A custom A-pillar gauge pod can be made in just an afternoon for about any car. Honda, Ford, Volvos it is all the same. All you need is about 35 dollars in supplies and a little time. This is the first part of the DIY gauge pod guide.

A custom A-pillar gauge pod can be made in just an afternoon for about any car. Honda, Ford, Volvos it is all the same. All you need is about 35 dollars in supplies and a little time. This is the second part of the DIY gauge pod guide. If you have any thoughts or comments, please feel free to share them on the forum.

This is an intermediate guide to carbon fiber parts. Covered here is how to implement lessons learned in the earlier guides. The part we will be fabricating is only wrapped in carbon fiber, not actually a true carbon fiber part. More advanced guides supporting our how-to section on vacuum molding, positive/negative molds, and weight reduction will follow. The next guide will cover making true carbon fiber parts for lower weight and higher strength.

In this guide we will cover the basics of vacuum bagging parts. Now that you have learned the skills from the earlier how-to's, you are ready to tackle something more elaborate. Vacuum bagging not only allows you to make very light weight parts, but also removes the need for a negative mold. Because no one likes the the fiberglass parts on ebay, and you want something more unique than just a cheap part wrapped in graphite, you have decided to make your own parts. But where do you start? Vacuum bagging equipment is somewhat specialized, and expensive. Thats what makes this how-to unique. Instead of using specific equipment, I have in the shop, I will do this how-to assuming you have nothing to work with. For only $50 dollars I will show you how to build a basic vacuum bagging system with common parts. All you have to supply is the resin and fiber. While some elements of this how-to are not the best professional practices, it will get the job done. Keep in mind that this guide is intended for the hobbyist on a budget and requires no hard to obtain parts.

Creating a good mold is the key to any form of casting. In vacuum forming with composites this is especially true. Traditionally molds are created in wax, plastic, or plaster and later in metal if large production runs are intended. Due to cost and its ability to capture fine detail, plaster is one of the most common mold materials. For medium sized low detail parts, I prefer autobody filler instead. The filler has a faster curing time, and is more forgiving to rough handling. In the next steps I will outline the process of creating molds suitable for everything from valve covers to dash trim.

Start by laying out your tools, including a sheet of clean glass at least 4" larger than your largest piece of graphite mat. Apply some form of mold release to the glass to aid in removal of the laminate later. At this point mix your resin. What resin you use depends on on the end application for the part you are making. In this eaxmple of a flat sheet, that would most likely become a gauge trim piece or a blanking plate, almost any resin will work. Resin systems can cost from 20 dollars a gallon up to 200 dollars a gallon, so choose one that suits your needs. No matter what resin you use consistency is very important. The resin and the catalyst must be throughly mixed.