carbon fiber inlay

[kfxguy]

I don't proclaim to be an expert at this, but im willing to share what I did. A lot of people wont do that. So here's what I did:

My miss geico internals started to detach after a flip yesterday. Battery trays completely detached. So I decided to rip it all out and do it over. This thread is just on the inlay. If interest is shown, ill post up the rest of what I did for motor mounting, servo mount, and battery trays.

Here's the before:
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Here's after ripping it all out:
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So first thing you make a template. I made mine out of poster board. This is to get the size and shape you need then transfer to the carbon fiber so you don't waste any.

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Then I tape out the shape on the carbon. When I cut it out I left about an 1/8" around the edge of the cf cloth. That keeps the fibers from coming undone and saves you a major headache. Trust me. The tape is only on one side and faces down when you put it in.

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I did the first layer in fiberglass to cut down on cf usage. I wanted two layers but cf cloth is not cheap. Fiberglass is. Lol. I doubt im giving up a bunch of strength. Better than one layer of carbon, right?

See the hole? No need to cut it, the fibers will move around. Use a screwdriver to do it.

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[kfxguy]

Now you test fit both pieces. Make sure they fit correctly.

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Once you made sure they fit, tape up the boat on the outside. Youll see why in a minute. Now put your first layer in. Center it and put it in position. Carefully lift one side and spray some spray adhesive on the cloth and boat floor. Carefully lay it back down being careful to smooth it out and don't put any wrinkles in. Do the same on the other side. Don't worry, your resin will melt away this glue and you wont see it.

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Then same thing for second layer.

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Looks good so far. Now its time for your epoxy resin. I made a support piece for my stuffing tube. I recommend have some kind of support here.

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[kfxguy]

I used a paint brush to initially spread the resin. Then I used a small foam roller to even it all out. Soaked up excess resin. The cheapest place I found was home dept. It looks like a mini paint roller. You normally use it for touch up and tight spot painting. Here's how it looks now.

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Now im waiting on my battery trays to cure.

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[kfxguy]

Lol. Nobody cares. Guess I wasted my time posting this. Lmao

[pescador]

Thanks man, I'm just about to do some CF work on my boat and was wondering about the stuffing tube. Any details on your vacuum bag setup?

[kfxguy]

Thanks man, I'm just about to do some CF work on my boat and was wondering about the stuffing tube. Any details on your vacuum bag setup?

I have a big piece of glass. Some Peel ply,vacuum pump, some cotton material from walmart for soaking up extra resin, and regular visqueen for the bag. Its sealed down with sticky tape. Ill post my battery trays later this evening. They turned out nice. I ordered a billet servo bracket today and hopefully get it in by the weekend. I should be done by then.

[iridebikes247]

really nice job. im sure a lot of people appreciate this tip but it takes a week for posts like this to be read and tried out don't think you wasted any time

[kfxguy]

really nice job. im sure a lot of people appreciate this tip but it takes a week for posts like this to be read and tried out don't think you wasted any time

Well I guess I was just a little taken back by no one commenting. I figured no one appreciated it.

[rickwess]

Well I guess I was just a little taken back by no one commenting. I figured no one appreciated it.

Patience friend. You only posted it late last night.

It's a good write-up.

[kfxguy]

Patience friend. You only posted it late last night.

It's a good write-up.

Thanks. I just figured I'd have at least one post by know lol. No biggie. Im just used to the other forums I frequent where you'll have a response usually within 5 or so minutes. Lol

[rickwess]

Thanks. I just figured I'd have at least one post by know lol. No biggie. Im just used to the other forums I frequent where you'll have a response usually within 5 or so minutes. Lol

Most of us work during the day. It's how we support this expensive hobby.............and a few other vices

[Fella1340]

Looking good. I hope you will post the rebuild through to completion. I have some carbon fiber work
coming up and appreciate any info posted about it. Like you said, there's not much out there. Keep up the good work!

[Wetter]

i appreciate your post didn't know CF was that pliable (still in the box) to spread around stuffing tube there is another post i started CF Cloth? and so here is what iridebikes247 says,(Quote)
" use super 77 spray adhesive. just a light mist coast and I can cut razor sharp edges. at first I was worried that the spray adhesive would mess up the epoxy bond, the epoxy breaks down most adhesives very very well, try it and put a piece of tape on the cf cloth then epoxy, the adhesive melts off the tape very quickly.

I measure the size I need for the hull, spray the cloth, press it into place. The important thing is not touching the cloth after it is set into place, otherwise the epoxy will allow it to slide around a bit and you risk having air bubbles. some people aren't a fan of the spray adhesive but in my experience it has always broken down and the epoxy penetrates through the cloth, but to each his own. "

anyways i basically was thinkn' the same tools.
i am almost ready to lay mine, waiting for keithbradley, he was supposed to be making a tutorial of CF lay.
Thank you kfxguy.

[kfxguy]

i appreciate your post didn't know CF was that pliable (still in the box) to spread around stuffing tube there is another post i started CF Cloth? and so here is what iridebikes247 says,(Quote)
" use super 77 spray adhesive. just a light mist coast and I can cut razor sharp edges. at first I was worried that the spray adhesive would mess up the epoxy bond, the epoxy breaks down most adhesives very very well, try it and put a piece of tape on the cf cloth then epoxy, the adhesive melts off the tape very quickly.

I measure the size I need for the hull, spray the cloth, press it into place. The important thing is not touching the cloth after it is set into place, otherwise the epoxy will allow it to slide around a bit and you risk having air bubbles. some people aren't a fan of the spray adhesive but in my experience it has always broken down and the epoxy penetrates through the cloth, but to each his own. "

anyways i basically was thinkn' the same tools.
i am almost ready to lay mine, waiting for keithbradley, he was supposed to be making a tutorial of CF lay.
Thank you kfxguy.

Well I didn't find any detailed way of doing it....just bits and pieces. I've done quite a few things in cf here recently,mostly over laying parts. Same thing to me with this. I dud learn the spray glue tip here recently and it works great. Just make sure you get the cloth in place (most people don't even know it starts out as a cloth) and then once its where you want....pull up a small section and spray it with adhesive. Carefully press it down taking care to not wrinkle. I've never had an issue with using the glue. It helps out greatly because the cf resin doesn't make it stick.

Im glad im getting some feedback.....I thought I had wasted my time. I actually posted this three times before this and everytime for some reason my phone crashed. Android garbage lol.

Stay tuned....im at welding school right now but when I get home, ill finish (try at least) the battery trays. If I get far enough, i'll start the motor mount. I have to mill slots in my trays with my milling machine for the battery straps.... so that may take a while.

[kfxguy]

Looking good. I hope you will post the rebuild through to completion. I have some carbon fiber work
coming up and appreciate any info posted about it. Like you said, there's not much out there. Keep up the good work!

I will and if you have any questions....don't hesitate to ask. Im not a pro....but I know a couple things about cf work.

[kfxguy]

Here's the battery trays compared to the stock junk. They are made of a thin sheet of basswood and a layer of carbon fiber with epoxy soaked in them. Really stiff and light. I chose to go this route and laminate the wood because it was much cheaper materials wise, took less time and the end result was good enough.

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Here's the trays after milling the slots. I messed up. I was supposed to do 4 smaller slots and accidentally went too far. O well.....not making another set.

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Installed in the hull

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Now im waiting on epoxy to dry on the motor mount. I started it already. Not sure if its what im gonna end up with yet tho. We shall see.

[Wetter]

you're on it, nice flippn' job on your batt trays. darn look like the ones i bought.
keepm' popn'

[kfxguy]

you're on it, nice flippn' job on your batt trays. darn look like the ones i bought.
keepm' popn'

Thanks :) I thought they turned out pretty decent. They aren't perfect but they are close. First time milling wood/cf in my machine. Can't crank down on the vise or they would bend. Im hoping to have this thing ready by the weekend. That depends on how my motor mount turns out.

[Darin Jordan]

Nice work.

For what it's worth, I... and Pro Boat, can't stand the wood in the interior either... It makes the boat look kind of cheap.

Maybe that will change on future offerings. I actually think, with a little redesign of the sponson area, that the battery trays may not even be necessary. Would love to see the cells right on the floors of the sponson canoes.

[kfxguy]

Nice work.

For what it's worth, I... and Pro Boat, can't stand the wood in the interior either... It makes the boat look kind of cheap.

Maybe that will change on future offerings. I actually think, with a little redesign of the sponson area, that the battery trays may not even be necessary. Would love to see the cells right on the floors of the sponson canoes.

Thanks Darin!
I did lower the trays a Tad. The trays sit on the humps toward the outside of the sponsons. It will help with getting the batteries in and out easier. Funny thing is when I removed all the wood stuff, the hull sits flat on a glass table now. Before it would teeter.

[Darin Jordan]

Funny thing is when I removed all the wood stuff, the hull sits flat on a glass table now. Before it would teeter.

That doesn't surprise me at all...

I usually try to run my Pro Boat stuff pretty close to the factory config to find out what it can do "out of the box", but I'm starting to do more testing and research with "variations"...

[kfxguy]

That doesn't surprise me at all...

I usually try to run my Pro Boat stuff pretty close to the factory config to find out what it can do "out of the box", but I'm starting to do more testing and research with "variations"...

Yea I did that too. Lol. It would flip over, over 55 or so mph. After 3 flips, everything inside started coming loose.....the battery trays completely came loose. This is the flip that did it in:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiTb...e_gdata_player

[Fella1340]

I love how.the battery trays worked out. Nice job. I am curious as to now the machining went. Were
you able to plunge and cut and the finished size and still get those nice clean lines or did you start with a smaller diameter cutter and then mill the finished size. I will be doing similar work over the winter
And would very much like to know how out did it. Thanks, Jeff

[kfxguy]

I love how.the battery trays worked out. Nice job. I am curious as to now the machining went. Were
you able to plunge and cut and the finished size and still get those nice clean lines or did you start with a smaller diameter cutter and then mill the finished size. I will be doing similar work over the winter
And would very much like to know how out did it. Thanks, Jeff

I marked it on the back side. Sanded them to the same exact size on a belt sander. Taped them together with masking tape. Plunge cut both at the same time. It produced a semi clean cut. Didn't splinter the carbon at all. Then I went back over it with a hobby knife and cleaned the holes up. Then finished the edges with 400 grit. I used one size mill bit.

[kfxguy]

Wait till you see what in doing to hold my cooling hose in place. If it works out....its gonna be neat. Hint....made out of cf.....go figure. Lol

[Wetter]

just curious on the CF plates (trays ect...) i know on my rc buggies and cars that on the edges weather be the chassis or shock towers ect...that (we) use CA glue to keep the edges from splintering or fraying on impact, being boats do not tend to incur this type of abuse still i thought i would mention this.
is it something you would do or just ignore in a boat?

[kfxguy]

just curious on the CF plates (trays ect...) i know on my rc buggies and cars that on the edges weather be the chassis or shock towers ect...that (we) use CA glue to keep the edges from splintering or fraying on impact, being boats do not tend to incur this type of abuse still i thought i would mention this.
is it something you would do or just ignore in a boat?

Pretty much all the carbon gets epoxy on it so it serves the same purpose.

[kfxguy]

Motor mount almost done. Its very very strong. Two layers of probably .050 carbon plate sandwiched together, epoxied and dry overnight. Then I made the sides. Im waiting on some sheets im making to finish curing and ill cut the back part out,epoxy it on then mount it in the hull. I used the stock mount t is why I made this ramp. I felt like motor changes and servicing it was much easier.

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[Fella1340]

I am enjoying watching this come together. Keep up the good work!

[kfxguy]

I am enjoying watching this come together. Keep up the good work!

Thanks man. I didn't just make this, I did it a couple weeks ago,but its going in the geico. Its a mamba monster 2 esc that I converted to water cooling. I milled this plate out myself (isn't perfectly symmetrical but it'll work lol) because I didn't like what they offered for a cooling plate.

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This was my first attempt at milling it out. Forgot to leave material where the screw holes go. Ehh

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