Thanks! I've been crazy busy moving cross country these last couple months, but I'm almost to where I can start setting up my new shop. More videos should be coming soon.

@@SasquatchComposites where do you by the mylar sheet?

A REALLY long cross-country move into a house that needed some renovation. I was able to finish the kitchen this week and I'm just now starting to set up my new shop. I've got to paint the floors, set up lighting, and build all new workbenches, so it won't be quick. But more is coming! I was even thinking about filming the workshop setup and doing a few videos on setting up a shop for composites work. Thanks for your patience and for the kind words!

My favorite resin system is Resin Research Composite Pro 2050 (see the above comment), but for beginners I like to recommend EZ-Lam 60-minute kits from ACP Composites just because it comes in smaller quantities. If you're just trying out composites for the first time, it's nice to not have to commit to a whole gallon of resin. My first layups were done with EZ-Lam and it was easy to work with. Peel ply is a great way to get a bondable surface. After cure, you can leave the peel ply on the surface to protect it from contamination until you're ready to bond something to it. When you're ready, you peel off the peel ply and glue straight to the surface -- no further preparation required. In this case, I am not bonding this piece to anything. I just wanted a shiny carbon finish on both sides of the plate. I didn't use a resin trap simply because I didn't have one. I watched it the whole time to make sure it didn't suck resin all the way to the pump. If this were a larger layup or if I wanted to be able to leave it to infuse without supervision, I'd definitely prefer to have a resin trap between the layup and the pump. Hope that helps.

My favorite resin is Resin Research Composite Pro 2050. It's inexpensive, clear, very low viscosity (making it easier to wet out plies), and it comes with lower health risk than other resins I've used. The only downside is that their slowest hardener is still only a 90 minute pot life. I do like working with MGS epoxy even more (and it has up to 4-hr pot life), but it's about twice the price and requires hazmat shipping.

If you're just looking for a small quantity to try your first carbon parts, I recommend EZ-Lam from ACP Composites. It's what I started with and it works great, and it's available in smaller kits.

Yes, I've seen it done with two glass caul plates and it worked really well.

This piece is quite strong. Generally speaking, parts cured in an autoclave will be strongest, followed by vacuum bagged parts (like this one) and then by contact layup (no vacuum). I believe this method (resin infusion) is what's used by most makers of body panels.

Didn't weigh it, sorry.

Eventually I would make a jet boat in a similar nature.

I'm not sure what that would gain you. What's your concern with the pump? That it would stop working in the middle of an infusion?

@@SasquatchComposites multiple infusion points

@@primate2744 I've watched large infusions done professionally and haven't seen a second pump used, but I've seen one pump hooked up to multiple locations around the part. I definitely see the value in having more than one vacuum source around your part. It's essentially insurance against getting a dry spot "locked" into the middle somewhere.

Thanks for the reply!

@@primate2744 I've wondered the same thing (about the multiple pumps). I was thinking it could increase the total CFM, and could reduce the time needed to pull a vacuum. Never tried it though...

I never heard a car had a front spoiler, do you mean canard or lips?

right until the music :/