drilling carbon fiber? - United Bimmer Community

**Cellardoor** · 02-07-2006, 09:02 PM

Hey guys,

I wasnt really sure where to post this one so i figured i would just throw it in here and have a mod move it for me

! My carbon fiber hood is getting to the point where i will need hood pins soon, so i am going to pick some up and install them. My question is, can anyone give me some pointers on putting a drill to a carbon fiber hood? and or any ideas or thoughts about installing hood pins. Thanks in advance

!

-Hutch-

**Torque** · 02-07-2006, 09:23 PM

No! Please don't do hoodpins ... So fugly. I'm sure there are other ways to hold it down.

**Cellardoor** · 02-07-2006, 09:36 PM

if u have any suggestions torque i would b glad to hear it

! but otherwise im gonna have to get hoodpins paint them black and put them in.

-Hutch-

**BMWLotAttendant** · 02-07-2006, 09:39 PM

Be careful.

**c1apton** · 02-07-2006, 10:41 PM

Sure you can drill CF, there's a few extra steps to it. First tape the area to be drilled top & bottom. Then start with a small drill bit slowly working your way up to your final size. The biggest "key" here is let the drill do the work, DON'T apply alot of pressure, let the drill do the work. If you apply pressure you risk damaging/weakening the area around your mark. A small block of wood on the bottom side will help support it while drilling.

**Cellardoor** · 02-07-2006, 10:49 PM

Thanks C1apton

! i had thought about tape, and i figured it couldnt hurt, and i was deffinatly gonna start small and work up, dont want any splitting! but i didnt think of a block of wood, that is a great idea. If any one else has any pointers i would love to hear them

! thanks again C1apton.

-Hutch-

**xsperf** · 02-07-2006, 10:54 PM

yea, make sure the drill bit is sharp, so get like a brand new one b/c if its dull its gonna be crap

**Cellardoor** · 02-08-2006, 11:16 AM

haha good call xsperf i actualy just got back from the hardwear store with 2 new drill bits

i had a shitty morning (some douche bag rearended me) so im gonna relax for a bit and then see if i feel any more motivated to go work in this cold ass weather lol.

-Hutch-

**Dudesky** · 02-08-2006, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c1apton

Sure you can drill CF, there's a few extra steps to it. First tape the area to be drilled top & bottom. Then start with a small drill bit slowly working your way up to your final size. The biggest "key" here is let the drill do the work, DON'T apply alot of pressure, let the drill do the work. If you apply pressure you risk damaging/weakening the area around your mark. A small block of wood on the bottom side will help support it while drilling.

You can do it that way, but it won't guarantee that the workpiece will crack or shatter around the hole. This is because you really need an aggressive tip angle; a 60 degree drill bit is what you want, also known as plastic or plexi bits. The standard 82 degree or 135 degree bits tend to bore through more parallel to the work surface. What you want is to bore through more perpendicular, so as not to snag the cutter head (tip) on the edge of the hole.

And yes, don't 'force feed' the bit, just apply light pressure to let it bore through on its own. Apply pressure to the workpiece against the wood block for proper support, don't just sit the piece on top of it. The idea behind that is to compress the work so the exit side doesn't 'break out'.

**komodo** · 02-08-2006, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cellardoor

haha good call xsperf i actualy just got back from the hardwear store with 2 new drill bits

i had a shitty morning (some douche bag rearended me) so im gonna relax for a bit and then see if i feel any more motivated to go work in this cold ass weather lol.

-Hutch-

Your bimmer got rearended?

**Cellardoor** · 02-08-2006, 01:18 PM

yea man.... i have had this car for a year on the 14th and have had to deal with more shit then people that have had thiers for 15 haha. i was just sitting at a stop sign not moving waiting for traffic to let me out and some retard just comes cruising up behind me and hits me. its not like i had to stop short and he couldnt follow suite, i was compleatly stationary and he tags me. so now tomm i have to go to some shop that is out of my way so i can have a geico adjuster look at my car.

-Hutch-

**komodo** · 02-08-2006, 01:20 PM

It wasn't your fault though, right? If you were sitting still, the accident report would say it was all on him, so it shouldn't change your rates.

Got any pics? Kick up a new thread about it, hah.

**///M Power** · 02-08-2006, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cellardoor

yea man.... i have had this car for a year on the 14th and have had to deal with more shit then people that have had thiers for 15 haha. i was just sitting at a stop sign not moving waiting for traffic to let me out and some retard just comes cruising up behind me and hits me. its not like i had to stop short and he couldnt follow suite, i was compleatly stationary and he tags me. so now tomm i have to go to some shop that is out of my way so i can have a geico adjuster look at my car.

-Hutch-

Your car eats mroe shit than any other M I know dude. I feel so bad.

**c1apton** · 02-08-2006, 01:46 PM

Is that a bruise I "spy" on your neck? Hmmm I smell lawsuit... Retards need to be sued!

**Cellardoor** · 02-08-2006, 01:52 PM

i wish i did have a mark man but it was so light he just managed to remove a nice strip of paint with his liscence plate and put a nice divit into the bumper as well. M power thanks for the sympathy man it really does feel that way and thus far none of it has been my fault

i mean if it was me driving like an ass or something like that then it would b a diff story but i honestly just cant catch a break! I almost think my car has had more down time then not lol.

-Hutch-