Carbon Fiber on ABS

[nosreme722]

Need some help with putting some CF clothe on an old abs hydro. Need to know what type of resin etc, and where to get it. Thanks

Heres the build:
http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...ad.php?t=26048

[sailr]

Epoxy. Nothing else. Polyester resin will eat the abs plastic. You will need to rough up the abs really good to get the resin to stick.

[nosreme722]

Epoxy. Nothing else. Polyester resin will eat the abs plastic. You will need to rough up the abs really good to get the resin to stick.

Ok I've gotten many different answers on how to do this and I've even talked to randy about it a little, I checked out his thread from awhile back on rumrunners that was CF on abs plastic, that whole thread talked about 3m spray and CA, nothing about epoxy?

Watever, can you just give me detailed insructions on how to do it with just epoxy? Just layer my area I want, put down the cf, then more epoxy? I'm so confused, sorry. But thanks.

[sailr]

epoxy, mix the two parts together, paint some inside the hull, lay the fabric, saturate the fabric with the epoxy. About as simple as it gets. If in doubt, get some 1 hour or overnight curing epoxy. That will give you a much longer time to work with it.

I don't like the spray adhesive routine. Yes, it will stick the fabric to the hull but it can also fill some of the weave. Using CA is a pretty danged expensive way to go if you're going to cover a very big area. It also doesn't cure out nice and smooth. No doubt it would work. Just my opinion.

[nosreme722]

Alright sounds easy enough..

Should I still just use CA for joing the 2 halves of the hull?

Oh also, any kind specific epoxy? Or just regular ol epoxy? Lol I just watn to get it right the first time

[sailr]

Any epoxy will do it. You can also thin down the epoxy (after mixing the two parts) with DENATURED alcohol. NOT the stuff you get at the drugstore! Thinning the epoxy slightly will make it penetrate the fabric better and level out to a nicer finish. Easy....it doesn't take much alcohol. Too much and the epoxy may never set up and will certainly lose some of its strength. Try a few drops, mix, check for viscosity and add a drop or two more if necessary. Once it's too thin, throw it out and start over.

Some like to use Z-poxy finishing resin or West Systems epoxy. I use the Z-poxy. You should be able to get Z-poxy at a hobby shop but you'll have to go to a boat supply store for the West Systems. Most likely West Marine.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearchView?storeId=11151&catalogId=10001&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&N=710+2010297+4294966881&omniTag=Brand:WEST%20SYSTEM

I prefer the Z-poxy for another reason, the mix ration is 1 part resin to 1 part hardener. The west system can be a bit trickier and you must choose the specific hardener you want to use, fast, slow, etc. etc. Each may have a different mix ratio with the resin.

[nosreme722]

Alright Im going to get some CF from here: http://www.solarcomposites.com/compo...carbon.html#3K

And pick up some Z-poxy from kintec: http://kintecracing.com/Building_Supplies.html

[Diegoboy]

I have tried almost all the recommended methods, including my own ideas. THIS method by Randy @ BBY produced the best results for me.

[sailr]

Good deal on the CF! I've bookmarked that site for future reference!

[Meniscus]

I'm currently using 3M Super77 to lay down cloth. It doesn't take much and only serves to hold fabric in place as you push into all crevices. Then I'm using Thin CA to flow into the material. It sets in mere seconds, so I turn the model so it will run down and soak into the fibers of the cloth. It seems to chemically bond the ABS and stabilize the cloth.

I'm currently toying with the idea of putting a layer of 20min finishing epoxy over everything, but I don't think it is necessary. The point is, finish however you want, but Randy's method seems to work very well.

Note on cloth, depending on the size of the model and how thick the ABS is, you may want a heavier weight and a more open weave. I believe that this adds more strength while allowing for more shock without splintering. This is just conjecture on my part, but comes from conclusions after laying up various materials with ABS.

You can special order larger quantities of CA with your LHS (Local Hobby Shop). The quote I got was 12 ounces of thin CA for around $15. They are sold as refills for the smaller 2 oz. bottles. Just be sure to store in the fridge and don't let it come in contact with the sun for any time.

For joining the top and bottom, use thick CA and keep it flowing down the seam.

Hope this helps. Happy boating!