moulding carbon fiber

What is required to shape carbon fiber? What tools/materials are needed? How do you do it? How difficult is it? Is it possible to do it either at home or can a beginner do it?

From what i know, you get a sheet of carbon fiber, it comes in a blanket type thing, you mold it, add a resin, then bake it. How long would it take someone to learn how to mold/shape it properly without taking any special courses? Money is no object. I'd like to try to make my own body panels out of carbon fiber, not any time soon but once i have the money, and i don't want to pay someone to do it for me. If I have the panels that i want to copy how hard would it be to actually get the proper shape?

The Mclaren F1 was made of carbon fiber and i heard it was assembled of many small peices of carbon fiber. can you make big peices or do you have to make sections and assemble them?

You have to vacuum bag it around a premade mold. The mold can be fiberglass. Requires some special equipment and a special touch, but it can be done in a home garage.

You dont have to have vacuum bagging equipment and you dont have to bake it. Go to a book store and buy a book on composites.

I just can't help but post to old threads....

Carbon fiber work greatly depends on what you're doing. There are 2 types. Structural components, and "bling" components.

Bling, such as hoods and what not, don't really have any structure importance, and in those circumstances, there is nothing fancy about it whatsoever. You treat it exactly like regular fiberglass, other than spending extra attention to how you lay out the fiber weaves so it looks pretty when you're done.

structures, don't have to be baked, but it really depends on what you're doing. There is some great web sites for it on the net....I read a pretty good one the other day that was about making your own carbon fiber bicycle frame....not too much different than fiberglass.

I am in the process of starting a custom composite fabrication shop , I have built many show winning cars that have had completly fiberglassed interiors, plus we specalize in fabrication of custom fiberglass enclosures, as well as custom body parts. all parts can be wraped in vinyl, carpet, or can be layed up in carbon fiber, or platnum carbon fiber (aluminized) or can be painted.. I would be interested in discussing what you want in more detail so that an accurate price can be established.. feel free to email me for more information..I have pictures of previous work that i have done that i can email to you at your decression..

To shape carbon fiber you need to(if you plan on having any curves or shapes in it) However this can be done in a mold with a 5hp shop vac, duct tape, and a thick plastic bag material. However, when you order your carbon, you need to get peel and bleeder plys to use as a release layer and a manifold layer between the carbon and the bag.