Authentic carbon fiber back plate for iPhone 4?

Element charges $30 for their carbon skin! I've heard SGP has the better one if you want to get one. I don't think I've seen a real woven carbon fiber one and if I did, would cost as much or if not more than the Element Vapor itself lol.

I'd highly recommend the Invisible shield for the back. I prefer the stock look the most but everyone is different.

jackapple said:

Has anyone come across a real carbon fiber back plate for the iPhone 4? I do not mean a skin, but rather an authentic plate, like the replacement stainless and black covers on the cnn site.

I understand there are alternative cases out there like the monCarbone Hovercoat, but I want to be able to use docks and accessories with the phone without having to deal with removing an exterior case. My current Apple bumper that I've used since launch has become burdensome having to remove it every time I want to play music in my car or via speaker docks.

Also, if anyone has the Element Vapor Carbon Fiber Back Plate, I've read that this is "real carbon fiber" but yet I noticed on YouTube review videos that it's seemingly a decal with 3M adhesive like SGP, iCarbons, and the rest. Any owners care to clarify?

Thanks!

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chances are u wont cause carbon fiber isnt thin, and it cant really just be cut, the edge are folded over and would create it to be uneven... so chances are u wont see it... but i agree, i couldnt stant my bumper so i just dont use anything now

KSKENE247 said:

chances are u wont cause carbon fiber isnt thin, and it cant really just be cut, the edge are folded over and would create it to be uneven... so chances are u wont see it... but i agree, i couldnt stant my bumper so i just dont use anything now

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Huh? I'm guessing you've never worked with carbon before , but carbon fiber is very thin, or it can be thick, depending on what grade/ weave you're using, wether it's pre-preg or not, etc. Carbon fiber items are built up in layers, so can be any thinkness you need, generally the cloth is about 0.5-1mm thick, well the stuff i used to work with was.

But how thin would you you want it to be? The glass back itself i'd imagine is a good few mm's thick, the same thickness (or even thinner) of carbon sheet would be both lighter & stronger than the glass anyway, as long as it's been post cured in an autoclave.

And isn't the glass back set into a plastic frame? So if you were to set it in the frame as the glass is, edges wouldn't be a problem, as it would not have to be folded over anything.. and even if it were, the vacuum in the autoclaving process should bring that down. Also, it can be cut very easily, if you have the right equipment, which one would assume the person making the items has.

I'd personally love a full carbon back, but not sure how the gloss in the gelcoat would affect the flash, and although carbon is a pretty good signal blocker (unlike kevlar), if it would affect the signal? It shouldn't as the antenna is external as we all know, but it seems some of those stainless backs have been affect it


Hopefully someone will come out with one soon before the i5hone gets here

I would LOVE a carbon fiber cover. I have 2 custom ones at the moment which I switch every few weeks, a blue one and a metalic (silver) one.

I was considering making my own carbon fiber version, I can get the frames (that the glass ones go into) and you could either get some carbon fiber sheets yourself and just cure them yourself after cutting to size or, I have a griffin etch case which has a plastic carbon like rear section which 'looks' about the size of the actual rear cover part. if you cut that out and put it into the frame it might work.

if i can get hold of another one of these cases I might give it a go.
if you do find anything though, I would love to hear about it.

Has anyone found a rigid carbon fiber back plat for iPhone 5? Don't want a case, just rigid plate. Thanks