Our goal for this site is to gather the best material and information pertaining to entry, mid level, and even some advanced composite fabrication in one place. Whether you are just beginning, or have been at it for a while, we hope to cover topics that interest you and keep you coming back. Composites projects can range from very easy and low skill, up to being part of some of the most complex machines on earth. Composites are used everywhere around us and can make just about anything imaginable. There are also multiple ways to produce the same part, adding to some of the confusion about working with composites. As vast and technical as the world of composites is, its our hope with this site to help guide you along as you continue to learn the art of composite part fabrication. A good place to start would be with our “Top 3” composite books on our home page.
The first thing about composites is that you can get started with very little money and tools. A strong interest to learn is the biggest thing you need at this point. Some people think you need all sorts of fancy equipment to get started. Thats not true at all, and actually, probably most people start with very humble beginnings. About the simplest part you can make is a flat panel by a wet lay technique. You could use it to close off a hole in the dash board of your race car, or cut out the center to make a picture frame. All for not more than a couple dollars of materials and some of your time.
The second thing about being a composites fabricator is you will have mess ups. I don’t know a single person that has dabbled with composite fabrication without ever having something go wrong. Mess ups can be a good learning experience as long as you can sit down afterwards and figure out what went wrong and where. Hopefully you can gather enough information from this site, and books recommended in our store that the number of mess ups is kept to a minimum.
The third thing about composites is that there are multiple ways to make the same part sometimes. I’ve had discussions with other fabricators about multiple topics. They are very skilled and make nice parts, even tho they may use a slightly different technique than I do. So don’t think that there is one and only one way to do something. Over time you will build your “tool box” of knowledge and figure out better and quicker ways to make parts.
The last thing is to have fun. I got started making parts cause I wanted to make my own race car lighter and I had fun doing it. Even when I had a mess up and a part didn’t turn out right, I took the advice I gave above, figured out why, and fixed it. If you don’t enjoy working with composites and making unique parts, it may not be for you. But once you figure it out, and you have the skills to make just about anything imaginable, it can be amazing.