TheBigShot

glad I could help

Fabrik8

I've been doing that for years, and there really isn't any money in it unless you can sell enough parts out of a single mold to amortize the mold costs, and if you're making lots of parts you need to make higher quality molds. Overlays can be profitable, because there aren't any molds involved. Making real carbon parts (with a mold) involves a lot of time and a lot of money to make the molds, as well as a lot of support tools, equipment, and products. It's very hard to compete with overseas companies and the big companies who make mediocre hoods (Vis, Seibon, etc). If you want to make parts, make them for yourself. Just as a small example, the carbon sunroof I made for Jay's 3000GT cost $100 for the mold materials (aircraft fiberglass fabric and epoxy), 30 or 40 hours of mold labor, $150 for materials for the sunroof itself (fiberglass, carbon, epoxy, vacuum bag consumables), and 10 hours of labor to lay up and trim. I didn't do it for the money, I did it for fun. No one wants to buy a $1000 carbon replacement for sunroof glass..

I've only done a few pieces that were profitable, and those were small.

Carbon starts about $15/yard (short 30" bolt width) for cheap Russian fabrics in roll quantity, and rolls are 100 yards usually.

I have two things to add to this thread:

1) Use a better resin, the resin in the picture is worst quality resin you can possibly buy. I know it's readily available locally, but it's crap.

2) When you go looking for a better resin, get a UV stable surfboard resin.

(F-)

and make sure you put in on really, really thick, so you can hace enough to sand.

noone wants lumpy gear

TheBigShot

yup...all good points.

vw4clyd

wow

1080me2

That's deff pretty cooL!

Fabrik8

By the way, how did you like the Krylon UV resistant stuff? I've never tried it before. Is it the #1305?