Carbon Fiber without Casting

[Mach4]

Just finished a successful no-cast carbon fiber pen. I've researched this site extensively and couldn't find anything other than casting for creating carbon fiber pens, so I believe this is an original technique/process (and would be pleased to be pointed to a link describing something similar). The technique involves using only CA as the finishing material.

I first prepare a custom pen tube out of aluminum with the same ID as the kit's brass tube and an OD .050 less than the finished target dimension. The tube is then black anodized (or painted if preferred or no anodizing available)

The custom tube is placed inside the 1/2" carbon fiber sleeve and stretched tight and straight. CA thin is applied liberally to ensure good adhesion to the tube and build up a good base coat. After curing, the ends are carefully trimmed flush with the end of the tube. It's then mounted on the mandrel using plastic finishing bushings.

CA medium is added in successive coats to build up a coating close to the final dimension. I run the CA on thick and use a nitrile gloved finger to spread and smooth using accelerator as desired. Allow curing, then the finish is sanded down to knock off the high points being careful to not contact the carbon. A sanding stick ensures getting a flat surface. Additional coats are applied and additional sanding until the surface is absolutely flat and the final dimension is achieved. The excess CA is carefully sanded off the ends of the tube to get a clean end.

From this point on a standard CA finishing regimen is employed. Wet sand to 1000 then MicroMesh to 12000 and PlastX and wax and assemble.

Here's the finished product - a Rollster Roller Ball in Gun Metal

 

[JohnU]

Nice finished pen. CA and epoxy are both great alternatives to noncasted pens. Many here have been done along with demonstrations on making pens without casting. Most prefer casting because of the amount of time and CA used to encase material like this. Like many here, I've done denim, snakeskin, chain, burlap, carbon fiber and other Kevlar and acrylic weaves, candy wrappers and others under CA and epoxy but it's always nice to see. You achieved a nice finish. Congrats ! It's a keeper.

 

[jttheclockman]

Just a word of caution to be aware of the dangers when working with CF and the dust and fibers. Getting in the lungs is not good, getting on your clothes and carrying into the family residence, not good. Getting in your eyes not good and so on so be careful when working with it and that is to all who use this. It is being used more and more for watch part pens and the like.

Nice pen. By the way they do have solid carbon fiber tubes that you can use also to make a custom pen.

 

[Mach4]

Nice finished pen. CA and epoxy are both great alternatives to noncasted pens. Many here have been done along with demonstrations on making pens without casting. Most prefer casting because of the amount of time and CA used to encase material like this. Like many here, I've done denim, snakeskin, chain, burlap, carbon fiber and other Kevlar and acrylic weaves, candy wrappers and others under CA and epoxy but it's always nice to see.

Thanks for the info. I'll search further. One experiment was with epoxy and it failed miserably - I attempted to "paint" it on and use the slowly turning lathe for leveling. Any links or info on how this has been done? It would be a more "authentic" CF that way.

 

[longbeard]

Good looking pen.

These are my un-casted carbon fiber blanks.
No CA was harmed in the making :biggrin:







Harry

 

[Sylvanite]

Built-up CA glue can be an effective alternative to clear casting. I've done it several times on pen blanks made from sailcloth, knotted or braided thread, and carbon fiber. See http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/coachwhipping-54720/, http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/another-coachwhipped-pen-77927/, http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/first-carbon-fiber-94981/, http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/more-fun-carbon-fiber-108682/, and Sailcloth Pen for some examples.

If you try to build the CA too fast, it can develop bubbles, so don't rush it. You can dissolve a CA finish in acetone and start over though. I've also found that CA can yellow with age so I don't recommend CA buildup over a white background.

Oh, and nice job!

I hope that helps,
Eric

 

[JohnU]

Thanks for the info. I'll search further. One experiment was with epoxy and it failed miserably - I attempted to "paint" it on and use the slowly turning lathe for leveling. Any links or info on how this has been done? It would be a more "authentic" CF that way.

I don't have a link to a post showing how it was done but here's a recent post from several pens I made with CA and no casting. The knurl pen with the polymer braid was made with a spray painted tube coated in 2 part Loc Tite epoxy, inserted in the braid. I made a jig where I tie a string to both ends of the braid and pull it tight with the tube inside so the excess epoxy seeps through the braid and is smoothed out over the top of the weave. That way you still feel the texture of the weave and not a smooth surface. After it sets up I trim the weave along the tube and assemble. If there is a lot of depth between the tube and finished size I turn a pen body and paint it and then insert that inside the weave. Hope that helps.


http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/my-mpg-2017-demo-pens-147495/

Also, building up a thick CA finish can be tricky if your using accelerator. If you get it too hot with the spray, the CA can crack and leave cracks under the surface of your layers.