Carbon fiber

[TRFfan]

Does anyone here make custom carbon fiber parts?

 

[tim cubbedge]

Does anyone here make custom carbon fiber parts?

Carolina Composites but then you already knew that 😉

https://www.carolinacompositerocketry.com/main.sc?page=2

 

[dixontj93060]

Charlie's your man: https://www.carolinacompositerocketry.com.

 

[Dwatkins]

X3! Charlie's tubes were the only ones to survive the Loki 54mm M in a Min. Dia rocket at balls this year! I have had his tubes out to Mach 3.6 in my Wildman Falcon Extreme with no damage.

Dennis

 

[fyrwrxz]

Carolina Composites but then you already knew that ��

https://www.carolinacompositerocketry.com/main.sc?page=2

+1 for CC-made me a custom part that's bullet-proof.

 

[TRFfan]

ok, thanks.

 

[mad4hws]

ok, thanks.

Our tarc team has made their own carbon fiber tubes for the past couple of years. the commercial tubes aren't the right size and are too beefy. They use a coupler tube from Balsa Machining Services as a mandrel. The mandrel is first fitted with a layer of mylar, which acts as a release layer. It is sprayed with frecote before the lay-up begins. Once it is layed up, a layer of peel ply is added (very important step). We use 1k fabric from SollerComposites and do 3 wraps. It's not strong enough for HPR, but it's definitely strong enough for TARC and super light weight. Here's a pic of this year's first rocket, BT60 and a 29mm motor mount. This is a lot of work though.

 

[dhbarr]

Our tarc team has made their own carbon fiber tubes for the past couple of years. the commercial tubes aren't the right size and are too beefy. They use a coupler tube from Balsa Machining Services as a mandrel. The mandrel is first fitted with a layer of mylar, which acts as a release layer. It is sprayed with frecote before the lay-up begins. Once it is layed up, a layer of peel ply is added (very important step). We use 1k fabric from SollerComposites and do 3 wraps. It's not strong enough for HPR, but it's definitely strong enough for TARC and super light weight. Here's a pic of this year's first rocket, BT60 and a 29mm motor mount. This is a lot of work though.

What fabric weight are you using ( oz/yd2 ; GSM )?

 

[mad4hws]

What fabric weight are you using ( oz/yd2 ; GSM )?

It's 1K fabric from soller composites, 125gsm. This stuff is much easier to work with than the 3K 2x2 twill weave. It doesn't move around as much.

 

[dhbarr]

Cool, so biax-uni-biax sleeve should make a pretty decent ( albeit rather heavier ) tube. Been noodling on that for a while, and your post jogged my noodler

 

[mad4hws]

Cool, so biax-uni-biax sleeve should make a pretty decent ( albeit rather heavier ) tube. Been noodling on that for a while, and your post jogged my noodler

We tried the sleeve too, but with limited success. It's great because it doesn't have any seams. However, the fibers are thicker, so it results in a heavier component. Soller composites sells a heat shrink tube that should squeeze all of the excess epoxy out, but I couldn't get it to work well. Perhaps if you vacuum sealed it would create better pressure, but then there would be seams around where the bag compresses. After trying this a few times, we just went back to basics using the smaller weave and using the peel ply. The seam is noticable though. We could squeeze out a little more by using a vaccum press - maybe we'll try that next. Also, when working with resin, we are very careful to wear respirators. Here's the team doing their best Darth Vader impression