I recently purchased a CF hood and the hood came to me with no predrilled holes (figures). I looked online using Google, and have yet to find any DIY or questions about it, maybe I am not searching correctly? Anyways, has anyone ever made holes in the CF hood for their windshield nozzle sprayers?

Thanks

 

I recommend not trying to drill a wet carbon hood. The Seibon style hoods will crack the clear coat very easily, and I don't see how you could avoid that when drilling it.

 

Shouldn't your hood already come with holes for the nozzles? I thought all VIS and Seibon ones did. If not you might want to double check with the manufacturer.

If you plan to drill it you will most likely crack the clearcoat and it will continue to crack and chip as the months go by. Carbon fiber clearcoat is very fragile, so I would have it professionally done.

 

I've drilled wet cf hoods before and it turned out fine. Just use some tape where you're drilling to avoid some cracking

 

Dont run the windshield sprayers (I dont). I always pack the proper fluids & wipes to clean my screen

Or apply the blue tape & drill it in stages (small to larger)

Carbon hoods dont last too long IMO. Wear it like a cheap suit & protect it the best you can from UV & be done w/ it.

Peace

 

CF reinforced epoxy materials are very abrasive to drill bits, and drilling CF material with a bit not sharp enough will cause fraying in the CF material.
I've had good experience drilling CF with brad point drill bits. Both High Speed Steel & Carbide. With regards to using HSS material, the issue is wear. My guess is the normal HSS material used on brad point bits for wood would not be sharp after going through ~ .1" of CF reinforced epoxy panel.
You could buy carbide brad point bits from McMaster Carr, http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/117/2430/=e5yo9u, or from most machine tool supplier. My experience is the carbide bits stays sharp after going through ~ 10" of CF reinforced material.

 

Thank you for all your help, lets see what happens with my hood *crosses fingers*

 

Drilling composites with a regular twist drill is very, well, wrong. You use a carbide drill bit designed for composites. You can use your regular HS twist drill bit but the CF will crack and chip such as said above. Put a piece of wood flush under the hole so when you break through you doesn't cause fibers to break out. Further more, if you use a regular twist drill bit do not drill more than 2 holes per drill bit. As also said above, CF is extremely abrasive and the bit will be dull after 2 cuts. Drilling composite with a dull bit is not good.

 

I'd be worried about cracking that hood. Don't do it.

my .2 cents....

 

The drill bits you want are carbide spade bits. If you use a twist bit, use carbide aswell. Use high rpm, low feed, steady, even force. You can drill 8 to 10 holes with a carbide bit before its dull. Sorry for double post hit post before ready.

 

i don't see carbon fiber chewing up a drill bit. if its that big of an issue use some water to help cut.


tape, drill, step sizes to correct size. the block of wood is a good tip. and the clear coat is usually **** on most c/f hoods. so do what you need to do. sand it down and re-clear with some quality stuff. so you don't get that crappy yellowing/haze.

 

Drill from the bottom up through to the top. Put heavy tape on the top where the bit will come through so it will grab some tape and not all clear coat. Duck tape works the best because it is so thick. Also, when you are done put clean nail polish around the holes so that moisture will not enter the clear coat.

 

Start with a ver small drill bit. Maybe 1/8". Then widen the hole out with a dremel. Too big of a bit in the carbon will spider crack the gel coat.

 

Ive drilled a couple CF hoods for hood pins and spray nozzles never a cracking issue. I started with a small bit and went up from there

All came out just fine