Thanks for the updates, VooDoo project was my #1 but this project is the absolute best ive seen........ the ability to "make" it all is phenominal
Keep it up !!!!
Dying to see this run and run well

Beautiful work as always.

Please keep posting.

As far as I know, the big silver cat is collecting dust.

Love it, and thanks

Been a few amazing projects. For me, Heath’s Miami Vice tribute stands out because he started with almost nothing and built an amazing boat.

This project is unique because you’re breaking all the rules, in your own back yard. With a bit of help from your gorgeous little employee, this will amaze everyone when completed.

Thanks for posting, I’m loving your innovative work, even though I don’t understand a lot of it.

RR

I love this thread and you are right, most things now seem to be people writing checks for OB something.

I do have a question on you carbon table tops, are you vacuum bagging or just rolling it on? I have a slide in camper I may be redoing the tops on. Would be cool.

A small note from my side.

All my working surfaces are made from carbon, but carbon alone didn’t work well for me because it scratches too quickly, it is to sensitive.

A good solution is 2 mm plexiglass, as follows:

• Cut the plexiglass to the appropriate size.
• Place it on a flat surface. It can also be a chipboard panel, but in that case the plexiglass should be about 4–5 cm larger than the final piece on each side and vacuum bagg must be sealled on the this overzized epoksi.
• Prepare the PVC core with exact dimensions. At the points where brackets, legs, etc. will be fixed, you need to glue in solid blocks (for example plywood) into the PVC, because screws do not hold well in foam and will delaminate.
• Prepare the carbon fabric so that it is about 1 cm larger than the PVC foam on each side. I recommend one layer of 163 g/m² twill weave to achieve a nice carbon look. The other layers can be anything.
• Mix the appropriate amount of epoxy, place the plexiglass on the flat board, and wipe the top surface thoroughly with acetone. Be careful that the acetone does not run underneath the plexiglass onto the visible side.
• While the plexiglass surface is still slightly softened, apply epoxy onto it and carefully place the first 163 g fabric layer on top.
• Use a Japanese spatula to carefully lay the carbon over the plexiglass. Pull gently so you do not stretch the fibers or damage the appearance. It is good to use starch-stabilized fabric.
• Add a generous amount of epoxy and continue working with the spatula until all air bubbles are removed. Do not be stingy with epoxy here — the laminate must not be “light.”
• Let this first layer cure, then add the next layers. There should be at least two layers, otherwise the PVC may show through the fabric. Place the PVC on top, then the same amount of fabric, and of course impregnate everything with epoxy before adding the next layer.
• Cover it with peel ply, breather fabric, and foil, and vacuum bag it at full pressure until the epoxy cures.

Even though the visible face is plexiglass, it is still good to leave it in the vacuum bag for another two days, so that the fabric does not print through the plexiglass and the surface remains mirror smooth.


Using this method I have made for my boat:

• the table in saloon
• the kitchen worktop
• an outdoor table
• the bathroom door
• the dashboard and the glove compartment door in front of the passenger seat

At first I tried Lexan, but it didn’t work. Then I tried plexiglass and the results were mixed. Only when I soaked the plexiglass with acetone did the result become 100% successful.

I do them by hand lamination, vacuumbagging would be way better but it takes more time and cost, plenty of bagging material go to trash every lamination job.
I will make nice looking surface later, maybe carbon twill fabric. Now all parts are made from triaxial carbon and pvc core, it doesn't look nice but are very stiff and light. One nice thing over plywood is that composite panel won't twist or change dimension when humidity change.

Instead of specialized materials for vacuuming, the following works perfectly well for such small parts:

1. Specialized vacuum film can be easily replaced with large garbage bags.
2. Instead of tacky tape, you can use acrylic sealant-better than tacky tape for small parts.
3. Instead of peel ply fabric and breather/bleeder material, do the following:

• Once the laminate is laid up and ready for vacuuming, place 5 layers of paper towels or toilet paper on top of the laminate and vacuum for 15 minutes.
• Remove the paper, place PVC film on the laminate, put the previously used paper towels on top, insert the vacuum tube into them, cover everything again with bag, and vacuum until the end.

For such small parts and epoksi, there is no point in using infusion; manual lamination and vacuum are sufficient.

• You will finish much faster if you prepare the laminate beforehand on PVC foil, blot the excess resin, and then transfer the whole laminate onto the intended surface and vacuum it. This looks as if you are working with prepreg.

Regarding the description of carbon’s sensitivity:

The problem with a carbon look is the surface. If you leave epoxy exposed, it will soon yellow and become matte, so a transparent 2K acrylic top coat is usually applied. However, this coating is not very hard and scratches easily. That is the main reason (besides the 3D visual effect) why I laminated it onto plexiglass.



@Ksalmine;
On already finished surfaces made with manual lamination, it will be extremely difficult to achieve a nice carbon-look finish. I doubt you’ll be able to level it sufficiently.

Voodoo still setting in my yard, and ready to go back together any day. Just been busy collecting and liquidating my partners other hardware he left laying around the US. And hoping someone on here would step up and take Voodoo to the finish line. But as you well stated, everyone is now into the Outboards, and only true offers have been to buy the powertrain for other projects. Holding off on that, but have yet to receive a true 10 cent on the dollar offer for the whole package. Tyson on the other hand purchased his old Skater Vee back, and now has 2 Diesel boat projects underway. Both more ambitious than the last..

Sad to hear.