Real carbon fibre or…

[MrWednesday]

How can I tell if I have a real carbon fibre parts here? I know the carbon fibre has come down a lot in price, I paid about $85 CAD including tax and delivery from the Crazy States of America for two shock towers front brace plate, steering tabs for pivot hubs, and steering rack ackerman plate all for K6S. Half the time I see parts, advertised as graphite, or carbon but they look identical to carbon fiber, like they use some sort of CF veneer or print. If they’re fake, they’re pretty damn good, like the weave is amazing the way it reflects light. The parts are also nice and thick, the finish and fitment is also mint and they are hard as me when I see a nice custom Talion.

 

[Jerold]

There are various types of carbon fiber, densities, weaves, weight and finishes. If it doesn't look like it's perfect doesn't mean it's fake. The best thing to do is make sure you get it from a reputable manufacturer. If it's made in China or on Ebay I might question it, but that doesn't mean it's fake, it just not known. As you said CF is getting pretty in expensive and there is no OSHA, Unions or safety in China, so it' just gets cheaper coming from there.

The edges look correct. Carbon fiber is a composite material that comes in woven sheets of fabric, then it's layer with a resin. The number of layers and amount of resin are determined by the manufacturer. Basically it's fancy fiber glass. The strength of it depends on how it's made.

Because it's a fabric based composite, if the edges fray you can get fray or splinters. Of course you don't want to see this but you would know it's real. Be very careful if you see any fraying, CF splinters are not for you.

Carbon fiber is also conductive. If you were able probe the CF, not the resin, it can be checked with an Ohm meter. But it's going to be very hard to check once it's impregnated with resin so it's more of an academic thing here.

As for Graphite or Carbon, my understanding is, they are same material but one has heat treatment, I don't recall which one. But both should be plenty strong for our applications if the manufacturer did their job. If you were making a super car or a plane I would be more concerned.

 

[MrWednesday]

There are various types of carbon fiber, densities, weaves, weight and finishes. If it doesn't look like it's perfect doesn't mean it's fake. The best thing to do is make sure you get it from a reputable manufacturer. If it's made in China or on Ebay I might question it, but that doesn't mean it's fake, it just not known. As you said CF is getting pretty in expensive and there is no OSHA, Unions or safety in China, so it' just gets cheaper coming from there.

The edges look correct. Carbon fiber is a composite material that comes in woven sheets of fabric, then it's layer with a resin. The number of layers and amount of resin are determined by the manufacturer. Basically it's fancy fiber glass. The strength of it depends on how it's made.

Because it's a fabric based composite, if the edges fray you can get fray or splinters. Of course you don't want to see this but you would know it's real. Be very careful if you see any fraying, CF splinters are not for you.

Carbon fiber is also conductive. If you were able probe the CF, not the resin, it can be checked with an Ohm meter. But it's going to be very hard to check once it's impregnated with resin so it's more of an academic thing here.

As for Graphite or Carbon, my understanding is, they are same material but one has heat treatment, I don't recall which one. But both should be plenty strong for our applications if the manufacturer did their job. If you were making a super car or a plane I would be more concerned.

Thank you very much for the detailed reply. I was kind of hoping to see some imperfections in the weave and that would tell me it was real, but then I realized it’s probably cut from a huge sheet that was done in a factory. Meaning, the weave is likely perfect or as damn close to it as one can get. The way the light reflects off of the waves I think it’s pretty much real. I’m gonna put superglue along the edges just to seal it up and make sure I don’t get splinters. Again, thank you so much for the reply.

 

[332_RC]

I do know from the pieces I have bought, (solid 12" long plates) there is plain weave & twill weave are the most common available. Plain is usually glossy & twill is matte. Plain is checked more than twill. Twill looks like rows. This is a plain weave glossy. From what I've read, plain weave is a little bit stronger than twill, as it is more weaves per layer & plain is a little bit more $$. The plain weave plate I have in the pic, has a slight ring to it if you tap it with a small wrench. The piece you have in the pic looks nice & it's real CF.

 

[slick2500]

This stuff? https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124

It is real carbon fiber but it is cheap carbon fiber everything has broken except for the front shock tower I think.

 

[332_RC]

This stuff? https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124

It is real carbon fiber but it is cheap carbon fiber everything has broken except for the front shock tower I think.

I clicked the link but it's not found??

 

[slick2500]

I clicked the link but it's not found??

Oops try this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20180105095853&meid=cee69c69cc93457d825bca5f8119537a&pid=100903&rk=1&rkt=20&sd=125553428124&itm=125553428124&pmt=1&noa=1&pg=2332490&brand=MRRC&_trksid=p2332490.c100903.m5276

Monster Kings sells the same "quality" carbon fiber.

 

[332_RC]

Oops try this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20180105095853&meid=cee69c69cc93457d825bca5f8119537a&pid=100903&rk=1&rkt=20&sd=125553428124&itm=125553428124&pmt=1&noa=1&pg=2332490&brand=MRRC&_trksid=p2332490.c100903.m5276

Works. That's twill. It is real CF but it's single row twill. I do know that the Basherqueen CF & M2C CF is double row plain. I have couple BQ items, they are noticeably different.

 

[MrWednesday]

This stuff? https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124https://www.ebay.com/itm/125553428124

It is real carbon fiber but it is cheap carbon fiber everything has broken except for the front shock tower I think.

Yup lol that’s the exact stuff right there. It’s going to be mostly a shelf queen anyway, most it will see is the odd speed run and some grassy fields with small jumps. I’m going to build a second Kraton XL with as much scorched parts as possible, I’m trying to get as much titanium on there as I possibly can. It too, will be a shelf queen, both will refrain from experiencing much kinetic energy and instead will remain as beautiful little bundles of potential energy lol. A lot of potential energy that is

 

[SrC]

How can I tell if I have a real carbon fibre parts here? I know the carbon fibre has come down a lot in price, I paid about $85 CAD including tax and delivery from the Crazy States of America for two shock towers front brace plate, steering tabs for pivot hubs, and steering rack ackerman plate all for K6S. Half the time I see parts, advertised as graphite, or carbon but they look identical to carbon fiber, like they use some sort of CF veneer or print. If they’re fake, they’re pretty damn good, like the weave is amazing the way it reflects light. The parts are also nice and thick, the finish and fitment is also mint and they are hard as me when I see a nice custom Talion.

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Yeah that is CF layup for sure.