Interior: Carbon Fiber Overlay How-to w/ pics
09-23-2007, 01:14 AM
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Carbon Fiber Overlay How-to w/ pics
Some people might do certain things differently but this is my how-to on a carbon fiber overlay. For those who don't know an overlay is taking a trim piece etc. and overlaying carbon fiber on top of it for appearance reasons. It's obviosly not a weight saving technique bc ur just wrapping over it with cf.
Supplies needed:
carbon fiber
epoxy resin (self leveling is the ****)
****when mixing the resin make sure to do so in a kneeding type of motion so that you dont get air bubbles in the resin. air bubble suck mucho and you want to stay away from gettin them in your coats.
alot of brushes ( i use 2 inch)
black primer
sand paper(80, 150,220, 340, 2000) -you dont need the exact same grit but just something around that number.
acrylic clear coat ( i use rustoleum)
acetone
rags
1. To start off if you piece of trim etc isn't black already your going to want to make sure to scuff it up and hit it with black primer etc then scuff it up again with the 80 grit. If the part is silver etc i will usually show through the weave and cause it to look like ****. There's another option to this in step 2.
2. Some people have different ways of getting the cf to adhere to the part but i found out from experience that coating the part with a light layer of epoxy resin works best. Wait 45 mins or so until the resin starts to tack up. Make sure that it barely at all sticks to you finger when you touch it. Here's the option to using black primer: if you have access to or have purchased black pigment for the resin you can use that too for the adhering layer. Ounce the epoxy tacks up lay the cf down. be very careful bc it is way too easy to mess up the weave. take your time and go from the center outwards on curvy pieces etc. It might be a good idea to use blue tape to tape the edges back to keep the cf from coming up just be very careful in doing so.
-one quick sidenot, some people like to tape off a measured section of cf with painters tape and then cut down the middle of the tape to get the desired piece. i usually do this on bigger sections and it keeps the ends from fraying. if you piece has alot of curves i stay away from this so that the fiber can shift etc. ( if you dont know what i mean have you ever seen one of those expandable wooden baby gates?)
3. Ounce the cf is layed down and you have it taped etc you're ready to get down your first layer of epoxy. be careful in mixing your epoxy so that there a little to no air bubbles. make sure you pull the bristles at the end of your brush so that the loose ones come out or take duct tape and wrap it backwards around your hand and pat the bristles. Any loose bristles will come out and stay in the epoxy layer and it will look like ****. ounce you prepped the brush start to lightly brush on the epoxy. make sure to wet out the who piece but dont necessarily pour it out onto the piece. after your done there might be some bubbles, the best thing i found is to get a hair dryer and use it over the bubbles. make sure your not moving all the resin away from the area but the bubbles should pop and go away ounce it's hot enough. lastly check the trim for any loose bristles etc. you want to make sure the first layer is flawless bc its very thin.
4. After the 1st layer has cured go ahead and lay down a few more layers. each time letting the layer cure before added more. Keep checking for bristles/bubbles. you want to add some depth with the layers so keep adding more layers until the raised texture of the carbon isn't seen anymore. ounce you have 4+ etc layers you are ready for the next step.
5. Once you have the depth you want you want to trim the edges. There are many different ways of doing this but i wait till after i have my layers on and i use a grinder and cut away the excess to a 1/4 or so to the edge. Then i take my little 2 inch orbital like sanding and just flush the edge.
6. Now comes the really fun part....SANDING!!!!!
you want to start off usually with the 150 but if you have some drips of resin or really high spots be very careful and use the 80 grit. otherwise sand the whole box with the 150 until you get a smooth flat layer. if you look at my box the top of it is all flat and the sides have those diamond black parts. if you can see shiny parts like that its not done. ( the pic was during the sanding process). make sure it's completely sanded. ounce your done with the 150 then do it with the 220 then the 340. Yes the part will look scary and you might think it's ruined. It's fine just make sure you dont sand too deep hitting the carbon.
7. Ounce your done with the sanding you want to take a wet rag and wip down the box which will get rid of most of the dust. Then you want to take another rag and pour some acetone on it and wipe down the box again. This will really clean that biznitch up.
8. Ok now you want to spray on your clear coat. Make sure you do this in an area where you wont get dirt/dust etc or it will look like ****. Spray on at least 2 layers. You can add more layers if you want to but most likely you wont need that many.
9. Sometimes you dont have to sand anymore depending upon the clear you use etc. you might be done if that's how you like it. I took it a step further and wet sanded the clear with 2000 grit . Afterwards wax that bitch and put on some shades bc she is gonna shine son.
Enjoy!!!!
Supplies needed:
carbon fiber
epoxy resin (self leveling is the ****)
****when mixing the resin make sure to do so in a kneeding type of motion so that you dont get air bubbles in the resin. air bubble suck mucho and you want to stay away from gettin them in your coats.
alot of brushes ( i use 2 inch)
black primer
sand paper(80, 150,220, 340, 2000) -you dont need the exact same grit but just something around that number.
acrylic clear coat ( i use rustoleum)
acetone
rags
1. To start off if you piece of trim etc isn't black already your going to want to make sure to scuff it up and hit it with black primer etc then scuff it up again with the 80 grit. If the part is silver etc i will usually show through the weave and cause it to look like ****. There's another option to this in step 2.
2. Some people have different ways of getting the cf to adhere to the part but i found out from experience that coating the part with a light layer of epoxy resin works best. Wait 45 mins or so until the resin starts to tack up. Make sure that it barely at all sticks to you finger when you touch it. Here's the option to using black primer: if you have access to or have purchased black pigment for the resin you can use that too for the adhering layer. Ounce the epoxy tacks up lay the cf down. be very careful bc it is way too easy to mess up the weave. take your time and go from the center outwards on curvy pieces etc. It might be a good idea to use blue tape to tape the edges back to keep the cf from coming up just be very careful in doing so.
-one quick sidenot, some people like to tape off a measured section of cf with painters tape and then cut down the middle of the tape to get the desired piece. i usually do this on bigger sections and it keeps the ends from fraying. if you piece has alot of curves i stay away from this so that the fiber can shift etc. ( if you dont know what i mean have you ever seen one of those expandable wooden baby gates?)
3. Ounce the cf is layed down and you have it taped etc you're ready to get down your first layer of epoxy. be careful in mixing your epoxy so that there a little to no air bubbles. make sure you pull the bristles at the end of your brush so that the loose ones come out or take duct tape and wrap it backwards around your hand and pat the bristles. Any loose bristles will come out and stay in the epoxy layer and it will look like ****. ounce you prepped the brush start to lightly brush on the epoxy. make sure to wet out the who piece but dont necessarily pour it out onto the piece. after your done there might be some bubbles, the best thing i found is to get a hair dryer and use it over the bubbles. make sure your not moving all the resin away from the area but the bubbles should pop and go away ounce it's hot enough. lastly check the trim for any loose bristles etc. you want to make sure the first layer is flawless bc its very thin.
4. After the 1st layer has cured go ahead and lay down a few more layers. each time letting the layer cure before added more. Keep checking for bristles/bubbles. you want to add some depth with the layers so keep adding more layers until the raised texture of the carbon isn't seen anymore. ounce you have 4+ etc layers you are ready for the next step.
5. Once you have the depth you want you want to trim the edges. There are many different ways of doing this but i wait till after i have my layers on and i use a grinder and cut away the excess to a 1/4 or so to the edge. Then i take my little 2 inch orbital like sanding and just flush the edge.
6. Now comes the really fun part....SANDING!!!!!
you want to start off usually with the 150 but if you have some drips of resin or really high spots be very careful and use the 80 grit. otherwise sand the whole box with the 150 until you get a smooth flat layer. if you look at my box the top of it is all flat and the sides have those diamond black parts. if you can see shiny parts like that its not done. ( the pic was during the sanding process). make sure it's completely sanded. ounce your done with the 150 then do it with the 220 then the 340. Yes the part will look scary and you might think it's ruined. It's fine just make sure you dont sand too deep hitting the carbon.
7. Ounce your done with the sanding you want to take a wet rag and wip down the box which will get rid of most of the dust. Then you want to take another rag and pour some acetone on it and wipe down the box again. This will really clean that biznitch up.
8. Ok now you want to spray on your clear coat. Make sure you do this in an area where you wont get dirt/dust etc or it will look like ****. Spray on at least 2 layers. You can add more layers if you want to but most likely you wont need that many.
9. Sometimes you dont have to sand anymore depending upon the clear you use etc. you might be done if that's how you like it. I took it a step further and wet sanded the clear with 2000 grit . Afterwards wax that bitch and put on some shades bc she is gonna shine son.
Enjoy!!!!
Last edited by TommyP; 10-03-2012 at 12:47 PM.
09-23-2007, 03:32 PM
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09-23-2007, 04:26 PM
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im not a vendor of any kind by i do respond well to pm's!! (hint hint) thanks for all the praises and compliments guys. i did think about making a mold but that takes alot of space and materials and my parents hate me enough for using the garage for this lil project. ounce i have a little more time you'll see more carbon stuff etc. come about. i also might be doing fg side louvers for the lil rear windows but i gotta see first if it would look good. that i would probably do a mold of. thanks again guys.
09-23-2007, 11:05 PM
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I got ita while back but the place only sold to previous cf buyers and I don't know the name of it.. to my knowledge cf suply is still in a shortage right now so most only sell to previous customers etc. just try searching the web.
I'm probably gonna be doing some custom cf eyelids soon. be on the look out.
I'm probably gonna be doing some custom cf eyelids soon. be on the look out.
09-24-2007, 01:23 AM
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I got ita while back but the place only sold to previous cf buyers and I don't know the name of it.. to my knowledge cf suply is still in a shortage right now so most only sell to previous customers etc. just try searching the web.
I'm probably gonna be doing some custom cf eyelids soon. be on the look out.
I'm probably gonna be doing some custom cf eyelids soon. be on the look out.
