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

Step 7 Finishing

After removal of the fully cured frame from the jig, I have cut the excess carbon and I have sanded the entire surface. Also I have bonded the cable stops and then I have sandblasted all the visible aluminum parts. I have added a few layers of wet epoxy, with sanding between each layer. The sanding is the worst part of building the frame, don't do it in your living room... The whole surface was polishing for a better look. But it is better to spray some quality clear varnish over the surface.

Comments

[apaterson1]

how would i attach disk breaks to it? and is it easy enough to paint with ordinary paint? by the way amazing job!

[samsq1]

For the disk brakes, just buy drop outs with mounts build into them. I assume that you mean spray paint when you say ordinary paint, and as I have yet to do this instructable, I don't know how well that would work on it. In general, it can be hard to get a good paint job with spray paint it, as I found out on my steel frame. I wouldn't use spray paint personally. Hope I helped!

[fzdome]

did you leave the foam inside the tubes? if yes would you have any idea how to remove it? are you a student of BME?

[chrisandamanda]

Would you not want to leave the foam in to keep it firm?

[killersquirel11]

Looks like acetone might work
forum
just google polystyrene solvent (or whatever type of foam you used) then double-check to make sure that it won't eat your epoxy, too

[classtopher]

That is just about the coolest thing I have ever seen. Good work.