Since we only sell generic lengths, you may find that you need to trim your carbon fiber tubing or elbows down in order to fit. It is a pretty simple process and not much different from cutting wood or metal.
Protection:
You will want to use a respirator when cutting carbon fiber. The dust that is produced can be hazardous. Always wear safety glasses to prevent any of the dust from getting in your eyes, as well. The epoxy finish on carbon fiber is very prone to scratching. You will want to make sure you protect the surface of the carbon fiber by wrapping it in painter’s tape and then use some type of towel or protective wrapping if you are securing it in a vice. Painter’s tape also makes a good surface for you to mark your cut line on. Some type of soft jaws if using a vice, like rubber or plastic, will also ensure you don’t damage the finish.
Methods:
The easiest and most accessible methods to cut your carbon fiber tubing down is with a hacksaw, coping saw, or Dremel. All of these are readily available items that most garages already have in them. In theory you can cut carbon fiber with just about any saw, but we will only cover how to cut it with a hand saw.
Coping Saw and Hacksaw:
The sharper the better! Always make sure you use a fresh blade. Carbon is prone to tearing and if your blade is dull, it will cause significantly more fraying. You will want to use a blade with 32 TPI (teeth per inch). This will give you the best quality cut over lower TPI blades.
1) Mark your line around where you want to cut
- This can easily be done by using a clamp to trace around the tube where you want to cut
2) Secure your tube in a vice or clamp.
3) Use the saw to cut down your line. It is best to cut just on the outside of the line so that you can sand the edges slightly to remove any saw marks.
3) Use the saw to cut down your line. It is best to cut just on the outside of the line so that you can sand the edges slightly to remove any saw marks.
Dremel:
For the Dremel, you can use any of the abrasive cut off disks with the diamond coated cut-off discs being preferred. The steps are the same with any other saw. Mark your line, secure the tube and then follow your cut line with the saw. Because a Dremel can be harder to control, you will want to cut just outside of the line and then sand down the tube the rest of the way to your line.
Sanding:
You can easily sand the tubing down with some sand paper after cutting. It will cut down any rough edges and smooth out the saw marks. If you want to aggressively remove material then you should start with 80 grit. 150 grit works great for just cleaning up the ends.