Update, a few hundred miles on this enclosure:
This thing is solid. I just got done doing an accidental rail slide on it. I was taking a different route than usual and suddenly I was facing a square curb. I instinctively slowed down (when I should have just SENT IT and flown right over) and ended up smashing down and sliding off the curb. ended up with a light gouge, no cracks or other damage. make it THICCC 
Cant believe I haven’t ventured into this thread before! Awesome work dude!
I may have skimmed over it, but was the carbon layer just a hand layup or did you vac bag? So neat!
yup hand laid.
quick recap:
Foam tape and wax over the deck for a mold
2x layers of 6oz chopped strand mat
home depot tabletop epoxy
cut and sanded to shape
gloss coats and more sanding
carbon fiber layup, more home Depot epoxy
careful cutting and sanding of the edge (don’t touch the carbon surface, just trim and sand the edges)
final gloss coat
holes for wires, heatsink, bolts
rail slide it off a square curb for testing
repeat this last step multiple times
I would say this is really great tutorial on how to start fiberglass / epoxy / carbon fibre work!
I think your ‘guide’ with detailed pictures also inspired me to go this route once Im gonna need new enclosures…
I guess part of trick is to use fibreglass, instead of carbon fibre from the start…
This way better results can be obtained even when not using vacuum forming (which might be a hurdle when starting out)
Have you tried spray method also at some time?
This other guy I know who has worked with fibreglass also, said his way is to make gypsum mold, then coat it and work onwards from there…
Though, If you got flat enough deck like most of us do, I guess this method with foam shape (or maybe wood in some cases) saves some time because you dont have the step with gypsum (which might work for more complex shapes, I guess)
Also would love to see some progress on mixing in dye to make it more darker, in case someone decides not to go for final fabric wrap.
One final question I had:
What sort of Wax did u use?
Im sort of newbie in this area, so im not sure is it available in spray can or just regular container with a lid which you just lay on the surface?
I’m glad you found this useful!
yeah, and chopped strand mat linked above (not the woven mat) makes it easier to work around the corners. after you build the fibers up a bit the corners get more and more round, then working the final carbon laminate around the corners is easier.
I have not. this would be very very messy but fast. more suitable for something like a boat, where you need to cover dozens of square meters before the resin starts to harden
to mix in dye or pigment, you would first get a complete mix up of the epoxy, then stir in the pigment (or mica flakes or graphite or whatever). This is advanced resin layup technique and would work best with a stopwatch and a strict timetable. and lots of practice. You need to work with a purpose because you’re mixing twice as long and the cure time is the same.
I used regular automotive paste wax. Tutle Wax I think, but any wax will work. Hairspray can also work (I have heard) but I have only ever used Turtle Wax and have had good luck when I put a nice thick coat. IMO, you cannot put too much wax
Good luck, feel free to ask as questions pop up, I’m happy to help!
How much epoxy did you end up using?
I’m looking at doing something similar and need to figure out how much resin to buy seeing as its the most expensive material of the project.
edit: short answer, about a quart and a half, but you can probably get away with just one quart kit
I ended up buying two of the kits linked above in the 1st post and had plenty left over. But since I got the cheap stuff, I was sloppy with it.
It can probably be done with just one of the quart kits. I had to buy the second kit because I totally wasted one whole cup sized batch and even the was able to finish the fiberglass part of the enclosure. The second kit was used to make the carbon skin and gloss coat.
I really like the cheap stuff now because I don’t have to be as careful with wasting it and just glob it on and let it run off. With west systems or other expensive epoxy, I sweat the amounts and sometimes end up with a dry layup and have to go back and patch…YMMV
The title deceived me
How much should someone trying to copy your method expect to spend on materials and maybe some tools you needed?
Hahaha, ok you got me
In my own defense, I would say that the enclosure would certainly be serviceable as made for the $40. The carbon wrap was something I did to make it look nice. I think @Bobby’s enclosure above was done with the $40 worth of material. It works well enough for him to get out and ride on it
The carbon was just an additional $13 shipped on ebay. Tons of weaves and sizes available. I found one that was 24x60 inches, so not much extra material. and at most 1/2 another can of $22 resin puts the grand total to an extravagant $64 bucks.
Tools like the angle grinder are not included in the $40 of course. If you ask around you can probably borrow one and just buy the blades or buy a used one. Then you’ll have a grinder and use it for everything. Stuck bolt? Grind it off. One esk8 part hitting another just a little bit? Grind it off. Bolt a little long? Grind it off… its a good tool to have.
Another cost is that it’s messy and you have to be prepared to deal with it. Gloves, eye protection and breathing protection mandatory. drop cloths and vacuuming inside or suffer the bugs outside. Also, the temperature dependence of resin is a trip. In c-c-cold weather it may not kick at all. A warm sunny day and the thing kicks while you’re stirring it.
How hard has this gotten since then?
If you kept any of the scrap you cut off, can you break those now?
Good question! I didn’t keep that scrap, but I kept some of the bit that came out of the heat sink cutout and it’s hard a a rock now.
I tested that piece to destruction by putting a corner in a vise and whacking it after I couldn’t bend it with my hand. It did bend/break but didn’t snap. The material did retain some of it’s toughness and isn’t brittle. Actually seems ideal to make an enclosure with as I’ve come down HARD, (harder than I ever would on purpose 
) on this thing and it hasn’t cracked or splintered, and I’m a heavy guy + a heavy backpack. Other fiberglass enlosures have seen a bit of cracking around hole when abused that bad. Part of this enclosures durability may come from the sheer thickness of it, but that is also to the materials credit since I was able to put twice as much down for the same price. Would definitely use this resin again. 
If I want to make my fiberglass enclosure have some flex, how many layers, what type of fiberglass, and what type of resin would you guys recommend?
I’d start with 2layers of cloth and go from there. you can always add more. I used heavy glass cloth because I was in a hurry, but you can get a lighter construction with, say, 4oz surfboard cloth. There are no mistakes in working with fiberglass, only more sanding 
Right now, I’m using this same basic recipe to make an ebike enclosure, check it out
That’s super cool, thanks for the advice.
Because this is my thread, and I do whatever I want with it, I’m going to continue posting about the the ebike. I don’t care that it’s an esk8 forum, I’ll burn this puppy down.
I used Bondo brand woven cloth for body work (only thing Home depot had) and the same ol Famowood table top resin. The enclosure on Deep Purple 2 is rock hard and pretty much bulletproof with all how thick I left it. I put some 1/8" plywood and glassed that into place to with 5-6 tabs of the same glass. came out pretty solid.
The ply helps a lot with the stiffness, so did the carbon
the title does not fully convey the awesomeness within
I like this… Been barely considering making a box as well for.an ebike… This looks manageable =)
I feel like the hard part is getting the lid right for closing the case up but maybe that’s just me
This thread just solved all of my ebike enclosure problems. I know what I must do now for the micargi chopper. I’ll bet I can even integrate the motor and ESC mounts.
yeap, that’s next.
Here’s what I’m doing:
Before I got too far, I installed some wooded bits to the layup to take the same threaded inserts I use on skate enclosures. Then shaped a piece of 1/8" ply so it lines up with the holes and sits neatly on the outside edge of the enclosure. once the box part hardens, I’ll tape it up and use it for a mold for the lip of the lid, which will come over the sides a little to help seal it up. This could be money, or I could end up with a fully sealed, impossible to open enclosure. Either way, stay tuned for the result, haha
Careful. People might think you are a professional
Seriously, tho, fiberglass is perfect for these types of customizations. I glassed in my ESC heat sink mount (above) and it’s freaking awesome. Yes, it securely holds my foccers, helps move heat and keeps the water out, but the real benefit is how cool I look with it under my arm
edit: WTF with the insects nose diving into my wet resin? 
