Sources of Carbon Fiber cloth?

[big-dog]

I recently bought a Century .50 scale Airwolf fuselage. There are a few small crack in the fiberglass at the rear of the cutout for the engine and mechanics. Being a modeler I, of course, bought the unfinished kit, and the cracks will be very easy to repair. I was talking to one of their tech reps today (customer service has, thus far, been second to none from Century) and was told that area is a weak spot, and he recommended fixing it with carbon fiber cloth, rather than fiberglass, to strengthen the area.

I looked online, but found sources only sell the stuff by the yard, and it's pushing 50 bucks. I was wondering if anyone knew of a source that won't be quite so painful in the wallet. I don't need anything like a yard, though I'm sure you could make a dashing Darth Vader suit out of it. Any help greatly appreciated.

[Kylwell]

Check your RC hobby stores. They often carry smaller quanities of CF cloth.

[caveslug]

There is a article out there on the net, with a guy building a Carbon Fiber computer case. I think it was on www.mini-itx.com.

Its been awhile but I think he listed his source for the fiber, and he was doing it on the cheap side also. He did not need the good stuff for a computer case.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Tap plastics.

http://www.tapplastics.com/

Look under fiberglass fabrics.

If you want to go Kevlar, go to the auto junk yard and look for deployed airbags.

[Jonas Calhoun]

I've always used Mr. Fiberglass. Bought a few things from him over the years. Good guy.

www.mrfiberglass.com

Dan

[Boxster]

Check with Aerospace Composite. That's where I got my supplies from.

As for the Century .50 Airwolf which I also have one sitting in my workshop. I recommand that you use carbon/kevlar hydrid cloth on the join area. Otherwise, the glow engine's vibration will destroy the repaired crack area and during that time, the crack will have caster oil in it, making repairs a pain in the arse!

However, I used fiberglass cloth to seal up exhuast holes before on heli shells which is still flying today without problem. Just be careful the brand of the epoxy you use.

This is my picture page of some of the helis, I did for friends. The yellow Breitling heli have 4 larges holes below the doors which I used just fiberglass to repair but no problem so far on the repaired area. http://community.webshots.com/user/rennboater

[big-dog]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was tempted to send the fuse back, since it came with the cracks. But the allignment on the 2 halves is dead on, and the molding is superb. I've seen examples on line with soft details and poorly alligned halves, which would appear to need a lot more work to fix.

[publiusr]

I have some I pulled out from some tiles. Hey Vila--float me over some grout--and get Norm Abrahm on those OMS pods!

Where's "second" Story Musgrave when you need him?

[big-dog]

After much searching, the local RC shops seem to carry nada except RC cars, which look to be vacuformed plaggie. Nowt in the way of real building supplies. Hell, one had never even heard of Century Helis, And this the Salt Lake City area, I found a site on line. FibreGlast is the name of the company. You can buy 4"x6" swatches of carbon and aramyd (Kevlar) and the hybrids for $2.99 each. I e-mailed these guys from work at 3 or 4 in the morning, and by the time I got home I had a reply. There's the same shipping on any order 50 bucks or less, so I'll hafta decide what I wanna get.

[Jonas Calhoun]

You are in Salt Lake? Try CMI (Composite Materials...something)--I'm sorry, I don't have the number anymore, but they are on West Temple off 39th...

Also, try West Marine on Ft. Union around State...they might be able to help too.

Dan