How-to Do a Perfect Vacuum Resin Infusion of a Carbon Fibre Part

This practical guide explains exactly how to use the Resin Infusion technique to make a strong and light carbon fibre part with a perfect, pin-hole free, surface finish. Follow the video step-by-step, including never shared before professional techniques and you too can master this technique.

  1. How strong does the pump have to be? Will 0.8bar be enough or not?Same size project.

  2. great job chief… thanks for sharing… very pro job…good tools, good materials, good mold…

  3. what is the weight or volume ratio,between the resin quantity and the fiberglass or carbon sheets?All i mean,how much resin has to be prepared(mixed) in order to “wet” the cloth and not be wasted?Thanks.

  4. what is the weight or volume ratio,between the resin quantity and the fiberglass or carbon sheets?All i mean,how much resin has to be prepared(mixed) in order to “wet” the cloth and not be wasted?Thanks.

  5. That is why if you do it yourself you can save a lot of money and using a tutorial like ours, its not hard to understand the process and even a complete newbie with a bit of practice will start making nice parts.

  6. jeez the labor for a carbon fiber part is sooo much more then i thought, no wonder its so expensive

  7. GREAT VIDEO…PLEASE SEE MY OWN CARBON FIBRE TOP 10 TIPS VIDEO…COMMENTS APPRECIATED. I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS ON MY CHANNEL.

  8. What is the mould preparation procedure used for this tool? I.e. what did you use for the sealing coat? …and also, what tooling block was used for the tool?

  9. What is the mould preparation procedure used for this tool? I.e. what did you use for the sealing coat? …and also, what tooling block was used for the tool?

  10. @gaucholon It’s a 2/2 twill, 200g, 3k fibre we use here. 2/2 twill drapes nicely so it drops into the compound shape of this part easily, 200g 3k is nice and light so again it’s easy to conform it to the mould.

  11. @gaucholon It’s a 2/2 twill, 200g, 3k fibre we use here. 2/2 twill drapes nicely so it drops into the compound shape of this part easily, 200g 3k is nice and light so again it’s easy to conform it to the mould.

  12. @bogeyboy4044 We have a video where we make a mould using the same materials that this mould is made from. It’s not the same mould but the process is the. It’s a Carbon Mods video.

  13. @bogeyboy4044 We have a video where we make a mould using the same materials that this mould is made from. It’s not the same mould but the process is the. It’s a Carbon Mods video.

  14. Then there’s no way that your parts will. Providing it does then if you use PVA for example then this gloss finish will be spoilt. By using Easy-Lease chemical release agent we maintain that gloss and ensure that parts will come out of the mould with a high gloss finish.

  15. Then there’s no way that your parts will. Providing it does then if you use PVA for example then this gloss finish will be spoilt. By using Easy-Lease chemical release agent we maintain that gloss and ensure that parts will come out of the mould with a high gloss finish.

  16. @gaucholon Yes, in a way. The most important thing is that this mould has a high gloss finish. If it doesn’t

  17. @jnnojpuy Yes, we ship to the US. Because of shipping regulations, there is a surcharge to pay if your order includes ‘dangerous goods’ but our website will calculate this automatically and show you the shipping cost on the checkout page.

  18. @jnnojpuy Yes, we ship to the US. Because of shipping regulations, there is a surcharge to pay if your order includes ‘dangerous goods’ but our website will calculate this automatically and show you the shipping cost on the checkout page.

  19. The only way to use the resin infusion process to create a double-A sided part (smooth finish both sides) would be to use a matched mould (so a front mould and a back mould) and then use an internal flow medium that the resin could flow through. The one we use most often is Lantor Soric (you’ll see it used in our bonnet making video series), this means you don’t need mesh for the resin to infuse through the part and so you can have a closed mould (like with RTM) allowing for a double A side.

  20. The only way to use the resin infusion process to create a double-A sided part (smooth finish both sides) would be to use a matched mould (so a front mould and a back mould) and then use an internal flow medium that the resin could flow through. The one we use most often is Lantor Soric (you’ll see it used in our bonnet making video series), this means you don’t need mesh for the resin to infuse through the part and so you can have a closed mould (like with RTM) allowing for a double A side.

  21. Yes, you can do this. You might actually still find that peel ply would be fine as rather than using a perforated film which you could then paint with a 2k paint and flat to get your smooth surface. It only takes a single coat of paint to fill the texture of a peel-ply into a smooth finish. The other film to consider would be a breadwrap which is much more perforated than a P3 perforated film and so would be less restricting on resin flow.

  22. Yes, you can do this. You might actually still find that peel ply would be fine as rather than using a perforated film which you could then paint with a 2k paint and flat to get your smooth surface. It only takes a single coat of paint to fill the texture of a peel-ply into a smooth finish. The other film to consider would be a breadwrap which is much more perforated than a P3 perforated film and so would be less restricting on resin flow.

  23. Haha! Yes, they are good shears! They’re made specially for us by William Whiteley of Sheffield. The blade angle is specifically for carbon fibre and then our touch was to have the serration put on the upper blade not the lower blade so that they slide through carbon without snagging it accidentally. PTFE coating keeps them sharper longer too. You’ll find them on the Easy Composites website.

  24. That’s how you do it son. Excellent demo. One question. Who makes those badass scissors and where can I buy them? I have several sizes and brands for different applications but god almighty the sound those make is music to my ears. Probably not so laboring on the hands too I bet. Nice vid.

  25. What i’m planning to do is make a foamcore wing for an rc aircraft…. it’s quite easy to shape the foam, and then vacuum bag it with composites, as this has been done before numerous times… the only thing i want to do different is use vacuum infusion instead of wet layup.But i think ill just use perforated release film and then polish away the tiny dots made by it.

  26. how do you plan to shape your part without a mold? I guess you could do a few simple shapes like wrapping around an object, but you would have a hard time using a vaccuum technique with that, and it probably wouldn’t turn out very good.

  27. how do you plan to shape your part without a mold? I guess you could do a few simple shapes like wrapping around an object, but you would have a hard time using a vaccuum technique with that, and it probably wouldn’t turn out very good.

  28. We sell every single material used in this video so if you’re after ‘Infusion Mesh’ then please just take a look on our website in the Vacuum Bagging Consumables category – you’ll find it listed there and very cheap too.

  29. Yes, we got a pin-hole free, high gloss surface finish (flick the video to ‘High Definition’ mode and you should be able to see this). That’s the difference between how we do resin infusion we our equipment and resin and how other people do it – in a sense, that’s the point of this video to show that it can, reliable, be done if you follow all the steps. Take a look at the TDS for our IN2 infusion resin (link on our website) for all the specifications, including viscosity. It’s an amazing resin!

  30. Yes, dead-right. It’s 200gsm 2/2 twill 3k fibre. It’s pretty much the most common weave and weight of carbon fibre. If you’re having any trouble sourcing it then please get in touch with us, we stock thousands of metres and offer next-day delivery.

  31. Bagging tape will stick to PVA OK but remember that you could quite easily accidentally pull the PVA off the mould if you weren’t careful. The PVA’s bond to the bond is very weak (it’s a release agent after all) and so when you’re bagging down you can have the PVA come away from the mould which would cause a leak and spoil everything.

  32. Hi Don, I’ll certainly bare this in mind. I’m not sure that making composite wheels is really a project for general enthusiasts, there’s some very real precision required. Certainly assembling multi-component parts is something that we’ve started covering more with our recent tutorials (the bonnet/hood making guide for example) and we’ll have more soon. Stay tuned!

  33. I herd there was Gold in California..Anyone want to buy some picks and shovels? Sucker born every minute…Yep the money is in selling tap and vacuum bags I guess.

  34. Amazing! How about a tutorial on making a part sized oven. what I would like to build is multi part, how about bonding of structural parts to carbon and non carbon parts. One project Th think many of us would enjoy is that of making bicycle wheels, Aluminium rim hoops, aluminium hubs, etc. Thank you again! wow

  35. Hi, Ive made mine infusion of carbon fibre. Manage to draw air bubbles but facing up a ‘depressed carbon pattern. is it vacuum pressure issue?I apply it @ 20″Hg..

  36. Wouldn’t it be easier with this small of a part to just use an entire plastic bag that holds the entire mold inside it? Then just place the in and out leads in a good way. Also, have you tested with different amounts of resin in for example this mold? To see how it affects strength and weight. Perhaps you could produce a chart pointing to how much resin one should pump out (based on what atributes you want from the part)?

  37. If you’re making a flat sheet then a sheet of glass is perfect because they’re hard to scratch, have a fantasticaly flat, glossy surface and are cheap and easy to get hold of. Prepare the sheet of glass using a chemical release agent (to stop the resin from sticking to it) and you should be fine.

  38. You mean the vacuum bag sticking to the infusion mesh? – Well, it just doesn’t stick; epoxy resin doesn’t stick to our vacuum bagging film and so there’s no need for any preparation.

  39. Even using this type of mixer arrangement it’s quite difficult to ensure there is no airation of the resin. Generally, we don’t ever find a problem with it but if it’s a concern or is causing problems then the only foolproof method would be to vacuum degass the resin, either in the catch-pot itself (being careful how you put that in and out of the system) or in a dedicated vacuum degassing chamber. We sell these on our website.

  40. You need a split-mould and then, like Johnx says, you need something creating positive pressure on the inside, consoldating the fibre and resin to the outside of the tube. Once it’s cured you would separate the two halves of the mould to get the part out and extract the bladder/expanding core from the inside of the tube. Composite tubes, particularly where the outside is the ‘A’ side are pretty complicated.

  41. I have no idea how this could cause a leak in the vacuum seal, sorry, but that’s wrong. The air that is in the line connecting the resin to the bag should be minimised as much as possible but it will get drawn out by the pump. You use an extra clamp to clamp off the line right at the point where the resin is but as you can see (there’s no trickery here) we get a perfect product doing it exactly this way.

  42. Yes, they definately are. If you visit our forum; talkcomposites you’ll find people making quad rotor bodies, dynamic soarers and all sorts of other RC planes where they’re using resin infusion to make incredibly strong and light laminates.

  43. @12:00 What about the air that is in the line connecting the epoxy to the mould cavity? A sudden change in the pressure differentials from that air in the tube could cause a leak again in the vacuum bag seal. Also, you have introduced that air into the mould cavity.

  44. how would one make a tube with the outside of the tube being the nice part? I have yet to see a video of this and it is putting me off. I know it can be done.

  45. In addition to pulling a vacuum on the resin to get the air out before infusing the part, I’ve seen guys make a mixer that uses a rotating magnet under the resin container and a metal bar inside the resin so you don’t introduce air into the resin by hand mixing.

  46. I have door trims which has the stretch leather-look vinyl come away from the contoured door cards(age of glue) would bagging be a way of refixing by eliminating air pockets?

  47. have you experience building carbon fiber over another object like plastic without using a vacuum bag. Just letting it dry for 24 hours. I have tried several times and not having any luck. The parts dry uneven and the edge are all mess up. Any tips

  48. Is the inner surface of the part as smooth as outer surface? I mean, in infusion process can we obtain both side (inner,outer) perfect surfaces?

  49. If you don’t apply a vacuum then the resin won’t be drawn through the part and so nothing would happen, you’d just have a mould with some dry carbon cloth in, just like when you put it there!

  50. -1 bar or -1000mbar or as near as you can possibly get. 99.99% vacuum is what our pump pulls and this is really what we would say you need. Anything less than an almost total vacuum will have a negative impact on the surface finish of your parts – the tell-tale sign generally being pin holes in the surface or tiny air bubbles in the laminate. Infusing under a near total vacuum will eliminate this.

  51. Yes, definately. Lots of our customers do this and they say it improves their results. Strangely we’ve never needed to do this and we always get bubble-free perfect results but so many of them do it that there must be something in it. The catch-pot itself is generally what people use as a degassing chamber. You could degass several smaller batches in there if you had a lot of resin to do.

  52. The mould, the RICs, the hose from the pump to the catch-pot, the catch-pot and pump (of course), that’s about it. If you’re really pushed, sometimes people re-use the vacuum bag but that’s really a lot more trouble than it’s worth. Your chemical release agent is semi-permenant so you probably won’t need to apply that each time. The rest is disposable.

  53. Hi, We use Perma-Grit tools which are tungsten carbide tools (like tile cutting tools). They’re fantastic and last forever (you’ll find a good range of them on our website). You would to the initial cut with a permagrit wheel in a dremmel and then finish the edge using a permagrit sanding block (or just some coarse abrasive paper wrapped round a block) before finishing the edge smooth by using finer grits of abrasive paper. A black wax crayon does a nice job of sealing and polishing a cut edge.

  54. : Peel ply on the inside and outside will certainly give you a none glossy finish but it will be reasonably textured by the peel-ply. If that’s what you’re after then it’s fine, if you just want a smooth, none-glossy finish then you might want to just use a scoth-pad on the finished part to rub the gloss away. I’m not sure what the optimium resin uptake is on flax but I think it’s around 50% by weight to weigh the reinforcement and plan for the same weight in resin.

  55. i’m planning to do a vacuum resin infusion with 16 layers of flaxfiber, I have a few questions:1. I would like to have a non-glossy finish so I use the following set-up; peel ply, 16layers of flaxfiber, peel ply, green mesh?2. How can I know how much resin I need?

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