Spray Painting Carbon Fork
RWH
Posts: 8
I am planning to replace the steel fork of my bike with a new carbon item. Unfortunately most (or is it all) carbon forks are available in black only and this is not a great match with my mint green frame with white lettering. Logically I want to have the fork painted in the same colour.
Any suggestions about to tackle this as a DIY job?
Any suggestions about to tackle this as a DIY job?
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Comments
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rub it down, prime it, paint it, laquer it...0
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I believe the carbon has to be sealed, before application of paints...
Ask your local body shop!Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!0 -
When it comes to stripping. Use fine grade wet 'n' dry and water. DO NOT use anything like Nitromors to strip the paint as this can eat into the resin of the carbon fibre. This was the advice given by Argos in Brizzle.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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djbarren wrote:A: Yes, you can paint over carbon fiber. In my experience this is how it's done:
Remove stickers and their adhesives (I use DX-330 or acetone).
Hand sand off some of the old clear coat or paint, if present. Decals under the clear coat can be sanded smooth this way. Stop sanding immediately at any spot if you touch carbon. It is incredibly easy to remove carbon by hand sanding. Watch especially near sharp edges (airfoil trailing edges on wheels, frames and forks) and parting lines on molded parts (often along the center line of frames and wheels, often along the sides of forks). Wet sanding helps keep the dust down.
Clean the surface mechanically and chemically as follows:
- Mechanically clean: remove stuff like paint flakes, old bits of dried substances, stickers and their adhesives, decals, flapping plies, scale, crud, etc.
- Chemically clean: remove grease and oil: fingerprints, real grease from old bike parts, oil from the old bike chain, etc.
- One last wash: rinse and scrub with acetone until white paper towels come clean.
Prime using Fill'n'Sand or similar. Fill'n'sand is just a high-build primer intended to hide small imperfections, which, depending on your level of perfectionism, is optional ;-). Any similarly described product should do.
Paint using regular paint (Imron, Deltron, PPG, spray can, etc.) as usual. Do not exceed 100 degrees F. Some pinholes may appear. I think this may be outgassing. Bake at lower temps or let the paint dry at room temp to avoid.
See http://www.westsystem.com/webpages/user ... ex.htm#2.6 for West System's recommendations for preparing a newly cured epoxy surface for paint.
Warnings:
Do not media blast with any media! Not sand, not plastic, not glass beads, not walnut shells, not steel or ceramic shot. Nothing! Not at even the lightest pressure or for even the shortest time. It is incredibly easy to eat away the carbon and epoxy. Before you know it your part is ruined!
Do not use chemical paint strippers! They will attack the epoxy resin that holds your part together. Acetone, alcohol and other solvents are okay, but they don't remove paint.
Do not use heat! Some epoxies undergo glass transition as low as 150 degrees F or so. Keep it under 100 to be safe. If it is too hot to touch with your bare skin, it is too hot. That means no power tools (buffing wheels, sanding discs, etc.) and no heat gun paint strippers, etc.
That is the best, most comprehensive and easiest answer to any problem I have ever read on the forums. I salute you.0 -
Thanks for the advice. I'll be looking into this.
Got another question though. Has anybody used/has experience with (foil)wrapping a frame/fork in stead of painting?
I know it is used with cars. You can go right over the original paint and if you have bare frame it issupposedly lighter then paint (for the weight weenies
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I know it is used with cars. You can go right over the original paint and if you have bare frame it issupposedly lighter then paint (for the weight weenies ).
Honestly, cut out some mars bars or something. Lighter than paint..... :roll:0
