Cutting Carbon Fibre

[Jack]

So I'm planning on buying a CF bonnet, but the one I'm looking to buy recommends mounting it with bonnet pins. I don't fancy having normal style pins poking out the bonnet so would prefer aero catch style ones.

How easy is it to cut CF as required, as I'm worried about damaging the weave? Do aero catches need a kinda oval shape hole?

[dan23]

you can cut it with a 1mm cutting disc on grinder buts thats too big for the above job
use a dremmel stick masking tape on the bonnet an draw the line you want to cut onit then score it with a stanley blade along the line to stop the disc from wandering

[Novasport]

When you said CF bonnet, I thought you meant one of these...........


http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqJ,!i!E3dSGHHHrBOKHCvrwnw~~_35.JPG

lol lol lol lol lol lol

[Pistol Pete]

I cut the CF for my base plates with a fine toothed blade and an electric jigsaw. Masking tape and a pencil mark, drill a statrting hole and job jobbed. Some of the clearcoat chipped, but im talking so small hardly worth bothering!! Wont the bonnet pins come with large washers to go round the holes anyway?

[Mike]

Tape out a rectangle, then infill that rectangle with tape also (masking tape) draw out your shape onto said masking, dremmel, perma grit 1" disc or Tungsten 1" disc & go at it (literally!). Cut the main shape with a disc, use a bobbin to take down to its oval profile.

Its easy with a dremmel at 5k rpm. Try it on a £215k supercar with a 22krpm air grinder when your half asleep on a Saturday morning :S that makes you pukka up your bum hole :/

You cant fcuk of the twill pattern as such, the epoxy resin will obviously hold it in place. But if you slip you can easily fcuk the epoxy surface finish (easily repairable tho). You cant burn or scorch it either buy pressing to hard etc providing its epoxy NOT polyester resin (I use a blow torch to melt out remains of vacum bags on £10k parts at work lol so thats proof enough of that for anyone who wishes to disagree).

[Mazz]

For the love of god, get the aero catches that sit/mount ontop of the bonnet, not underneath...

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/768843-aero-catch-step-by-step/

These :

http://www.4nmuscle.com/pictures/Misc%20Pics/Aerocatch%20Pins.JPG

Not these, one slight slip and your fooked!

http://www.robispec.com/touge/aerocatch1.jpg

[Mike]

^^ What Mazz says.

[brainsnova]

Do you need to wear a mask or is it ok with nowt.

[Mike]

Do you need to wear a mask or is it ok with nowt.

Its carconogenic. Ergo, cancerous.

At home Ive got a diddy respirator I use, at work I use an air feed full face resp & trim in a negative pressure room with immense amounts of extraction.

[brainsnova]

Jack best look out this then lol

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u331/Brain_missing/a67c2a72.jpg

[Mike]

HAHAHA its about as lethal as MDF dust. So harmful but nowhere near as harmful as say asbestos.

Its also forking razor sharp :S Ive got some big chunks of it at work, upto 30mm thick, made all sorts of random hand tools from it. From scrapers to flat headed screwdrivers lol pattern jigs, shelf brackets etc etc

Ive even got a carbon fibre cleavage/torso at work, boobies an all lol

[TeddyThom]

Ive even got a carbon fibre cleavage/torso at work, boobies an all lol

Pics or GTFO lol

[Iain]

I itched for days after drilling/filing some recently. Didn't wear a mask though oops.

[Jack]

I'll just wear my respirator. lol

Hmm, I don't have an overly steady hand and my dremel is a bit shonky, so I'm just a bit concerned about cutting the shape for aero catches.

Mike, come to Lee's in the new year and help me cut some carbon? lol

[Iain]

Jack they come with a nice egg shaped template to help you make the holes, it's not too bad really. I had a nightmare making the holes in my metal skin bonnet but the fibreglass one was really easy to work with for fitting them

[Mike]

Pics or GTFO lol

Not allowed to take pics of anything at work :( but er lol I text it to Hendrix but deleted it of my phone just in case, hope he reads this as he can post it up lol

[Mike]

I'll just wear my respirator. lol

Hmm, I don't have an overly steady hand and my dremel is a bit shonky, so I'm just a bit concerned about cutting the shape for aero catches.

Mike, come to Lee's in the new year and help me cut some carbon? lol

Can do it for you if you like. Makes no odds to me lol its just the same as cutting fibreglass but marginly harder to repair. Or impossible if you dont have acess to the stuff needed to to repair it lol