Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

The itching was from sanding, grinding and cutting the cured composites. Then we had to glue the individual pieces together and grind and sand those. The epoxy was like peanut butter with chopped carbon fiber stirred in. I wish I could show you some pics but I don't want to get in trouble... picture 60" airfoil shaped struts that have to support 100 lbs of radar on the end, at up to 10 G's force. Where I work we just make prototypes and concepts, and if they work, they get farmed out by people with better facilities than us.
Don't mistake me-- it WAS fun. But like you describe, I know the cost of disposables for vacuum bagging and infusion, the costs of cloth and epoxy. so someone else has to write the check lol. Over the years I took home enough scrap to keep he happy making small parts for my radio controlled airplanes and helicopters.

Carry on- fantastic work,
Tom

Ah, yes. The dreaded finishing work. Precisely why I spent so much time researching/looking for a compatible in-mold clear coat and working out a process that avoids a lot of that post-mold work. With the exception of some minor edge cleanup with a file, these panels are ready to go out of the mold.

Cheers!
Steve


If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
~Red Green

Question: what product did you use as a clear coat and how is it holding up so far?
I am considering something similar, but a full size panels and paint, so no cosmetic restrictions with CF cloth width.

DuraTec SunShield
It’s made to work with epoxy and is more durable than traditional automotive clear.


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