Hello this is my first post here.
First of all sorry about my english, it isn't very good. I'm from Spain.

I built a carbon fiber frame last year. I read the Brano Meres "How I built my carbon frame in my garage" and decidet to try, I tought that was more easy than welding.

This is all the process (in spanish, i'm sorry, but there are a lot of pictures.)

Como construyo mi bicicleta de carbono.

Now I'm thinking to build a track frame.

First I will mold a foam core, in two parts; front triangle and rear triangle including bottonbracket. There are a lot of things that I don´t know but I wil try to do it better than the first time.

My first question is about the drop outs. Do you think is better to build in carbon fiber or in alumminium or similar and joint with the frame?

I have a lot of questions and I don´t found information about this in any place.
I agree your help and if I can help please, ask me.

Thank you.

How did the first frame turn out? Personally, after playing with carbon fiber I find welding or fillet brazing much easier however building a carbon frame is more interesting to me. I just finished my first frame with carbon tubes but I purchased them pre-made. You have more carbon experience than I do but I would think that using aluminum dropouts and bonding them to the frame would be the easier route, and focus more on building the carbon frame, however, if you can build a carbon frame you can probably make the dropouts as well. I build steel frames but am interested in carbon building as well so I would like to talk to you about your build and maybe get some photos. Keep us posted. Tambien tengo un amigo en Espana y yo hablo espanol pero probablemente tu hablas ingles mejor que el espanol mio. Hasta luego.https://meechcustombikes.blogspot.com/

The link to the Spanish blog isn't working for me... : (

Nothing comes up for me either.

the link is https://beauti****cycle.blogspot.com/ - the auto censor put **** inside the link, replace it with the f-word. I've put tinyurl to use so it would not contain any f-word in it: https://tinyurl.com/2axld6x
the approximate translation of the page with google

Nice job, but you should consider of making the model rounder without sharp bends. It's more durable and more rigid this way.

thank you for your answers. I was disconnectec for a while, but I will be in touch.

I have been seeing your blog, meech, and you do a good work. I like very much your mix bicycle steel and carbon, good idea.

I think i'm going to make the drop outs with carbon fiber.
I'm going to insert an alluminium piece for more strengh.
I will insert washers on the hub for not damage the dropouts when I press the nuts.

I will show you but patiente please.

Kypa, your bike isn`t my "cup of tea", but I admire your conviction to get it built. Good job!
Similar to you, my only frame so far is a bike shape that I had never seen with my own eyes, except in passing. In order to get a handle on the specifics, I ended up using protractors, rulers and a calcutator against pictures from different angles that I printed from the internet.

I did the same. I had never seen a bike like mine before ended it, all measures I figure out knowing the diameter of the wheells.

Yes, I read your blog. I used known tire diameters to measure the rest also. You`ve been riding your first one for a year now? How is it doing?

Also, don`t feel bad about how long it took to build it- I started mine last December and it still isn`t done. Well, the frame is pretty much finished, but I`m still working on the rest of the parts.

My first year with the bikes was great. It works very well.
I don't use it every day, it is a bike for some weekends, celbration, meeting ... etc.

I only had a problem with drop outs, i had to make reinforcements beacuse dropouts gave off for the strain. I put some screws an now it's fine.

You can see here:
https://beauti****cycle.blogspot.com/...20de%20Carbono

Working with carbon, can you sand down the uneven spots provided you have enough wall thickness without weakening the structure? Also, I have heard you can melt out the polystyrene mold with acetone is this true or do you just have to leave it in?

When you are laying you have to sand the last layer to continue with the next. I think if you have enougth wall thickness there is no problem because the next epoxi and CF will stick with it.

About the acetone i don't know. I know you can't use polyester resin because it will eat the polyestirene. Better way is to cut and sand the polyestirene. There is a saw made with nicrom that cuts very well this material.