i was talking with my dad tonight about business ventures, ect, because he wants me to be successful, and im graduating this yr. NE way..... this summer, im gonna have alot of time on my hands, and i told him about how marketable CF parts are, and he was really interested. i just wanted to know whats involved, how to get started and experiment with it. Is there a good online source? Where do you actually buy the fiber? TIA.
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www.fibreglast.com has a lot of stuff, especially if you're just getting started. They have instructional videos, and they also sell the materials needed for a successful CF layup (like carbon fiber and epoxy, and mold building supplies).
FredK
Originally posted by whysimon -
Check most aviation supply stores also or their catalogs, they will have it in roll or prepreg format. I would suggest taking a course in it before just blindly set off to make CF parts.
It is expensive to buy material and equipment to work with it. And asscoicated risks of working with resins and hardners. Fumes and need for a respirator. Do your homework and goodluck.Comment
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i herd laying pipe is a much better business oppertunity. its been around as long as man has been. in some states, Nevada especially, you could support 2! families just by laying pipe all over the Strip. Las Vegas Strip that is.
infact, me and my partners over at Gimble and Associates have compared the numbers, just a little reseach will show you the loads of fun you can have laying pipe.
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Yea, it's a good market. General research shows that you can average 85-100 bucks a transaction, 20-35 bucks for what's known as a "half" job. Granted, competition drives down earnings in certain areas, with cut rate competition in locales such as NYC & west hollywood driving earnings down to 5-10 dollars.Originally posted by shahe
However, the pipe laying business does appear to be rather healthy.
-CharlieSwing wild, brake later, don't apologize.
'89 324d, '76 02, '98 318ti, '03 Z4, '07 MCS, '07 F800s - Bonafide BMW elitist prick.FYYFFComment
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yea, laying pipe is a dirty business, alot of personal risk involved. lol, but ne way thanks for the tips, i just wanted an idea of what you needed to start.Comment
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fibreglast.com also have a forum very similar to this one. If you ask logical questions (after you have done some research) Evan, along with a few others will definitely give you some tips. There are several hardcore CF'ers on that board who make some unbelievable stuff.Don't forget the good things Hitler did.Comment
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If I were you I would definately learn how to work with fiberglass first. It is very similar and 100 times cheaper to do, especially since when you first start out, you are gonna screw stuff up.Follow me @baysidefabrication on InstagramComment
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Everything you need to know can be found on the web, in bookstores, and at the library. I'd suggest that if you are serious, get your hands on all the sources you can possibly find (Books, Videos, CDs, websites, etc).
All that said, not to rain on your parade, but there are a ton of companies out there selling CF body panels and interior pieces. And frankly, many times the stuff fits like crap. It takes a lot of trial and error, and mold prep to get a good surface finish, and make sure all the panels line up without warps/ripples/bends. That, and I think the carbon-fiber craze is just a trend, and will eventually pass. 5-10 years down the road, who knows what will be popular.
If you're more interested in building load-bearing/structural parts, and not automotive accessories like I talked about above, then the best thing you can do is get a job as a fabricator at a composites company. There is however, a lot of engineering that goes into structural composite parts. Porsche spent hours running computer simulations to determine the optimal weave angles and types for the new Carerra GT. So, most of the actual composite monocoque design is done by engineers and simulation experts, and the actual building is done by composite fabricators.
JonathanComment
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