N

N62XS

Well Known Member
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.
 
Veneers

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.
 
CF

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
 
Carbon Overlay

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.

panelpn6.jpg
 
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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
 
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
 
Hard Knox said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
RV6_flyer said:
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
Click to expand...
 
Carbon overlay

My original post pretty much sums up the process. That is why I did it myself to avoid any real issues with the carbon/alum thing. The dragon plate stuff is good stuff but not designed for the purpose in which we want to use it.

I can do the appropriate overlay panel. The overlay is about 1/16" thick. Not only will it work well with the panel but you can do your fuel valve cover and other items. There is plenty left over.

I've attached a couple of other close up pictures to see the quality.

img0620yi6.jpg


img1153uc6.jpg
 
Darwin,
Were you at LOE? I saw one like yours and I can't remember were I saw it.

Robby,
What plane are you putting it on? I bought into part of a hangar up at Ridgeland! Now its becoming an addiction. It is going to take a while to catch up to you though!
 
Primer and paint?

I plan to prime with PPG DP40LP and paint with Black Concept. I thought this would be enough of a barrier. May go to the contact paper after all.
 
Plane was there.

TSwezey said:
Darwin,
Were you at LOE? I saw one like yours and I can't remember were I saw it.

I wasn't there but my plane was. Probably where you saw it.
Click to expand...
 
Try also Stickercity.com. They sell vinyl decals and according to their website,"The most realistic carbon fiber pattern, now available in different colors".
 
galvanic isolation

Anything separating the graphite from the aluminum should prevent corrosion. Moisture must also be present for the corrosion to take place. No moisture, no corrosion. Primer or a continuous layer of adhesive should work. I've seen as little as one ply of .003" thick fiberglass used in commercial applications.
 
One local Sonix builder found his overlay at Pep Boys.

It is more like contact paper and worked fine and looks good.
 
corrosion problem

I was concerned to read about the issue of corrosion when carbon fiber overlay is applied directly to aluminum. I contacted robotmarketplace.com where I obtained my carbon fiber material and spoke with Jim.

Jim has worked with carbon fiber and aluminum for years, and has not heard of the reported problem. He tole me that he has removed carbon fiber overlay from unpainted aluminum that has been there for years, and never seen any corrosion.

I am still a bit confused by the contraditory information on the topic. I offer this only as a data point for those of you who are interested in the problem.
 
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