How I built a carbon bike frame at home (and a bamboo frame too)

Step 6 Laminating 3

During the construction, I have combined the layers diagonally and cross-wise. On the top and down tubes and seat tube, there are 9 layers; on the chain stay and seat stay there are 11 layers. The high stress areas were covered with additional 6-8 layers. I have added two more layers as I initially planned just for the safety, but if I built this frame again, probably I would not add them again. I have sanded the surface carefully before the last layer.

This is the picture after the last layer of carbon. Finally I have let the frame fully cure for a few days at about 50°C at the heater.

Comments

[gymgutt]

so how do you cure it at 50 c? at the heater ? is it a stove ? or ? thanks !

[Ro]x[as]

Depending on the epoxy you pick, it's likely not necessary to actually cure at high temperature, although it will certainly speed the process up. I used a series of heat lamps for several hours on my frame, but perhaps even halogen lights could work.

[katyi.gyorgy]

where from have you bought the metal parts? could you help me out with this ? it's the  only thing keepeing me from making one
 

[snotty]

I cut my headtube, bottom bracket and rear dropouts off of a bike from the garbage. I used a short (maybe 10cm) section of tubing for the seat tube insert; maybe it would have been better to make this insert longer.

[m_68]

Hi! If you haven't find your solution yet, now I try to give some advice. Try at Deda, or Colombus tubi. If you're from Hungary as i suppose from your nick, you may try it at Sopron. Ask Yasec, he imports Dedaccai frame parts to hungary. Another try is worth at Újpest, when you shall ask Zsolt Matuz. He often gets bike frames from italy, smetimes frame parts too. If neither them could help, or you don't want to spend a lot on bike frame parts (yes, these are quite expensive), then write an e-mail, and I can help you on machining frame inserts out of aluminium to make shaped closures right. I have some experience with composite materials too. If wanna ask then write an e-mail

[history323]

Now I don't know if this will work but what I plan to do is purchase a cheap roadbike from goodwill or another resale store; and cut the metal pieces from that off and then use the flame pieces to mold my carbon fiber pieces- in theory the carbonfiber will fit perfectly into the metal!

[Ro]x[as]

This might work, but you have to remember that CFRP has different properties than steel or aluminum. The ideal tube diameter and thickness will be different for each material due to differences in tensile strength and stiffness.

[Ro]x[as]

 Have a look on the step 1 page, a few suppliers have been named.