Fun With Carbon Fiber

[therivermonster]

Originally Posted by zoomzu

I'm excited, can't wait. Hope to be able to help too. After our talk today, I'll have to bring you some of my blue carbon/kevlar material.

I think that the parts would look really good in the kev/carbon fabric. It would match the bike color scheme quite well. Let me know if you can spare some of it. Probably four 20"x8" pieces.

Originally Posted by adventurerik

Keep up the good work. I Love the chainguard and the handguard forms are looking great. I cant wait to see what else comes.....How about that harley carbon fiber stain guard?

I'm happy that you like the chain guard; I hope that it lasts for many years. It looks great on your bike for sure.

[100mpg]

Originally Posted by therivermonster

Do you want future projects to be posted to this thread, or do you feel that new projects should have their own thread?

Please let me know.

Thanks everyone!

New thread. It would get too long and too hard to follow with everything mixing together.

[rhlrdr]

Originally Posted by therivermonster

Hey all! I have been giving some thought to how to thread is coming along. Of course it's been going great, and thanks to everyone who has posted here!

I have been thinking however, and would like to take a quick poll to see what you all think about the following question:

Do you want future projects to be posted to this thread, or do you feel that new projects should have their own thread?

Please let me know.

Thanks everyone!

I say keep going on this thread....

[therivermonster]

Originally Posted by 100mpg

New thread. It would get too long and too hard to follow with everything mixing together.

Originally Posted by rhlrdr

I say keep going on this thread....

Thanks for the replys about this! When I get a few more, I'll make a decision on how to move forward with the thread. In the mean time, the more feedback, the better.

[JagLite]

While a new thread for each project has many good points with simplicity being first, unless you link back to this "introduction" thread, readers may miss out on how you learned to do what you are doing.
If that makes sense?
So my thought is to keep posting on this thread as you continue to learn new ways to make things.

[MTrider16]

Originally Posted by therivermonster

Hey all! I have been giving some thought to how to thread is coming along. Of course it's been going great, and thanks to everyone who has posted here!

I have been thinking however, and would like to take a quick poll to see what you all think about the following question:

Do you want future projects to be posted to this thread, or do you feel that new projects should have their own thread?

Please let me know.

Thanks everyone!

I like the idea of keeping this all in one thread. Since you can edit the first post, you could put an index to important projects, kinda like Dr Rock does in the Mobius Trip.

-David

[therivermonster]

Originally Posted by JagLite

While a new thread for each project has many good points with simplicity being first, unless you link back to this "introduction" thread, readers may miss out on how you learned to do what you are doing.
If that makes sense?
So my thought is to keep posting on this thread as you continue to learn new ways to make things.

Thanks, Jag!

Originally Posted by MTrider16

I like the idea of keeping this all in one thread. Since you can edit the first post, you could put an index to important projects, kinda like Dr Rock does in the Mobius Trip.

-David

This is a great idea! I will start a project index in the first post of the thread and update from there. Also, I think that I'll start a project in one post, and make updates to that post as the project develops. I think that should keep all the project material in one easy to find place, with all the thread conversation following that initial project post.

Thanks again for all the feedback, everyone. We'll keep it all in the thread.

[therivermonster]

I have created a project index in the first post of this thread, so now you can jump from one project to another quickly.

Also, the current Carbon Fiber Hand Deflector Project and all projects to come will live in their own single post in the thread, so update reminders will be posted as regular posts linking back to the associated project post.

For example, I just updated the Hand Deflector Project, but it is an edit to the original post which wouldn't show up as a new post for all of you who look for the thread to be somewhere on the first page of The Garage. What I'll do to kick it back up there, is post a notice of update, so to speak. Something like this...

I have posted exciting updates to the Carbon Fiber Hand Guard Deflector Project. Go check it out here.

Simply click on the link to go straight to the project post to view all the updates. Super simple and it keeps all the project content together in one place.

Any comments related to a project will be coppied and pasted into the project post in order to keep that element within the project.

So keep an eye out for those Update Notices!

[Umarth]

I'm looking into making myself a set of saddle bags and I'd like them to be as theif proof as can be.
One of the issues are knives; on standard bags, if you need to get to the content of the bags, you can always use a knife and that's the end of the bag. So I'm thinking of having an inner layer of kevlar to guard against this type of tampering.

Since kevlar has come up quite a few times in this threads, I'm hoping someone can answer me a question: How thick would I need the kevlar layer for it to pose too much of a hassle for your average unprepared thief?

[therivermonster]

Originally Posted by Umarth

I'm looking into making myself a set of saddle bags and I'd like them to be as theif proof as can be.
One of the issues are knives; on standard bags, if you need to get to the content of the bags, you can always use a knife and that's the end of the bag. So I'm thinking of having an inner layer of kevlar to guard against this type of tampering.

Since kevlar has come up quite a few times in this threads, I'm hoping someone can answer me a question: How thick would I need the kevlar layer for it to pose too much of a hassle for your average unprepared thief?

Hi Unarath! You mentioned that you are looking into making some bags. Do you want to make carbon fiber/Kevlar bags, or are you trying some other construction method?

If you are going to make some composite bags and you decide to lay in one layer of Kevlar into your part, you may as well add another one or two layers for good measure. In all honesty however, a thief would be hard pressed cutting their way into CF bags alone. If you decide to add Kevlar I wouldn't imagine that there wouldn't be much of a chance that someone could cut their way in by way of a knife. A saw would even pose a challange as Kevlar resists cutting by the casual "sawer". Of course, if they really want to get in they'll get in no matter what kind of bags you have.

Ebrabake made a set of really nice CF/Kevlar bags and he even made a nice build thread on the project.Check out his thread here. It may give you some ideas about how the process can work.

[Umarth]

Originally Posted by therivermonster

Hi Unarath! You mentioned that you are looking into making some bags. Do you want to make carbon fiber/Kevlar bags, or are you trying some other construction method?

If you are going to make some composite bags and you decide to lay in one layer of Kevlar into your part, you may as well add another one or two layers for good measure. In all honesty however, a thief would be hard pressed cutting their way into CF bags alone. If you decide to add Kevlar I wouldn't imagine that there wouldn't be much of a chance that someone could cut their way in by way of a knife. A saw would even pose a challange as Kevlar resists cutting by the casual "sawer". Of course, if they really want to get in they'll get in no matter what kind of bags you have.

Ebrabake made a set of really nice CF/Kevlar bags and he even made a nice build thread on the project.Check out his thread here. It may give you some ideas about how the process can work.

Silly me, so focused on the project that I assumed without thinking that the details are obvious!
The bags are destined to see a lot of single tracks and such, so they need to be soft and pliable not regid.
I'm going to go with 2 maybe 3 layers. the outer layer would be 1000D cordura (found some the same orange as my ktm), against that would be the kevlar layer and I don't know if a 3rd layer of cordura would be needed to sandwich the kevlar? The lighter the bags the better so if I can forgo an extra layer all the better.
The bags themselfs don't need to be water proof as I'll have w/p repacable inner bags.

I'm seeing 1.7g and 5g kevlar fabrics. which would you recomend? Would one layer be sufficient as a casual thief deterrant? And do you think there is any point in adding a cordura inner layer to "protect" the kevlar?

[therivermonster]

Originally Posted by Umarth

Silly me, so focused on the project that I assumed without thinking that the details are obvious!
The bags are destined to see a lot of single tracks and such, so they need to be soft and pliable not regid.
I'm going to go with 2 maybe 3 layers. the outer layer would be 1000D cordura (found some the same orange as my ktm), against that would be the kevlar layer and I don't know if a 3rd layer of cordura would be needed to sandwich the kevlar? The lighter the bags the better so if I can forgo an extra layer all the better.
The bags themselfs don't need to be water proof as I'll have w/p repacable inner bags.

I'm seeing 1.7g and 5g kevlar fabrics. which would you recomend? Would one layer be sufficient as a casual thief deterrant? And do you think there is any point in adding a cordura inner layer to "protect" the kevlar?

Kevlar fabrick meant to be used for composites is probably not suitable for what you are looking to use it for. It unravels easily and probably would not sew well. Of course this doesn't mean that you can't try, right.

You may be able to find some Keval fabric woven specifically for sewing by Googling it.

If I have a chance, I'll try to sew a bit of Kevlar and see how it goes. I'll take a vid of the attempt if I do.

[Umarth]

Originally Posted by therivermonster

Kevlar fabrick meant to be used for composites is probably not suitable for what you are looking to use it for. It unravels easily and probably would not sew well. Of course this doesn't mean that you can't try, right.

You may be able to find some Keval fabric woven specifically for sewing by Googling it.

If I have a chance, I'll try to sew a bit of Kevlar and see how it goes. I'll take a vid of the attempt if I do.

By "unravels" easily, do you mean that it frails easily at the edges or all over the peace?

[jesusgatos]

Originally Posted by therivermonster

Now I am in the process of deciding how I am going to go about shaping the plugs again. We're back at square one so to speak, but I have a few ideas in mind.

I've really liked working with expanding foam. Available in all kinds of different densities and it's super easy to shape.

[JagLite]

Originally Posted by Umarth

Silly me, so focused on the project that I assumed without thinking that the details are obvious!
The bags are destined to see a lot of single tracks and such, so they need to be soft and pliable not regid.
I'm going to go with 2 maybe 3 layers. the outer layer would be 1000D cordura (found some the same orange as my ktm), against that would be the kevlar layer and I don't know if a 3rd layer of cordura would be needed to sandwich the kevlar? The lighter the bags the better so if I can forgo an extra layer all the better.
The bags themselfs don't need to be water proof as I'll have w/p repacable inner bags.

I'm seeing 1.7g and 5g kevlar fabrics. which would you recomend? Would one layer be sufficient as a casual thief deterrant? And do you think there is any point in adding a cordura inner layer to "protect" the kevlar?

An excellent plan for really sturdy soft bags.
You will need the woven Kevlar fabric that is used to line the jeans for abrasion resistance on the street.
Draggin Jeans, Sliders, etc. use the stuff you need. Not the type of Kevlar used in composite work.

Sort of like sewing a shirt with fiberglass cloth.
Different type of fabric for each purpose.
You won't be using epoxy!

I sure don't see why you would need to line the inside to protect the Kevlar.
It will probably require a special thread and probably a heavy duty sewing machine like used for upholstery fabric or boat sails. Actually, a sail maker might be the best place to have them made if you don't have a machine for it since they usually make duffel bags, sail covers and other items that require heavy sewing.

You could just have the Kevlar made as a loose, removable liner to use inside other bags if you have some.

Sounds like a great sewing project to me.