Bikesure_adrianflux

Carbon fibre restoration

T

Terryphukwit

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Joined
Jul 18, 2021
Messages
75
Location
Canterbury
Bike
S4
Hi, a job I have coming up is refinishing the carbon parts on my S4, I can see where the belt cover is protected from the sun the carbon is still bright and looks awesome but areas exposed have gone dull and flat. Looking online it appears easy enough to flat off the existing lacquer finish and refinish I have a local spray shop on board but they cannot advise on suitable products. Has anyone here had any success or fails with this, any input would be appreciated.
Marc..
 
I think pretty much any two pack clear lacquer with a UV filter in it is going to be okay.
I've used Upol with success before, but I don't have any brand loyalty. I get my paint supplies from Ketts Autopaints and trust their advice, they only stock good products to professionals (and me!).

If you have a spray gun or access to one then don't bother with aerosols or 1k lacquer, but do take the required precautions with the 2k regarding your lungs. I have heard that it can be used outdoors in the right conditions with good results.

Your biggest problem is likely to be pinholes in the surface of the carbon. My experience with those is storied here.. http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=49093&highlight=pinholes
To summarise, the solution for me was to brush the lacquer on, or at least brush out the wet sprayed coat. spray won't go into little holes or cracks, it has to be mechanically pushed in with a brush. Once all the pinholes are filled and you've flatted off again for the last time you can take over with the spray gun again.
Don't forget to mix the 2k before brushing (it brushes surprisingly nicely) and don't try and mix 1k and 2k on the same item.

You might encounter problems if you try and apply 2k over previous 1k hence why I will never bother with 1k if I can help it.

If you are not 100% happy with your final coat of 2k, you can flat it with the finest wet-n-dry you can lay your hands on (1500 upwards) and then compound it. That can be disappointing with 1k as it aint so hard.
 
Everything said above ....Plus if you find when old lacquer is removed the carbon looks sun faded, add a black tint to the new lacquer
 
These are the side flashes I have done recently.
4 coats 2k lacquer, flatted off with 500 soft pads after first coat then 800 thereafter. Decals after flatted first coat. Finished with a machine polish.
The carbon cans are being done the same, but may take more coats as the first couple pinholed.
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PPuxley said:
These are the side flashes I have done recently.
4 coats 2k lacquer, flatted off with 500 soft pads after first coat then 800 thereafter. Decals after flatted first coat. Finished with a machine polish.
The carbon cans are being done the same, but may take more coats as the first couple pinholed.
51311182403_40b9a263e2_c_d.jpg
51311706859_07ec94b4ab_c_d.jpg
51310754902_14880d359f_c_d.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice job, I had never even seen carbon fibre till I got this bike, looked ok at first until you realise what it should look like, I'm off to the paint store tomorrow to see what they can suggest and supply, good thing I guess is I don't need much so cost should not be a issue.

I will need new Monster S4 decals for the side flashes, any ideas where to get??
 
Unless your original decals are already scarred, I doubt you will need to replace them. They should already be lacquered over so all you need to do is lightly prep the surface without going anything like as deep as the decals and then spray the first coat over that. (Green or Purple 3M scouring pads are good for this)

Putting clear lacquer on is a bit like putting glass in water.. All the same refractive index, so everything disappears. If it looks like a dogs breakfast after the first coat, then is the time to prep back further, but you'll probably be surprised at how it evens everything up.

The secret is really to have the surface spotlessly clean rather than dead flat and level for the first coat. Even if there is a deep scratch or graze, it will fill with lacquer and disappear provided there is no muck in it. Subsequent coats will level it up with light flatting between until you have a crystal shell over it.
 
So made a start on this today, not quite down the exact same road but with the paint shop busy an d me being impatient this will be a real back to basics approach.
Got myself a 1ltr 2k lacquer pack, some thinners and a brush.
The front fender is going to be my starting point and having a closer look any improvement will be good.



 
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Removed and tried to key the surace to takeep the new finish but not good, surface is uneven and existing finish is flakey, 400 grit wet and dry and some fairy liquid and stripped all the old surface off, stopping as soon as the water starts showing signs of the carbon being sanded but the water is going black😨



Ended up with this

 
Pinholes I have, they are white when dry



But when wetted out they dissappear, if I am going to have to brush out the lacquer then I am thinking I may as well brush on the first couple of coats, this is the panel wet, I'll get a coat on it and get back to you.

 
So now have 2nd coat applied, flatted back the first that didn't look great here and there, this coat is much better showing only a couple of the pinholes and a slight sag in the finish on one of the legs. To be honest I could probibly leave it here and it is looking so much better that it did but I am now going to flat it out again with 800 and spray the final coat. Gave one of the belt covers a strip and got one coat on it, harder to get a god finish with a brush as the shape is quite complex but again a big improvement on what it was..



 
Mr Gazza said:
Nice work.. You're obviously far from a phukwit... :mand:
Click to expand...

Haha, I like that name, we used to go to the Isle of Man for the TT in the late 80s, as a group we all wore "I know Terry Phuckwit" t shirts for the week, can't even remember where the idea came from but was a laugh..
 
Hi, just a followup on progress, after a chat with a car body sprayer we agreed that some of the pop marks or pin holes are actually caused by silicone, either from body wax finishe's or lubricants, his advice was to clean down well with petrol first before any other prep, then following advice on here I have brushed the first coat, let it dry out, flat and spray the finish coats x 3. This has worked really well, no pin holes or pop marks, quite chuffed with these..





I have the rear hugger with the brush coat on, I was quite concerned on this with all the chain lube around but petrol does apear to be the answer..
 
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Ten out of ten for that.. Well done.

I used to use petrol to clean all sorts of things years ago, but my "go to" now is Clutch and brake cleaner. just as capable a degreaser as petrol even on chain lube splats, but does not leave behind any residues, whereas petrol is a cocktail of all sorts designed to burn in specific ways but not to clean. lots of stuff in it you don't need under your paint!
Another good one is Panel wipe or pre-wipe. Also leaves behind no residues and a pretty competent de-greaser too.
 
Is a 2k clearcoat, guy in the paint shop 'invicta paints canterbury' said it would brush well, flow well so brush marks would flow out, don't add any heat for 20 mins after application so it can flow before it sets.
 
I will probably have to do this for the carbon fibre on my 900Sie at some point, so thanks for the tips. I found Auto Glym Bumper & Trim Gel works brilliantly at 'removing' the greying and dulling surface damage caused by having the bike out in bright sunlight for a few days. It restores the colour, shine and depth of the carbon fibre, probably temporarily but satisfyingly easy.
 
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