Venor for Carbon Fiber Veneer for instument panel

N62XS · #1 03-26-2007, 09:58 AM

Any recommendations for a vendor on CF veneer for covering an instrument panel and installation hints? Do not want the contact paper, but the real stuff.

Thanks in advance.

tonyjohnson · #2 03-26-2007, 10:21 AM

There are two vendors that I know of. One sells a product called "Dragon Plate" (may be one word) the other is a robotics supplier.

The robotics supplier is here:

http://www.robotmarketplace.com/mark...rbonfiber.html

I hope this helps.

Tony

RVadmirer · #3 03-26-2007, 10:50 AM

www.pfluegers.com

These folks come to our air shows out west and have a nice product in almost any material. Their CF looks very nice. See the picture on their site of the T-210 in CF.
Dave V.

tonyjohnson · #4 03-26-2007, 10:58 AM

Those are some nice panels. The T-210 panel looks like exactly the same carbon fiber that you get from the robotics people. It is easy to work with and probably much cheaper to do it yourself.

Tony

tin man · #5 03-26-2007, 11:26 AM

Pretty sure Tap Plastics still carries it.
Tom

RV7Guy · #6 03-26-2007, 01:53 PM

Hi Robbie,

I have a carbon fiber overlay panel in my 7. The panel is 2 layers of 45 degree biased carbon with 4 layers of glass cloth. It is strickly for looks and does nothing structurally. The glass was used so there would be no carbon to aluminum contact.

It was vacuum bagged. I made it as a 48" by 16" panel the cut it to the stock alum panel after everything was set up. I attach the carbon with 4-40 stainless steel socket head screws using anodized red shoulder washers from the helicopter section of the hobby shop.

The panel is extremely unique and one of the most commented on items in/on my plane. I know of no others like it.

Regarding the carbon fiber, it is getting tough to get and is expensive because of the demand by Military contractors.

I can do a blank overlay for you but it ain't cheap. $300. This pretty much covers the cost plus a little for the labor.

Here is one overall picture. Contact me direct for a couple of close ups.

yakdriver · #7 03-26-2007, 02:29 PM

I used Dragonplate CF Veneer. Comes with a 3M backing and really easy to work wit. With a heat gun it will go around a tight radius. I got a 42"x18" sheet and it did my RV7 instrument panel, fuel selector panel and throttle subpanel with some left over for odds and ends. Pretty spendy at $235 for that piece but it looks great. Don www.dragonplate.com

Bob Hoffman · #8 03-27-2007, 10:40 AM

Boy what a great idea.
Question to those who have already done this -- what did you do for labeling or overlays ??
I ordered a standard instrument panel for a RV6a Tilt from Vans and it is a little too short, does anyone know where I might get a "deeper" blank ?

This one is for you Stein -- are you going to be at SnF ? I would like to talk to you about wiring my panel.
Thanks All
Bob

RV6_flyer · #9 03-27-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hard Knox

Any recommendations for a vendor on CF veneer for covering an instrument panel and installation hints? Do not want the contact paper, but the real stuff.

Thanks in advance.

Robby:

See Darwin post about using fiberglass with the Carbon Fiber.

Carbon Fiber on aluminum is corrosive. From "Bonding Metal" 1/2 way down this page: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/carbonqa.htm

"Q: On your web site you have indicated that aluminum and carbon fibre react so as to cause cathodic corrosion. Is this also the case with steel or cromoly steel and carbon fibre? A: Yes, it is a problem with steels as well as with aluminum alloys. The easy solution is to prevent contact. One way to do this is to include a single light ply of fiberglass in the layup as an electrical insulator between the metal and carbon."

Also see:
http://www.stormingmedia.us/03/0360/A036003.html

Hope this helps.

tonyjohnson · #10 03-27-2007, 01:33 PM

[quote=RV6_flyer]Robby:

See Darwin post about using fiberglass with the Carbon Fiber.

Carbon Fiber on aluminum is corrosive. From "Bonding Metal" 1/2 way down this page: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/carbonqa.htm

Ut oh. I knew that it could not be as easy as it seemed. I have applied a thin sheet of carbon fiber to my subpanel. I just stuck in on using the adhesive backing. It looks like I will be removing it and putting a layer of fiberglass under it.

Perhaps Darwin will be kind enough to share his method with us.

Tony