I did a search of the threads but it did no justice. For some reason the search function didn't work.

But anyway;

What would you guys rather have, Dry carbon or wet carbon? What are the pros and cons of each fiber? What are your experiences with both or either fiber?

Please post any and every piece of information you have about either fiber.

 

Wet= Looks.
Dry= Lighter than wet.

 

Isnt one way more expensive than the other too.

 

Dry carbon muuuuch more expensive.

 

Dry carbon is way more expensive, but it is a hell of a lot lighter than wet carbon and it has a matte finish. Wet carbon is mainly just for looks, and is a fiberglass construction with carbon fiber just on the surface.

 

What about the fading issue with carbon fiber? I know a few people that have the wet carbon pieces and they fade to a yellow tint after a long while

 

As long as you wax it reguarly you shouldn't have a problem

 

People typically prefer dry carbon for its strength and lightweight characteristics. Unfortunately, the wallet/gf/wifey doesn't agree as much since it is much more expensive.

 

when you say wax, do you mean the same wax we use for our cars? like meguiars?

 

Wet carbon has a clear coat and that you wax/buff/etc to keep it shiny and keep it a little more protected from yellowing . Dry carbon doesn't have clear so it has a more matte/pail finish.

 

actually you could attain the shiny look or wet look just by spraying a clear coat on a dry carbon. "wet carbon fiber" in raw form appears matte. just like dry carbon or prepeg carbon.

 

dry carbon is way moooooore pricy because it has a shelf life and must be stored around 5°C or so!! i think that´s the main reason why.

 

How did you not find any information when there is a sticky on the top of Exterior & Interior Tech Area?
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...-cf-parts.html

 

Oh ****, I didn't even see that lol.. Oh well, know I know where it is..

Thanks for the imputs guys

 

/thread

 

wet carbon=3d look weave
dry carbon=flat look weave

 

Dry Carbon comes from the factory with an epoxy resin system already applied by the manufacturer. It is also called pre-preg because it is pre-impregnated. Pre-impregnation controls the amount of resin to fiber ratio which is important if you are making something that can see a lot of loads applied like a hood or bumper. It usually takes 250 or 350 degrees Fahrenheit to cure, and it needs to be under a vacuum bag to eliminate porosity. I wouldn't recommend curing this in your GFs oven. This is typically not something for the occasional diy'er.

Wet carbon is carbon fabric, and "wet" resin. Some "wet" polyester resins cure at room temperatures. There are epoxy "wet" resins that cure at 300 Fahrenheit. Some make sure you know the cure temp when you order resins. If you use a lot of resin then you get the wet look. There are tricks to getting the resin evenly spread on the fabric. It is hard not to get air bubbles trapped in the resin unless you apply vacuum when it is curing.

Yellowing is a result of Ultra Violet light. Epoxies will yellow when exposed to UV light.
So unless you only drive at night, sooner or later it is going to yellow. Wax won't stop UV light.

When you see "carbon" dash kits. They are not usually carbon fabric. The weave pattern you see is silver paint on black plastic, and then clear coated. Heres a hint, If the "weave" pattern looks perfect, its paint. Not carbon fabric. It is almost impossible to lay up carbon fabric as perfect as seen it many dash kits. Some "Carbon" sports equipment have the painted carbon fabric, and small amount of carbon dust sprinkled in the resin so they can call it "Carbon".