Test 7: Dissolving a Male ABS Core from a Carbon Fiber Composite Layup

What a fucking disaster. I based this whole project on 3D printing male plug cores which can be dissolved out of the composite. I finally tried this and experienced failure on 2 fronts.

Here is a quick layup of carbon composite over a 3D Printed ABS core representing the inside of a headtube with bearing race seats:

The resin manufacturer states the resin is immune to acetone so long as it has full cured. Which at this temperature is 24 hours. Stick it in a cup with acetone:

But the composite delaminated. Perhaps the resin wasn't fully cured after 24 hours? Or perhaps the carbon was not properly wetted and allowed the acetone to wick up inside the layup? Or perhaps the resin is not actually immune to acetone?

Whatever the cause, the test showed me other serious flaws with using ABS solvable cores. For one thing, it makes an unholy mess. I might need a separated vat system where one dissolves the bulk of ABS then the next cleans up the part, and then the last vat removes all residue. 

Secondly, the process uses a lot of acetone. To use this method on an entire bike frame I will have buy a volume of the stuff I was unprepared for. Additionally I will have to figure out how to manage and dispose of a non-trivial amount of ABS sludge. I might need to re-think the ABS as my solvable core material.