Babelfishing by Mighty AR2

[Zen Mod]

did I said Fugly! ?

[CanAm Man]

Originally Posted by AR2

You know, now that you mentioned, I have been exploring the possibility of using carbon fibre for various purposes.

AR2--you're exactly right! Besides the obvious esthetic appeal of twill-weave carbon fiber (when used with the right epoxy resin), it's a super material for construction. I've used it for 10+ years for competitive autos, and it beats most metals, hands down--stronger (pound for pound) than steel, and lighter than aluminum. I make my own plugs and molds for auto construction, and as long as you "follow the directions" and keep stuff clean, it's easy to work with. The twill weave gives you good "drape" for curved surfaces, and the epoxy resin is FAR LESS aromatic than other resins. Not cheap, but worth the cost for the final product. I also cast "flat sheets" using think plate glass as the mold, and these sheets (3 feet by 3 feet) are so handy for other construction--I'm thinking about doing my F5 (and other audio stuff) with these flat sheets.

Interesting considering, too, for speaker enclosures--very easy to apply carbon fiber "rope" (or additional thicknesses of cloth), to strengthen enclosures, and to control internal resonances. Ponder the possibilities!

[CanAm Man]

Originally Posted by AR2

You could feel particular treads under the finger, but filing them to be straight solved that problem.

True story, AR2. I feel comfortable cutting flat carbon composite panels (a circular saw with a plastic/laminate blade, a hack saw with a fine-toothed blade, or a Dremel tool), but not milling it. If I need complex three dimensional shapes in carbon composite, I've found it better to mold these shapes rather than mill them out of a "raw block".

P.S. if you cut flat carbon panels, afterwards, hit the edges with 600-grit wet-and-dry sandpaper, followed by about 1000,0r 1600-grit wet. It polishes the cut edge, so it's like butt-ah....!! Use a little rubbing compound and a good caranuba wax on the panel, and you'll have a show piece!

[Zen Mod]

wakoo Ken Mod

[CanAm Man]

But audiomaster Zen Mod..... as a "greenhorn grasshopper" I am still learning from you every day......

....and you are a "fellow welder", besides.....!

[AR2]

CanAm, thank you for the tips on carbon fibre. This was really my first experience with this material, and I was worried how it is going to be, but figureout, if you cut it with the scizors, it should work well on the mill, and that how it was. It was funny, I was doing something and was sort of pushing the edge of carbon fibre with the wise jaw, and this is really thin sheet just like veneer, and the whole thing was giving serious resistance to the milling wise!!! Incredible. For someone who is really determined, doing the speaker case with it would be a dream comes through. Open baffle first comes to my mind.
I would be very excited to see your future F5 case done out of carbon fibre sheet, that will look awesome.

Best
AR2

[CanAm Man]

I'll post a pic or two, of what a "homemade" carbon composite flat panel can look like......

Yep, on being able to use common scissors to cut most carbon weaves.

I sometimes use a carbon-aramid cloth on cars, or just pure aramid cloth. It comes in very handy for areas that may require puncture resistance (like, the part that goes under your butt, when you are doing 200 mph, with just 4 inches between you and the ground!). This carbon-aramid stuff is painful to cut without special shears. (Aramid is also known by its "Kevlar" brand name--same stuff used in body armor and bullet-proof vests.) I'm thinking it's best to avoid carbon-aramid, unless really needed.

For audio use, carbon composite twill weave has a LOT of promise, for a lot of good reasons....and it looks sexy, too......(!)

[Zen Mod]

yup
I remember - they have kevlar blankets wrapped around clutch bell , on tractors made for funny tractor pulling competition

they said - before that measure - it happens that pieces of clutch were flying all over the place

[jacco vermeulen]

Originally Posted by CanAm Man

(Aramid is also known by its "Kevlar" brand name)

Some folks, who had a legal dispute with DuPont going for over a decade, would say Aramid is also know by it's "Twaron" brand name.

(easy way to get around US import restriction deals another decade later and become market leader in Aramids, is selling the fibre to a Japanese, but still manufacture the yella stuff within the Cheese borders)

[CanAm Man]

Originally Posted by Zen Mod

yup
I remember - they have kevlar blankets wrapped around clutch bell , on tractors made for funny tractor pulling competition

they said - before that measure - it happens that pieces of clutch were flying all over the place

Sadly true, Zen...... I have a friend with a few toes missing, due to a clutch that exploded on him. Kevlar would have really helped.....