Building Carbon Frame

trekrider127

End of the season nears and I've decided to build myself a carbon frame over the winter (as you do ...!). The front triangle is almost finished in foam, ready for carbon wrapping.

Has anyone taken on the same project? How did it go?

balthazar

I haven't, but Damon Rinard did: there's a good account on these pages (a few years old, but doubtless still relevant):

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/

trekrider127

balthazar wrote:

I haven't, but Damon Rinard did: there's a good account on these pages (a few years old, but doubtless still relevant):

Thanks - yes that was the inspirational site. He also carbon wrapped a foam.

I'm thinking of wrapping the foam then dissolving out the foam using acetone so that a hollow tube is formed. Has anyone else tried this?

Berk Bonebonce

Don't try anything difficult now ...

ynyswen24

If you do this post some photos.

I've been intrigued by building a steel frame and the thought of that scares me shootless so I've got to admire you trying carbon. Hope it all goes well.

RecordAce

Mixing acetone with carbon? You will be able to transport your frame with a spoon!

trekrider127

RecordAce wrote:

Mixing acetone with carbon? You will be able to transport your frame with a spoon!

Not true once the epoxy has cured - acetone dissolves uncured epoxy. Proven by both personal experience - a pile of hardened brushes and the advice of a carbon supplier.

Foam frame almost finished - I'll post come picks as it progresses - either to dismal failure or some semblance of success.

trekrider127

ynyswen24 wrote:

If you do this post some photos.

Please could someone give me the heads up on how to post a pic?

trekrider127

Hopefully this attempt at posting a pic works



Edit:

No - didn't work. Here's a link

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/yxLUXUxHYdw4jRohaZ6zWw?feat=directlink

Teach

trekrider127 wrote:

ynyswen24 wrote:

If you do this post some photos.

Please could someone give me the heads up on how to post a pic?

I love it. I, and I am sure many other memebrs are reading this thread with our jaws on the floor at the thought of what you are doing and I wish you all the very best. It does amuse me though that you are beaten by how to post a photo.
Please keep us all informed I think it's fantastic

father_jack

ynyswen24

Looking good so far!

AidanR

There's a lot of recumbent builders who have built their own frames - see http://www.recumbents.com

Turbo Man

Blimey, that's some undertaking; am fascinated to see how this progresses.

One question (for now). We keep reading how the carbon lay-up and direction of the fibres affects the frame's characteristics (eg stiffness, comfort etc). So how do you kow what characteristics your frame will have? Or do you work with this stuff in your day job? Or is it a case of trial and error?

rockmount

Turbo Man wrote:

..do you work with this stuff in your day job?

I think he's answered that already !!!! (I'm speaking as someone who has)

lae

Looks good so far. I'm interested in doing something like this for my degree final, I used to work with carbon fibre and it's not as scary as people think (or maybe I'm just underqualified!)

trekrider127

Turbo Man wrote:

One question (for now). We keep reading how the carbon lay-up and direction of the fibres affects the frame's characteristics (eg stiffness, comfort etc). So how do you kow what characteristics your frame will have? Or do you work with this stuff in your day job? Or is it a case of trial and error?

Experience from other carbon projects is that the flexional variance is only marginally influenced by layup direction. Strength is ensured by the woven characteristic. So its pretty difficult to really influence flex through layup. My guess is unless the big manufacturers actually strand wind the frames - then direction is less critical than areas of increased layers. Marketing hype is a wonderful asset in product development (which is my background).

However I'm pretty sure that geometry and dimension ARE critical to ride. For this I've built a template from the Cervelo website (P3) and wandered around bike shops with a ruler! Does that sound like trial and error? I think so. I think computer modelling is a bit beyond a home project, and the guys in the design office would probably not be over excited at the idea of working one of my home projects.

Having got this far and learn some stuff I'm now thinking of putting this frame on hold and building another frame based on the Cervelo R3. I won't have to mess around with internal cable routing etc. and hopefully I'll work out some of these question before building a more complex frame.

trekrider127

AidanR wrote:

There's a lot of recumbent builders who have built their own frames - see http://www.recumbents.com

Great link - thanks

MRadd

I'd (well, me and the boys at the shop) would be REALLY interested to know how all this works!

Do you know what geometry its all going to be?

trekrider127

I know the geometry its planned to be!

It's based on the Cervelo P3, 51cm. The full geometry is available in their website.

trekrider127

I know the geometry its planned to be!

It's based on the Cervelo P3, 51cm. The full geometry is available on their website.