that?
If you choose to do it in pre-preg, yes you need a large oven, but often large panels are done by other processes that cure at room temperature such as resin infusion.
Paul is such a legend. As an instructional, informative host, I'd put him up there with the likes of Bob Ross or Bill Nye, and that's no exaggeration. Easy Composites, whatever you're paying him, it's not enough!😂
It's a good Job he's the boss then 😂
Renaissance man!
Can you guys do a video on wrapping a plastic engine part. I’ve noticed some parts online are original OEM parts with a cover of fiber around the face. Same with car interior trim pieces. I’m gonna order both of your moldmaking and carbon kits to try it out. It’s super fun and exciting. Thank you.
I want to try a part on my car but it has plastic fake leather texture in it. How can we go about removing that texture without ruining the original part? Smear in wax to the original part then make the mold?
Our Skinning video shows this process to wrap a part in carbon fibre. ruclips.net/video/aqwhcfQZT8U/видео.html
You can't easily. You would have to try and use something removable but then that is unlikely to give a good finish for the mould.
Its sad that i bought your kits back in 2010 and still havent used it ...
I love the videos and the idea that i can do this
Mmmm, you might need to refresh the materials in a kit from 2010! VFR400 - what a machine!
Absolute strength, quality 💯
Love the video. I’m surprised no-one has asked this but how many times would you be able to use the prepreg mould you’ve made?
Many thanks
It's difficult to say exactly as the biggest wear on the moulds comes from how easily the parts demould and if any force or stress is required to make the parts release. It's perfectly plausible that you can get many 10's of releases if not more but fundamentally comes down to how well they are used.
Very interesting, I'm gonna buy some kit and build my own race car parts.... Thanks' for the education.. I liked and subbed and will watch more of what you do.
Thanks for watching.
Never stop putting videos plzzz
I always enjoy the very detailed videos you guys have. I won't do this but still very educational.
Well that’s fine, thanks for watching!
Amazing work. Thanks!
When curing the mould could you split the curing over 2 days? So cure it up to 90 degrees for example, let it cool overnight then a start again from 70 or so the next day? Or will that compromise the mould?
We would always recommend keeping the cure in one session ideally. It is possible to do a post cure up to 120C as a separate session at a later time if necessary.
@@easycompositestv thanks for updating, unfortunately didn’t have solo control over the oven and needed to press on. I cured up to 135 on the second day so hopefully that’s ready to go next weekend.
Could you please try making carbonfiber parts, with pre-tension and how would one do that?
Also woul;d be interesting what performace modification would be achived?
The nature of pre-preg is that the resin is soft so cannot really be tensioned. During the curing process it becomes a liquid then solidifies.
@@easycompositestv oh I think you misunderstood, I wasn’t talking about pre-preg, but in general.
Like you know how they make pre-tension concrete, what would happen if you just cure carbon fiber parts, with no vacuum using the most basic methods, but while it cures, stretch the fibers and hold them under stress until it cures, and see if there is any improvements to the performance of the composite
Came here ready to learn how turn everything in my car carbon fiber. Left here now more than happy pay someone else the “high prices” for whatever parts are already available that I can afford haha😂
❤❤❤ espectacular!! Gracias por sus videos!!