How I Built a Carbon Bike Frame at Home

[tintin40]

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-I- ... and-a-bam/

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

I've been dying to do this for ages, but couldn't find a decent supplier of bamboo when I looked last... Time to fire up google!!

 

[tintin40]

I want to use my Trimble frame as a template and make some more. I have a workmate who is good with wood so no problem making a jig. Except he thinks i'm joking!!?

 

[Supratada]

Aren't you supposed to bake them or something?
Everything I've seen done in Formula 1 goes in a massive oven.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Aren't you supposed to bake them or something?
Everything I've seen done in Formula 1 goes in a massive oven.

Typically for prepeg (the carbon sheets are pre-impregnated with uncured epoxy, or thermoplastic or similar) you'd layup and then 'bake' to activate the epoxy. it's not needed for a 2 part epoxy, although temperature is important to ensure it cures right.

Prepeg ensures that the carbon/epoxy ratio is perfect. the strength comes from the carbon, not the epoxy.


^^^ That's my basic understanding, but in typical Retrobike fashion, someone will now point out exactly what I got wrong

 

[Supratada]

Ah well, I'm sure it will be fine and not shatter into razor shards when it's under the most stress during riding.

 

[Peachy!]

Aren't you supposed to bake them or something?
Everything I've seen done in Formula 1 goes in a massive oven.

Typically for prepeg (the carbon sheets are pre-impregnated with uncured epoxy, or thermoplastic or similar) you'd layup and then 'bake' to activate the epoxy. it's not needed for a 2 part epoxy, although temperature is important to ensure it cures right.

Prepeg ensures that the carbon/epoxy ratio is perfect. the strength comes from the carbon, not the epoxy.


^^^ That's my basic understanding, but in typical Retrobike fashion, someone will now point out exactly what I got wrong

I’d say based on my experience your ‘basic understanding’ is fine…..
But…. :roll: I would add that a key component/process is the vac bag, the less air and the more product you have in the fibre… the better/stronger it will be.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Vac bags are SOOO DIY... this is how the big boys do it;

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bKgDlECXE8[/youtube]


Interesting fact*... every early 90s carbon frame that I know of is made of a load of carbon bits glued together - sometimes tubes and lugs, sometimes a 2 piece clamshell...

...except one. I only know of one early 90s carbon frame that is a true one piece mound, made in the same way as those Hope handlebars.


Although I'm nor sure how Trimbles were made TBH.






*Or not.

 

[Peachy!]

Vac bags are SOOO DIY... this is how the big boys do it;

Okay okay, point taken…..I meant the lack of air, not necessarily ‘the bag’…. Although saying that, there’s DIY and then there’s DIY….. I made a fake superlight Aston Martin bodyshell for Rowan Atkinsons slapstick film ‘JOHNNY ENGLISH’ A real Aston was just way too heavy to be carried around in the Keystone Cops spoof scene where its hanging from a traffic enforcement lorry, so they asked me to build a super lightweight version… the body was cast by me off of one of Rowans spare race cars, then the separate panels where vac bagged… here’s a photo of it in primer before going off to Aston Martin who had insisted they would apply the finished paint…

 

[Retro Spud]

Re:

how long did that take ?

you'll have to tell us more