http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/2007-06-05-carbon-fibers-usat_N.htm
“Carbon fiber is a woven synthetic…”
Really?
What is synthetic about carbon?
Or have they replaced the carbon, but still call it the same?
I know NOTHING about carbon fiber or the processes to make it. This maybe well known, but i just figured carbon was carbon.
Carbon fiber starts out as Rayon? strands, its easy to read about on web, keywords advanced composites or carbon fiber. The man in the know at Graphite Master said there was no hope in sight for price or availability break for product, he said even the bigger buyers are having plenty of problems gettng it. I like surfersteve.com suggestion of using S glass instead of carbon but its not exactly easy to come by either, our local composites supplier in San Diego doesn’t stock it and wants a whole roll special order.
Howzit Keith, A few months back I was ordering some carbon fiber from F.H. and was told they had a limited amount in stock. They said the military was buying as much as they could for their armorment upgrades and the plane makers were also ordering the same. Aloha,Kokua
I was purchasing carbon fabric from carb.com back at the $5 a pound price and that seemed high to me. Its just crazy now. That magazine High Performance Composites has been saying are stepping up production of carbon for the last two years and nothing seems to change. Why would the producers want to change things when they can get top dollar with the same production facility they have when it was at $5.
Hey Keith—Thanks for posting the article. Interesting read and cerainly lays out the reasons behind why it’s been hard to find latly, not to mention way pricey. Is Zoltek a publically traded company?
Aloha Keith,
great article.
Like surfboard blanks…you can buy 1st quality or 2nds.
The military has contracts with suppliers for “certified 1st quality” carbon fiber.
Lots of online suppliers will cut 2nd quality rolls and sell for 1st quality. The flaws have been removed (holes in weave etc.) You may notice that they sell in portions/sections/squares and not full rolls.
Nothing is wrong with the weave, they’re just passing 1st quality price from 2nd quality purchase.
If the site states its “Certified 1st Quality” then its the top choice…with top price.
Aircraft and or military will always eat up certified 1st quality…if not…part failure!
I was thinking of doing some work with carbon, then I saw the price. I think if I do get rounf to it I just be able to afford to use it as a decpatch and fin inlay. (£13-28 pre metre depending on witdh is way too expensive for a whole board.