Glassing with carbon made easy

If it's something you guys would like to know how this was done? give me some feed back. Because it would be sort of a long post.https://photos.yahoo.com/rockets_r_us2

Did you use epoxy? I guess I missed that step. Also, did you leave the shrink wrap on the tube?

The past few years all of the rockets I've built. I fiberglassed. Then I heard carbon was so much stronger than fiber glass. If you have ever worked with carbon it has a looser weave than fiber glass Thats what makes it so hard to work with. I went about my way of finding out how to do it. I found a way to apply the carbon to the tubes with out having the weave shift around so much. The frist thing I do is sand the tube down with some 220 grit sand paper. This will help the expoy bond to the tube some what better.then I draw a straight line the length of the tube. this is where you will start to apply. with a cloth tape I find out how much is needed. This tube has two wraps of 5.9oz. Carbon.I over hage the tube by 1/2" on both ends. I got some butcher paper. craft stores have it. I cut a piece of paper 17"x21" for this tube. useing spray glue on the butcher paper. making sure you got enough of it around the out side edge. This will keep the carbon from moving around on you.You can get the glue @ kmart.Taking the paper and making sure you don't have any wrinkles in the carbon. Set it down and useing this as a pattern cut out the carbon.now take the glue and spray the tube all the way around. Starting from the line set the carbon on the tube. Slowly turning the tube. When you come around to where you started. Spray the inside of the carbon that will overlap the carbon on the tube. At the same time peel the paper off the carbon as you apply the rest of it. When you cut the shrink wrap for the tube. make sure you can wrap the tube 3or4 times with it. and have a over hang of 2" After that you can apply the expoy to the tube. I use Zpoxy Finish cure. I don't think useing 30min or an hour expoy would work very good. It might set up before you even get the shrink wrap on the tube. This tube took me 1-hour From start to finish. Thats With the expoy cured. Useing the shrink wrap start 2" back from where you ended with the carbon. and wrap it is the same direction. When you come to the end. tape it off with some masking tape running the length of the tube. Now go get your wifes Hair dryer. starting at the ends heat it up.You will see how it shrinks on the ends try not to hold it in one place for to long.This will melt holes in the shrink wrap. This tube took about 15min. to complete.let it set for about 1/2hour and then peel the shrink wrap off. And you've got one tuff tube now.

Wow!!! This sounds really cool. Thanks for sharing. Where do you buy the carbon?

cuttbow2 Wow!!! This sounds really cool. Thanks for sharing. Where do you buy the carbon? About the best place I've found for carbon & glass.Was at.https://uscomposites.com And check out there expoy to. I think thats the best price you will find.

Very nice process bro. And I concur with USComposites. I havent ordered any of their carbon but I have used alot of their fiber. They even have carbon in colors....