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CARBON FIBER SAFETY
AND HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS
 We would like to thank our friend Brian D.
(aka squirrel or SOD), from the BYT online forum for offering to
research and work through some of the safety and handling instructions
provided below. Brian did such a great job with providing this
information on the forum that we are for the most part making a direct
copy of his posts in the tech tips threads on
Beatyourtruck.com.
Romean Bassiri
FULLFORCE RC
PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION
PROVIDED BELOW. CUTTING CARBON FIBER IS A HAZARDOUS PROCESS AND YOU
MUST TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT INJURY!
PURCHASE
YOUR CARBON HERE!
Carbon Fiber safety tips:
This is not the end all list of precautions that you must take when
handling Carbon Fiber (CF). Just like with RC and this hobby,
working on the cars and kits presents a dangerous environment. It
could be a spinning hazard from a clutch bell, toxin hazard from cells
that are leaking or nitro fuel, heat from a over heated engine or pipe, or
a 8 pound object traveling towards your body at 60mph. CF presents a
hazard as well. But, if the right safety measures and steps are
taken then you will reap a benefit from its use.
Benefits:
-Smaller pieces of CF can decorate an RC piece. They can wrap around or go
on top of aluminum pieces. CF can add a unique look to your RC as a
cosmetic ornament or it can serve as a rigid lightweight component of the
vehicle.
-Larger pieces provide strength without weight, resistance to fatigue
unlike aluminum that will eventually break, resists corrosion and
expansion, and has dampening characteristics.
Personal safety:
- Work in a well-ventilated area! CF dust is very hazardous to your
lungs! Do not try to cut without good ventilation.
- Protect your eyes! Wear goggles or some form of eye protection. The CF
dust does present a eye irritant and you do not want this dust to scratch
anything fragile inside the eye.
- Protect your skin!! CF is a skin irritant that can provide red rashes
and some degree of pain. Where long sleeved shirts, gloves, and wrap your
face up if you feel that you need to.
-Protect your lungs! Wear a mask so that you don’t breath in the strands
of CF or dust. This will attack your mucous membranes.
-IF AT ANY TIME A SITUATION PRESENTS ITSELF, WHETHER COVERED OR NOT
COVERED HERE, AND IT IS REALIZED, THEN STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING TILL THE
SITUATION IS CORRECTED OR MADE SAFE. If you feel that you need more
protective equipment or anything else to make you, and those around you
safer, then DO IT!
-If you have animals around, remove them from the area as well. Think
about our four legged friends as well!!
Cutting:
-try to position templates so that you will maximize the use of the CF and
also avoid re-work due to non-precise cuts or holes. A bit of extra
time spend on this can save you a lot of extra time and cash. This
of your CF panel as a jigsaw and try and fit as many parts onto it as you
can even before you make the first cut.
- Make relief cuts whenever possible to allow smaller pieces to fall out
of your way while you cut.
-Several methods are available to cut your carbon including rotary dremel
tools, jigsaws or jagged edged blades. For small parts the dremel
tool will work best but you may need to use a jigsaw with a fine toothed
blade for larger parts.
-Blades with a jagged tooth design might rip the edge of the CF. You can
fix this later by sanding it down or using masking tape along the sides of
the cut edges.
Clean up:
-Wash the CF that you cut with water.
-Wash left over CF with water.
-Wash your hands and/ or take a shower (close your eyes at first and lean
into the water so that nothing goes down your body).
-Wash the clothes that you wore.
-You can clean the edges of your cut CF by rubbing it with a 100 grit sand
paper and then moving up to a 300 to 400 grit sand paper.
-Dress the edges of your cut edges with something that will encapsulate
it. Super glue, CA glue or clear nail polish works.
-Clean the work area, and the area around it, right away. Don’t let the
dust remain.
PURCHASE
YOUR CARBON HERE!
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