Morning all

Quick question, I'm planing to make up some stone guards for the rear arches, fancied something different that i've not seen on a car before.

Before I get excited about this small project can you drill small holes (5mm dia) in carbon fibre sheet?

If you can tips/tricks required or anything weird I need to be aware of? if you can't it's back to the drawing board.

Cheers
Nigel

I'll wait 30 seconds and check to see if Mr Whippy has posted a reply

No Mr Whippy I'm in shock

8 mins without the whipster replying

Drilling pre-preg is easy, no different then drilling metal and a lot easier then drilling fibreglass. No gel coat to splinter and crack.

If your drilling wet lay CF then be a little more careful but still easy!

Use an HSS bit (no cutting fluid) and reasonably fast drill speed. Its not too difficult...

Many thanks for the prompt replies. I can now get in the garage tonight and create some templates out of cereal box.

Then I just need to convince the boss(wife) that a couple of sheets of carbon is a neccesity rather than a luxury

I used "spur point" drills on my dash and had no problems.

http://diydata.com/tool/drillbits/drillbits.php

adrian

oh one extra question how close to the edge of a sheet can I drill without any worries of tearing etc.

Was plannning 5mm holes centre of hole in 7.5mm from edge (too close?)

Maybe I misunderstood, but it seems like someone beat you to the idea?

http://www.carbonmods.co.uk/Products/Carbon-Fibre-Polymer-Stone-Chip-Guards__CMSCGWFLD01.aspx

Yep you/ve misunderstood me. I don't just want a sheet of carbon stuck on the rear arch.

I want to creat an aluminium surround about 15mm wide then sandwich a sheet of carbon similar in shape to the carbon mod items and attach the whole lot with button heads though both the alumnium and the carbon and secure on the inside with penny washers and nylocs.

Hence the question about drilling and also how close to the edge can I drill.

No real reason why I'm doing it this way apart from the fact it'll be more in keeping with the remainder of the car.

Cheers
Nigel

I think you'd get away with it if you were really carefull. Don't get too cautious with the drill speed though or I think that might make it harder to do without chipping.

The reason I used spur drills was because they have a really good centre to get started and tend the scrib the outeredge before cutting, thus reducing the risk of chipping/splintering.

If it did chip the edge would you not be hiding that behind your ally' suround anyway?

adrian

That should be fine. A little bit of masking tape to start drilling always helps. And drill on the visibl;e side to avoid breaking through and splintering. there are a few shots of my dash in my archive, which has drill holes about that distance from the edge....

many thanks all

off to the garage tonight with a couple of cereal packets to make up some templates.