how many people can i get to call me crazy?

So I have an itching to attempt to make a fiberglass tank... Using the underside of a cl360 tank as a mold. I have some experience with a fiberglass (many many years experience with industrial air/watertight epoxy applications) so I know what it takes to make something hold whatevernit needs to hold. My only issue is strength. Especially in the front of the tank (most susceptible to rocks and debris)

How crazy am I?

If you answered not that that crazy, awesome. Next question

How would I go about really strengthening the fiberglass itself in the parts of the tank most susceptible to impact?

I know this will end up being a very very time consuming process but, I am after a very unique look and really like learning from experience (trial and error) plus I have some old man help from some guys who've taken a liking to seeing a vintage bike on the block.

use cloth not mat
why not do CF ?

Well for a few reasons, first and formost I had no idea I could do carbon fiber at home? 2) I know where to get fiberglass cloth and resin, I have no idea where to get materials for CF. And 3) to my understanding you(which is ignorant at best) id need a vaccum press, I dont have a vaccum press but as far as I know they aren't too difficult to build. Anyone here have any experience working with carbon fiber? And probablynmore importantly anyone have any advice for a first time carbon fiber'er?

I found an awesome build guid from someone like me who loves punishment and must also not have many friends. This turned out beautiful. Really inspires me to make my own tank now... But I am very very interested in the Carbon fiber route now? I watched a few dig carbon fiber and have found it really works the same as fiberglass and slow cure epoxy (with the element of a heat gun added to help with bubbles and curing) I actually may do a cf route as this would help with strength and reduce the weight by a bit. However I will have to painyt over it, im not a fan of the look of carbon fiber on these older bikes. However I if i go through with it i may leave a very fine pinstripe outlining my paint scheme just for bragining rights.

XsjadoTwin said:

I found an awesome build guid from someone like me who loves punishment and must also not have many friends. This turned out beautiful. Really inspires me to make my own tank now... But I am very very interested in the Carbon fiber route now? I watched a few dig carbon fiber and have found it really works the same as fiberglass and slow cure epoxy (with the element of a heat gun added to help with bubbles and curing) I actually may do a cf route as this would help with strength and reduce the weight by a bit. However I will have to painyt over it, im not a fan of the look of carbon fiber on these older bikes. However I if i go through with it i may leave a very fine pinstripe outlining my paint scheme just for bragining rights.

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if you build knee dents into the tank a strip down the center and the knee dents being CF would be TITTTS.

making the plugs,then making the multiple piece molds is an art in itself and will be very expensive to have done
but the bonus is you could make more than one

XsjadoTwin said:

itching to attempt to make a fiberglass tank...

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XsjadoTwin said:

im not a fan of the look of carbon fiber on these older bikes …

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In that case, woven Kevlar would possibly be the superior material.

Crazy

you don't need a vacuum press to do c.f.

you will need to build a model and at least a lightweight short run mold

strengthening for impact resistance isn't really what you want to do, you would want to use an epoxy that allows enough give to let the fibers flex before cracking the epoxy, but then you won't have as stiff a part

have you figured out how to protect the epoxy from gas/ethanol?

CCrider practically wrote a how to guide about making a fiberglass tank.

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=6339.0

Roc City Cafe said:

you don't need a vacuum press to do c.f.

you will need to build a model and at least a lightweight short run mold

strengthening for impact resistance isn't really what you want to do, you would want to use an epoxy that allows enough give to let the fibers flex before cracking the epoxy, but then you won't have as stiff a part

have you figured out how to protect the epoxy from gas/ethanol?

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Yeah I was thinking the ethanol will be your biggest concern. Connections for the filler cap and petcock might get interesting !

As for strength I'd say you could use some stainless screen strips woven into it as well but would increase the weight. The petcock connections and the filler neck I'd just use the actuall pieces from another tank and mold them in. The whole ethanol thing couldn't he use redcoat or another plastic tank sealer?

I have also considered making a carbon fiber tank. I've gone as far as starting to carve a master out of foam. A long ways to go yet. For the coating of the tank to protect from ethanol I found Caswell gas tank sealer to be the best option (link http://www.caswellplating.com/restoration-aids/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer.html). I have not tried this product myself, but the reviews seem promising. For the petcock I was planning to bond in a drilled and tapped piece of aluminum. This plate would need to have a taper around the edge to allow for the carbon to make full contact and add to the final strength. This would also help to avoid the potential void around the edge of the aluminum plate and carbon transition. As for strength, I figure 4 layers of 2x2 twill cloth should suffice. For peace of mind you could lay Kevlar for the final layer (this would be the inside of the tank).

Assuming that if you go with carbon cloth there is one other big consideration. Usually those that choose to go this route leave the carbon clear coated. To do this, extra care must be taken when building the mold. A mirror like finish is preferred but not necessary, you could spray clear coat after the tank is made. Care also needs to be taken when laying cloth in the mold, for a good looking product the fibers have to stay as straight as reasonably possible. (This is when I start thinking of using fiberglass mat instead and just paint the damn thing.)

Here is the fuel cap I found that is great for bonding in and its vented (http://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/appages/acstlockffc.php)

Just a few thoughts and concerns that passed through my mind. Hope this helps.

Thanks for posting this. I almost bailed on my CF tank. And ya I think we're both crazy. But damn it will look good when its done.

farmerbraun said:

For peace of mind you could lay Kevlar for the final layer …

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This would help compensate for the poor impact strength of CF.

Crazy

For what you are doing, making a tank, it really doesn't matter what material you use, fiberglass, CF or Kevlar. It really comes down to what you want it to look like and how much you want to spend. You can get any of the materials online nowadays. If you are going to paint it, then use fiberglass. As Roc City stated, the impact capability of your tank is more dependent on your resin than the fibers. Kevlar will help with abrasion, like if you wreck and slide down the road, but it is a pain in the ass to cut and drill. I would only use CF if you are going to leave it bare and want the look. Fiberglass is plenty strong for a tank.

I was also going to point to CCRider's tank build. He did a great job. I think he may have had a problem with gas as well so you may want to PM him to see how he handled it. I can't remember.

How you cure your layup also depends solely on what resin you use. I have heard good things about the West System epoxy resins (widely available) and it cures at room temp.

Vacuum bagging is not required to make composites. It does make them better and lighter, but it is not required.

If, after making the two halves of your tank, you find that a part of it is a little too thin or flimsy for your liking, you can always layup internal stiffeners wherever they are needed to add rigidity.

Finally, if you do decide to use CF, please pay attention to any bare metal that may come into contact with it like fasteners you may put through it or other fittings like the fuel bunk or gas cap. Metals, especially aluminum and steel, touching the carbon fibers are susceptible to galvanic corrosion. On aircraft, where the CF parts are going to touch metal parts, we typically put a protective layer of fiberglass over the CF. We also use titanium fasteners which have a similar galvanic potential to CF.

Flugtechnik great advice. Thanks. Its going to be a project I'll take on over the summer when it as too hot to ride. Ive got an a/c so I can get the temp down for the epoxy to cure.

want to build a glass tank? watch all of this guy's videos…

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=46004.0