Repair lacquer on carbon

18-06-2018, 09:24 AM

How easy is it to repair damaged lacquer on carbon.

I’ve read the process, is this a pretty simple job and can I use the same lacquer unused on my painted block?

Nickj · 18-06-2018, 08:17 PM

Strip it (very carefully), prep to remove dust and grease, respray or epoxy

Strip: scotch brite it as it isn't sharp enough to cut the carbon fibres
Prep: Panel wipe type cleaner
Lacquer: U-Pol No1 UV resistant is a good gloss, top it with a satin if you want a softer look.
If you want a good tough last for life coating then go for XCR Epoxy Coating Resin. Needs cutting back to polish but it give a very deep finish and is as flexible as the CF so once it's on it's permanent.

damien666 · 18-06-2018, 09:26 PM

1000 grade abralon, even better than grey scotchbrite. It keys paint/ clear evenly, without scratchy marks showing.

Yorkie · 19-06-2018, 06:00 PM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=1bK91Ce4qIU

This might help.

Yorkie

19-06-2018, 06:08 PM

This is something i'm interested in doing for my tea tray. Keen to see how you get on.

19-06-2018, 08:03 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8qNwNTjOUA
I subscribe to this guys channel, pretty good guide to most things carbon fibre.
One of his videos on carbon skinning has inspired me for my next project....full carbon fibre skin on the tank of my M750.....hopefully I don't make a complete mess of it!

jerry · 19-06-2018, 09:58 PM

I have done it on all my bikes clean with thinners or solvent to get road crud and grease off,, then cut back with 1500 or 2000 wet and dry ,, then UPOL laqeur lasts several years until time to do again

utopia · 20-06-2018, 12:37 PM

Just make sure you clean it up really well.
Previous wax polish will probably be embedded in any pinholes in the lacquer and will tend to prevent the new lacquer from bonding.
I would scrub it with a solvent (meths ?) and a toothbrush to get in the pores.
Possibly consider brushing on the first coat of lacquer, to force it into the pinholes, before rubbing down and spraying thereafter.
Mr Gazza had such problems when he did his front mudguard.

I've used the U-Pol lacquer myself and the results have been excellent.

20-06-2018, 06:53 PM

Cheers fella’s ��

Macflurry · 29-06-2018, 10:46 AM

I re-epoxied my carbon heat shields a couple of weeks ago. Cleaned and flatted them back and then used this:

http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/r...ing-resin.html

They turned out pretty well, just had to mix it up on some scales and leave it to dry. They looked worse than the side panels above before I started:

Macflurry · 29-06-2018, 10:58 AM

Just found a before pic:

Yorkie · 29-06-2018, 12:00 PM

Yep a lot better!

Yorkie

Jez900ie · 29-06-2018, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macflurry

Just found a before pic:

The heel guard look great. You have changed the muffler though right?

Re renewing the lacquer, I picked up my carbon bits today from a local bodyshop - side panels, front & back mudguards, seat cowl & bikini fairing. They were all done gloss, look like glass and I paid £40 for the lot to be redone.

BTW, all the epoxy I have ever used has always required a spray over with UV resistant clear coat to stop it getting damaged.

Macflurry · 30-06-2018, 06:50 AM

Yes mate, I re-sleeved them with pre-formed carbon tubing. The ones that came on the bike were that rotten/burnt up that in places I pretty much managed to push my finger through.

This is the first time I've used epoxy for anything like this so I'll take a look at the UV top coat, thanks!!

Here's the before state, some carbon is beyond touching up:

18-06-2018, 09:24 AM	#1
littlejimmy12 Guest Posts: n/a	Repair lacquer on carbon How easy is it to repair damaged lacquer on carbon. I’ve read the process, is this a pretty simple job and can I use the same lacquer unused on my painted block?

18-06-2018, 08:17 PM	#2
Nickj Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Forest Of Dean Bike: S2r Posts: 3,199	Strip it (very carefully), prep to remove dust and grease, respray or epoxy Strip: scotch brite it as it isn't sharp enough to cut the carbon fibres Prep: Panel wipe type cleaner Lacquer: U-Pol No1 UV resistant is a good gloss, top it with a satin if you want a softer look. If you want a good tough last for life coating then go for XCR Epoxy Coating Resin. Needs cutting back to polish but it give a very deep finish and is as flexible as the CF so once it's on it's permanent. __________________ "The final measure of any rider's skill is the inverse ratio of his preferred Traveling Speed to the number of bad scars on his body." Song of the sausage creature

19-06-2018, 06:00 PM	#4
Yorkie Anglo-Saxon Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Yorkshire Bike: M900 Posts: 2,485	https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=1bK91Ce4qIU This might help. Yorkie __________________ NO ICE, GUN IT!

19-06-2018, 09:58 PM	#7
jerry Old Git Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cricklade Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 2,832	I have done it on all my bikes clean with thinners or solvent to get road crud and grease off,, then cut back with 1500 or 2000 wet and dry ,, then UPOL laqeur lasts several years until time to do again __________________ MONSTERMAN

29-06-2018, 10:46 AM	#10
Macflurry Registered User Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Blakeney Bike: M900 Posts: 134	I re-epoxied my carbon heat shields a couple of weeks ago. Cleaned and flatted them back and then used this: http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/r...ing-resin.html They turned out pretty well, just had to mix it up on some scales and leave it to dry. They looked worse than the side panels above before I started: Last edited by Macflurry; 29-06-2018 at 10:50 AM..

18-06-2018, 09:26 PM	#3
damien666 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Leeds, West-Yorks Bike: S4Rs Posts: 497	1000 grade abralon, even better than grey scotchbrite. It keys paint/ clear evenly, without scratchy marks showing.

19-06-2018, 06:08 PM	#5
Miky Guest Posts: n/a	This is something i'm interested in doing for my tea tray. Keen to see how you get on.

19-06-2018, 08:03 PM	#6
EkO Guest Posts: n/a	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8qNwNTjOUA I subscribe to this guys channel, pretty good guide to most things carbon fibre. One of his videos on carbon skinning has inspired me for my next project....full carbon fibre skin on the tank of my M750.....hopefully I don't make a complete mess of it!

20-06-2018, 12:37 PM	#8
utopia No turn left unstoned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: leicester Bike: M750 Posts: 4,546	Just make sure you clean it up really well. Previous wax polish will probably be embedded in any pinholes in the lacquer and will tend to prevent the new lacquer from bonding. I would scrub it with a solvent (meths ?) and a toothbrush to get in the pores. Possibly consider brushing on the first coat of lacquer, to force it into the pinholes, before rubbing down and spraying thereafter. Mr Gazza had such problems when he did his front mudguard. I've used the U-Pol lacquer myself and the results have been excellent.

20-06-2018, 06:53 PM	#9
littlejimmy12 Guest Posts: n/a	Cheers fella’s ��

29-06-2018, 10:58 AM	#11
Macflurry Registered User Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Blakeney Bike: M900 Posts: 134	Just found a before pic:

29-06-2018, 12:00 PM	#12
Yorkie Anglo-Saxon Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Yorkshire Bike: M900 Posts: 2,485	Yep a lot better! Yorkie __________________ NO ICE, GUN IT!

30-06-2018, 06:50 AM	#14
Macflurry Registered User Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Blakeney Bike: M900 Posts: 134	Yes mate, I re-sleeved them with pre-formed carbon tubing. The ones that came on the bike were that rotten/burnt up that in places I pretty much managed to push my finger through. This is the first time I've used epoxy for anything like this so I'll take a look at the UV top coat, thanks!! Here's the before state, some carbon is beyond touching up: