Berk PROTO-TYPE Composites

[Berk]

Just finished:

UD, matt look and with black graphics

[sugarkane]

That looks great!

I couldn't deside on the black graphics for mine..
With a gloss finish it wouldn't have had the contrast though!


Very nice

[gumgardner]

Just finished:

UD, matt look and with black graphics

That'll look good with my Crumpton

[danny]

Hi Berk,

which material do you have used for the model? wood? and how do you have shaped the profile?

[Berk]

@sugarkane & Gum:
Thanks

@danny:
No, I don't use wood. Most of the moulds are metal and some of them are made with some type of "plastic" and fiberglass. Here just one photo of the mould for the seatpost with a rough tube:



The profile is shaped with sawing and sanding (till the edge of the mould that I can see on my product), no other methods here.. But you have to be careful, because the dust is very harmful. You need the right equipment and workshop. Also all the sanding is done under water etc.,..so quite a lot of work for a combo

[danny]

And here one more photo from the PT4-NANO project.

Before I started with the work on the moulds I made some precise models. That photo is from a few weeks ago, when I made different parts of the frame. On the photo you can see the chainstays and toptube.



The chainstays will be round and 12mm (2mm thiner than on PT3) etc.,.. I already made all the models and now I'm working on the moulds, and those models help me a lot for the work.

and this brown material?

[Berk]

It's only a model - not a mould.

[kgt]

Berk, just a silly question. Considering your age, who is funding all this activity?

[Berk]

@kgt:
It's sure not a silly question - I cover the costs from the start completely by myself!
When I was only 14 (if I remember right) I get a scholarship - so called "Zios scholarship" here in Slovenia. It's for all those who are very successful in primary school and I get it and kept it during all gymnasium. You get that scholarship if you get a lot of awards etc., or 3% of the population that has the best resoults, and I had both . So here was already some money and when I had enough I started with some of my work. First I worked with rockets - made my own fuel and rocket housing etc., and get the award as the best Slovenian young scientist..and I earned a bit again. And of course during all that time I also raced (since I was 10 years old) and was quite good and also here I earned some money. Later I get also a salary as a Continental cyclist, and here I am.
Well, I get the glooves for my work for free, because my father is a doctor and my mother is a chemists but that's all, because I don't want to get "money for free".

EDIT: Also for my workshop I bought all the equipment etc. by myself,...

[danny]

It's only a model - not a mould.

yes of course and which material do you have used for the MODEL?

[Berk]

Yes, it's wood. Not one piece (in that case of chainstays) but build with more identical pieces and shaped etc.,..on that photo it wasn't finished yet.

[danny]

and how do you have shaped the wood for a symmetric profile?

[Berk]

First I used two long "halfround" pieces (already made, not shaped by myself), and put them on a table (with all the correct angles etc.,..) and then fill the gap that you have the chainstays a bit in conus, and then repeat that with those "halfround" pieces..if you know what I mean. On the left side of the photo you can see a small piece that is holding the chainstays together, and on the right side the gap is much bigger..

[hm123]

do you use gel coat

[Berk]

Yes, I use also gelcoat. Of course it's not that durable as metal, but much cheaper..