Originally posted by shockwaveriderz
Dynasoar; Well I had the bright idea to sell unidirectional prepreg sheets .. I used heavy metal plates with bolt holes around the peripheral edges to apply constant and continius pressure ...At first I just waxed the metal plates......then I went to using oversize mylar sheet .014".... I did not have the ability to oven cure as the pros would do...so I air cured......it works but......
If I was to do it all over again, I would create a small vacuum heat press sorta like the pros do it so I could cure under uniform heat and pressure.....
Dyna: theres no doubt you can do it and probably well, but why reinvent the wheel? There are several companies that can provide you with various CF materials in various thicknesses using actual hitech production equipment ....
I just decided that I did not really want to produce cf materials and perhaps get an epoxy sensitivity or get cancer from inhaling all this stuff......
Take alook at all the CF products avilable from these 2 vendors......
Why re-invent the wheel? Because someone took the wheel, turned it on its side, made the spokes flat and angled them, and invented the turbine blade.
I know there's places I can buy it from. I think I can make it cheaper and sell it for less. I can also make it custom cut, and since I know rocketry, know what it is people are asking for when they order it. I think I can improve the manufacturing process by making it simpler and cheaper, something I have *lot* of experience doing with lots of other hitech stuff. Frinstances: solar curing oven. Thermal box, glass lid, vent fan on a thermocouple. For break away, I've got a couple different mixtures in mind that are dirt cheap; some of the stuff I could have for the hauling away from an oil refinery. Those hi tech production places have to pay for their fancy equipment. I tend to approach equipment like Mother Earth News approaches stuff, hacked out of raw timber if possible. The results don't understand fancy. I just have a knack for pulling one technology into another in ways that weren't thought of before.
As for the hazmat angle, I had all the pertinent training the Air Force had to offer on the subject, from diesel fuel through RFNA. Some days I went to work in a space suit and climbed into JP4 tanks, and some days worked around B-52s loaded with a gigaton of live evil. I know my substances, hazards and precautions.
The vacuum system is already paid for and scheduled for shipping. And, I've already had an inquiry from a retailer. I've scoped out the probable competition in the niche I'm picking and know my benefit over them.
Worst that can happen is I don't make back my thousand dollars, which I wouldn't have put in if I couldn't deal with that, and I'll be giving away sheets of CF at all the launches in Texas. And I go back to brain science to get my pizza money. I'm sure I can waste a fair amount learning how, sell the good stuff for cheaper than others and still at least break even.
At the very least the guys from Rocketguts and I are going to learn how, and make some money for their TARC team, and learn some more stuff, and have some fun, and have some of the coolest rockets on the planet or off. After that it's gravy.