Laminating Carbon - V1 - Wet Layup¶

Baseline recipe with 0/90 twill and simple taper.

Goal¶

Produce a basic carbon blade using a manual wet layup.


Wet Carbon Laminate	Cured Carbon Laminate

Type	Hours
Implementation	1.5 h
Waiting	12 h

Material	Quantity	Unit Cost	Line Cost
Carbon Fiber Fabric Consumable 0.3 m² of 200 g/m² 3K 2/2 twill cloth	0.3 m² (1 m wide)	£17.00 per m² (1 m wide)	£5.10
Laminating Epoxy System Consumable 150 g mixed resin (approx. 150 ml)	0.25 500 ml kit	£15.00 per 500 ml kit	£3.75
Pva Release Agent Consumable Two thin coats on the laminating base	35 ml (two thin coats)	£5.00 per 200 ml bottle	£0.88
Peel Ply Consumable Two layers cut to the blade outline	0.6 m (1.5 m wide)	£12.00 per 5 m pack (1.5 m wide)	£1.44
Consumables pack Consumable Gloves, mixing sticks, acetone wipes	1 pack	£3.50	£3.50
Total			£14.67

Tool	Purpose
Gloves	Protect your hands from resin, adhesives, and carbon fibers
Mixing pots	Measure and combine resin and hardener accurately
Mixing sticks	Blend resin and hardener thoroughly
Brushes	Apply resin and coatings evenly across the laminate
Plastic finned roller (75 mm)	Consolidate layers and push out trapped air
Scissors	Cut materials like fabric, film, or templates to size
Digital scale	Weigh resin batches for accurate mix ratios

0. Safety first

Wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area to avoid exposure to harmful fumes.

1. Prepare the work surface

Pour a small amount of the PVA mold release agent into a cup.
Using a brush, apply the release agent thinly and evenly over the working surface or mold.
Tip: see this video at 2:00 for guidance.
Allow the PVA to dry fully (around 15mins) before you begin laminating.

2. Cut the carbon fiber cloth

3. Prepare the epoxy resin

Pour epoxy resin into a mixing pot.
Use a ratio of 100:30 by weight (resin:hardener).
Example: for 100 g of resin, add 30 g of hardener.
Use the digital scale for precise measurement.
Mix the resin and hardener thoroughly, but gently, to avoid introducing air bubbles.

4. Lay the resin and carbon cloth

Spread an even layer of resin directly onto the prepared mold or surface.
Lay the carbon fiber cloth over the resin layer.
Apply another layer of resin over the cloth using the brush and smooth it out with the roller.
Tip: use the roller to eliminate trapped air and ensure the cloth adheres evenly.

5. Apply peel ply

Once the laminate layers are complete, apply two layers of peel ply over the top surface.
Peel ply absorbs excess resin and helps achieve a uniform finish.
Optional: include a breather layer to improve vacuum results.
Optional: if using a vacuum bagging kit, place the prepared laminate inside one of the storage bags, seal it, and apply vacuum pressure with the manual pump.

6. Clean-up

Clean all reusable tools (e.g., brushes) with acetone immediately after use.
Discard used gloves, cups, and mixing sticks responsibly.