Carbon Fiber Canopy?

[Tram]

Hey guys-

I want to make a carbon fiber canopy on my UCD...

Basically, what I am thinking is taking the stock canopy, filling it with plaster of paris and making a mold..

Then working with the CF over it, making a canopy..

The canopy is going to act as a hatch and the regidity of the CF would be welcomed..

Anyway, could someone tell me if this is a bad idea or where I could go about finding some info on using CF on a mold like this?

THanks

Jeff

[JIM CALDWELL A]

Make a brace out of scrap wood around the canopy edge, wax the inside of the canopy and use it as the mold, works great.

[Tram]

Thanks!

[sno]

I want to do the same thing only make a mold out of the outside surface of the canopy. My 2 canopies I want to mold already have the tray in em. Anyone got a link on doing it this way? I was thinkning plaster.

[Tram]

Sno-

I've been told you can do the outside the exact same way..

I am actually thinking about doing the outside, as it will be a little bigger and I can has some more wiggle room for magnets.. :D

[theKM]

it's hard to get a mirror sexy finish when glassing on the outside. Anyone pull off a sexy natural finish glassing on the outside? ...if it possible, I imagine it would be harder.

[target]

I would think that it would be better to make the mold from the outside of the original canopy.

T

[Tram]

Yeh, that's what I thought, but do you get the nice looking finish if you do it that way?

I sorta don't think I would..

I may expirement..

Jeff
www.CommonSenseRC.com

[target]

If you make a mold by laying glass on the outside of the original canopy, then make your part INSIDE that mold, I would think that two things would happen:

1. the outer dimensions of the part produced would be correct.

2. The outside of the part made would have a very nice finish.

Target

[Tram]

Now that is a good idea!

I wonder if it would be cheaper/easier to make the mold of the canopy out of fiberglass and then make the CF from that mold..

[tommyeflight89]

Could you not just wax/pva the inside of the canopy and lay in some CF cloth inside it? As long as you cut and lay in the cloth carefully, it would look awesome. I just don't see the need for a mould...
Perhaps bracing the stock plastic canopy woould ensure the part comes out true.
Edit: This way, you are relying on the already smooth surface provided by the stock canopy. The part would come out just a smidge smaller than the original.

[target]

It depends on what the stock canopy is made out of.
If the canopy is very thin, that may work. As a guy that mostly flys composite sailplanes, I only think of the normal fiberglass canopies that are the norm for those planes, and they have some thickness; enough that it would be a factor...
Also, since those are layed up inside an outer mold, the inside is usually pretty rough, and only the outside smooth.
But the other style clear plastic canopy would probably work fine as a mold, so long as you keep it from distorting, and the epoxy doesn't stick to it too well.

T

[Tram]

OK, looks like I'm going to be trying this again... ;)

I don't really want to pop for the West Systems epoxy right now, am thinking about just using run of the mill epoxy..

Anyone see any major issues with this?


Jeff
www.CommonSenseRC.com

[tomahawkflier]

Use the outside of the canopy after building a fram on the iside to stiffen everything up.

Wax the outside of the canopy and apply cloth and resin. Cover the whole thing with a sheet of acetate or plastic. When cured peel the plastic or acetate off and you'll have a mirrored finish

[Gadget01]

Here's a carbon (by CarbonCopyUK (http://www.carboncopyuk.com/)) canopy on my Eco 8 heli:

[Troy]

The best way is to do what others already said. Wax the outside of the canopy, brace the inside with plaster or wood formers, and lay up a simple glass mold on the outside. Make sure you build a simple wood frame on the back of your mold to stiffen (balsa sticks or spruce) and remove canopy plug. Wax your new mold, spray Krylon Crystal Clear in, let dry .5-1 hour and then lay up with carbon. Pop out next day, trim, and enjoy your shiny new part.

[jfinch]

Wax your new mold, spray Krylon Crystal Clear in, let dry .5-1 hour and then lay up with carbon.

Just curious, is the Krylon really needed? Is it shinier then the epoxy?

[Troy]

Yes, it makes a great pinhole free surface with extra shine/depth and also gives additional UV resistance. Once I started doing this method my carbon parts looked much better. You just have to be sure your wax doesn't fisheye the paint. Partall works well.

[Troy]

I should add that it is not 'necessary' but works great.

[Tram]

Troy-

Just curious as to why it is better to make a fiberglass mold of the outside of the canopy versus just laying it up inside the original canopy?

J

[Ward Hagaman]

Troy-

Just curious as to why it is better to make a fiberglass mold of the outside of the canopy versus just laying it up inside the original canopy?

J

The inside of the existing canopy is going to be undersize slightly, plus the finish will be rough compared to the outside. It could be done, in a pinch, but the part won't be quite as nice.

[wyowindworks]

Troy-

Just curious as to why it is better to make a fiberglass mold of the outside of the canopy versus just laying it up inside the original canopy?

J


I will end up having the same exterior finish as the interior of the original.

Adam

[Tram]

Ok.. So..

Ward - The inside of the stock canopy is not as smooth as the outside?
Adam - You are saying the direct opposite? You want your exterior finish to be the same as the interior of the original?

[jfinch]

No they're both saying the same thing.

Do you want the exterior finish of your new part to look like the interior of the old one? Probably not. So, you make a female mold of the existing part and the new part will be as smooth and shiney as the old and be the same size (i.e. it will fit without modifications).

[wyowindworks]

jfinch, explained it better than myself. Do what he said.

Adam

[Tram]

Makes sense.. Thanks guys. :)

[Troy]

Plus, if you have a mold you can make some for flying buddies;)