Has anyone worked with carbon fiber? Is it machinable? I would imagine there could be some unique applications with it.
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Working with carbon fiber?
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rake60
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Steve
Carbon Fiber materials are generally very difficult to machine. It's as abrasive as cast iron when it come to cutting it. It does drill easily and saw cuts are not a problem.
Another issue is the very fine dust generated by cutting it. That dust is also abrasive, and very difficult to clean from the ways of a machine.
It's a material I personally avoid.
Rick
Carbon Fiber materials are generally very difficult to machine. It's as abrasive as cast iron when it come to cutting it. It does drill easily and saw cuts are not a problem.
Another issue is the very fine dust generated by cutting it. That dust is also abrasive, and very difficult to clean from the ways of a machine.
It's a material I personally avoid.
Rick
kellswaterri
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Hi Folks,
I worked on the construction of ''BILL LEARS'' lear fan aircraft for four years, what I remember of it was that the material was at its most dangerous state when in the ''uncured'' condition...IE...the resins in the material not being in the cured state...the material itself , when cured can be drilled using tungsten tipped drills and cut mainly with diamond coated saws or router bits... to mill the material would need tungsten or diamond bits...it depends on the quality and build structure of the material on what use you can put it to...in some cases it can ''Delaminate'' with drastic results...the dust from the material can short circuit electronics if allowed to build up on machines...it can be fairly agressive on slide ways e/t/c...I do not tkink it is any more damaging to ones health than cast iron dust e/t/c that is unless cutting it in the ''UNCURED'' state...I still have the splinters from part of the ''WING'' mould splash in my hand almost 30 years since and no ill effects ;D
All the best for now,
John.
I worked on the construction of ''BILL LEARS'' lear fan aircraft for four years, what I remember of it was that the material was at its most dangerous state when in the ''uncured'' condition...IE...the resins in the material not being in the cured state...the material itself , when cured can be drilled using tungsten tipped drills and cut mainly with diamond coated saws or router bits... to mill the material would need tungsten or diamond bits...it depends on the quality and build structure of the material on what use you can put it to...in some cases it can ''Delaminate'' with drastic results...the dust from the material can short circuit electronics if allowed to build up on machines...it can be fairly agressive on slide ways e/t/c...I do not tkink it is any more damaging to ones health than cast iron dust e/t/c that is unless cutting it in the ''UNCURED'' state...I still have the splinters from part of the ''WING'' mould splash in my hand almost 30 years since and no ill effects ;D
All the best for now,
John.
You would find it not very machinable. It is very fiberous rather than a homogenous lump and would tend to splinter rather easily.
I have used carbon fibre extensively in the construction of model aircraft and find it is more suitable as a building material much like wood. It can be sanded and cut but is rather abrasive as others have already pointed out.
The comment about the uncrured resins I think is more applicable to what is referred to as pre-preg or carbon fibre material that is pre impregnated with epoxy resin. These materials are laid up in there mould or form and then curred in an oven, the heat being the catalyst to finish the curing process.
These materials are much better used for laying up structures (cloth and fibre mat) or as simple strutural members (pre formed shapes - rods, tubes, rectangles etc).
A sheet made from carbon fibre cloth could be cut to size and shape to replace anything that you might make from a sheet of something. The chassis of many radio control race cars are made that way - cut (machined) from larger sheets of formed and cured carbon fiber cloth.
There are two basic types of preformed shapes - pultruded and wrapped. Pultruded are long fibres of carbron fiber and resin "pulled" through a die to create the shape; wrapped are shapes (primarily tubes) that are wrapped much in the same fashion as a paper towel roll to create the tube. Pultruded shapes have long fibres their whole length are the ones prone to splintering.
Splintered carbon fibres can be sharp which can very easily cause splinters in your fingers or toes.
cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canada
I have used carbon fibre extensively in the construction of model aircraft and find it is more suitable as a building material much like wood. It can be sanded and cut but is rather abrasive as others have already pointed out.
The comment about the uncrured resins I think is more applicable to what is referred to as pre-preg or carbon fibre material that is pre impregnated with epoxy resin. These materials are laid up in there mould or form and then curred in an oven, the heat being the catalyst to finish the curing process.
These materials are much better used for laying up structures (cloth and fibre mat) or as simple strutural members (pre formed shapes - rods, tubes, rectangles etc).
A sheet made from carbon fibre cloth could be cut to size and shape to replace anything that you might make from a sheet of something. The chassis of many radio control race cars are made that way - cut (machined) from larger sheets of formed and cured carbon fiber cloth.
There are two basic types of preformed shapes - pultruded and wrapped. Pultruded are long fibres of carbron fiber and resin "pulled" through a die to create the shape; wrapped are shapes (primarily tubes) that are wrapped much in the same fashion as a paper towel roll to create the tube. Pultruded shapes have long fibres their whole length are the ones prone to splintering.
Splintered carbon fibres can be sharp which can very easily cause splinters in your fingers or toes.
cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canada
