Getting ready to make a carbon fiber board and wondering what the best way to cut lap the carbon fiber. The part I am having difficulties is how can I see my lines to cut given the dark opaque nature of carbon fiber.
Fold the tape up after the resin reaches a soft set and cut in the corner? No see-through required.
A nice zipper cut is a beautiful thing.
Below pic is mine, doing a carbon fiber + epoxy cut lap on EPS.
Note that the cheap tan tape and masking paper made a handle for prying up the good tape (such as 3M 233+) used for the ‘event horizon’ of the cut lap.
A link to pictures and video from people way better than I: http://www.swaylocks.com/forums/cut-lap-tintedpigment-resin
Edit: added details
While not the preferred method, you could use a leather strip strap tool. First lay down your tape, then cut tape with the tool, lame the carbon, when it sets enough to cut use the same tool at the same measurement to cut the carbon. It makes it easy to do but you end up cutting into the foam a little.
Here are some examples of the tool I am talking about.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=leather+strip+tool
You just rotate the piece with the razor blade so it points down.
Do the razor cut just like jrandy said. Do it at the B stage, where the epoxy is set, but still a little rubbery. Almost hard, but not quite.
Use a block plane to clean up the cut. Yes a block plane. You will thank me after you try it.