carbon fiber question

[S13S14S15]

i am just wondering about this. can carbon fiber be lay on top of plastic or vinyl? like let's say i take out my center console and lay carbon fiber on top of them so that instead of getting a dash kit (which is not real cf), it would be real cf and it would definitely look better.

can someone tell me if that's possible?

[mistaanime]

it's possible..but you would have to heat the Real Carbon Fiber at a really high degree. so that it is flexible..unless you get that fake carbon fiber..the one that is like a sticker..and jusss lay it on your dash or wut ever.

[DSC]

I thought CF was flexable until you put the resin stuff on it???

[HiPSI]

Originally posted by DSC
I thought CF was flexable until you put the resin stuff on it???

depends on if you get pre-impregnated carbon or just carbon sheeting.

and as far as trying to overlay your console, it still wouldn't be all that "real" because the original piece is under it just like a dash kit would do... so there's really no point in the expense of it. most of the dash kits are made from real carbon anyway (at least the good ones).

[S13S14S15]

Originally posted by HiPSI
most of the dash kits are made from real carbon anyway (at least the good ones).

really? i though they are always fake. that's why i wanted to lay real cf over the dash.

[ruf]

Cheap ones are fake. Expensive ones are real. They use a flexible encapsulant. I've done what you were thinking of. Use some sort of clearcoat to seal the CF cloth or it will fray and get fibers all over the place. If you thought fiberglass was bad, CF is the itchiest stuff on the planet and very unhealthy as well.

http://www.biznetworking.com/ruf/images/240sx/DSC01736.JPG

[Philip]

Originally posted by mistaanime
it's possible..but you would have to heat the Real Carbon Fiber at a really high degree. so that it is flexible..unless you get that fake carbon fiber..the one that is like a sticker..and jusss lay it on your dash or wut ever.

Carbon Fiber usually comes in a sheet of fabric like fiberglass... heating it to a really high degree would set in on fire.
You could coat some with resin and then lay it over the center console, but it would not have that glass smooth look that makes carbon fiber hoods/etc so rad.
Once some carbon fiber has set it is no longer pliable, so you would have to set it on the console while it is wet.
Use google to search if you want to learn about it, there is alot out there.

[mistaanime]

hmm....so..at high temp...it would set the carbon fiber on fire..so..im guessin its bad to get a Carbon Fiber hood? :D

[Phlip]

Originally posted by mistaanime
hmm....so..at high temp...it would set the carbon fiber on fire..so..im guessin its bad to get a Carbon Fiber hood? :D
No, heating RAW carbon fiber to a high degree is bad. Once the resin is in and set and you clearcoat it (like a hood). Once it is prepared and ready to go, it is strong, heat resistant and still lightweight, like we all love so much. But before that, you have cloth, and it is never a great Idea to heat cloth.

[Philip]

Originally posted by mistaanime
hmm....so..at high temp...it would set the carbon fiber on fire..so..im guessin its bad to get a Carbon Fiber hood? :D

I wouldn't exactly call the temperatures a hood sees 'high'... Does your hood ever get too hot to even touch?

[andrave]

it won't burn...
fiberglass fiber won't burn either.

If you set a fiberglass piece on fire it burns the resin off and leaves the charred fibers behind.

Anyway laying carbonfiber is just like laying fiberglass cloth, and getting the weave right is a bitch. You will get that "smooth" feel that hoods get if you impregnate it with resin, basically if you construct it like a hood. But I don't see the point, if you really want CF interior piece, use fiberglass to construct a negative mold from the stock part, then lay the CF in those molds and make real CF pieces...
sounds a lot more worthwhile. Also if you have any questions, tapplastics.com has a variety of exotic cloths/resins.

[black s13]

or you can find a custom carbon fiber manufacturer, and have them make it for you. i have one in my town, went in to ask him sonme questions, and all the parts were for porsches, ducatis or ferraris. he said most of the market is currently in west coast ferrari F50's, and i understand why, he quoted me $2400 for a rear hatch, plus the cost/time to make the fiberglass mold.

summary: you can get it made perfect/custom, but you might want to pre-lube...