HOLY COW!!! (Part 1) Carbon Fiber Prices – ouch!!

[winstontj]

The price of carbon fiber (CF) has tripled in the last year and it hit home yesterday when I placed an order for 6oz cloth at $50/yard!!!! 6oz cloth is the same weave / weight that is used on the new M6 roofs. It’s the nice sexy looking 0/90 degree cloth, comes on a 50” wide roll. Anyone know where it can be had for under $40/yd? The dealer’s cost is $40/yd from the manufacturer!!! A year ago the price was literally $16/yd for this weave and now that it’s gone more main stream being used for production cars it’s out of control. Add to that a gallon of good epoxy resin (changes with oil) costs about $100 and you’re at $60 in raw materials alone just to make something small like a sunroof panel or a bumper!

If anyone knows of a distributor where I can get my hands on 2,4,6 or 8 oz 0/90 weave cloth for under $40/yd please let me know! I’ll throw in anything you want in carbon if I can save $20/yd.

[Guest]

I don't know if this will help but, check this ebay link...

http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZbQ2ecQ2etrader

But, you'll have to make me a hood, okay?

Rick

[aaronF-in-ATL]

Yes, the CF raw materials have been edging up especially over the last year. I read an article in the Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (trade magazine) a few months ago concerning supply/cost/availability/etc. If I remember correctly the two largest users of CF, and why the change in the market, was attributed to the US Dep't of Defense (building their largest newest cargo plane) and Boeing (finally building the AirBus commercial plane in numbers) And from what I can tell when US gov't and Boeing want CF, they get it.

If it's any consolation, carbon fiber bicycle parts have also been moving up in price over the last year, although not quite at a doubling rate as manufacturers have been partially absorbing some of the additional cost and have also been finding more efficient ways to use the CF.

Good luck with your projects, I am glad you are researching and posting your findings. Nice write-up in Part 2!

Aaron

[winstontj]

Aaron,

I've got a soon to be brother in law who works in the white house... unfortunatly I know all too well about DOD contracts. It's a shame but as some say "the protected will never know". Synthetics are based on petroleum and as the trade journals report DOD and the US GOV. is boosting the economy by creating demand.

Good news is that we don't really need to build jet turbines from carbon/boron weave. If I were to build an air dam I'd care but a hood or trunk for now can live as is.

[Guest]

...I still want a carbon fiber hood too.