revamping painted carbon fiber

I have some painted carbon beams that I would preferably like to sand(?) or strip back down to the carbon and bring nack the carbon look with some resin or urethane. Anyone have experience with removing paint from carbon? What about restoring it?

easy off oven cleaner and a scotch brite pad. use a respirator and gloves. paint them with superclear lp paint after. do not sand the paint off.

Some people have tried to do this with painted carbon bikes and had limited success. I would try a small spot first but stripper might work as long as it doesn't eat into the epoxy much. I think if you sand the carbon it will scratch it and the naked carbon look will not be so attractive. I wouldn't sand blast but maybe soda blasting could work.

I've sanded carbon and still been able to clear coat afterwards with really good results. Granted, you don't want to go crazy sanding into the carbon but you can take off a bit and refinish to a really nice finish.

In this case, I would try some sort of stripper first - but if they used Imron or similar, you're going to have a really tough time getting it off - and I have no idea what strippers might do with the epoxy in the laminate.

Jake, now you have done it David will being dropping the A cat off at your house tonight. Can you please make the NAF18 and Zhik Hull stickers first. Also hows the 1 meter, house remodel , Tad's boat repair coming?

you forgot the Alter Cup in that list. graphics will be coming soon - I'm getting Bonnie setup to run them.

and oh yeah, new Heat Pump in the house this week too.

There are currently 4 catamarans and one RV in my backyard. If I put one more catamaran in there, I have been assured that the RV will become my permanent home.

Please don't let my piece of fiberglass become an object of "marital bliss". I'd never forgive myself.

tad,

It sounds like when you pick up your boat it might have a used heat pump installed on it.

Jake left out the "super top secret project" on his list... and he is serious about the relocation to the rv based on another boat project. Lucky for him he has a super handy dandy retractable power cord mounted in the garage to allow for heat and air! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

David

Now you are going to have to tell me what the TSP is. How can I compete with him if I don't even know what the TSP is?

TSP = Trisodium phosphate - mild cleanser.

Hey John

On the east coast TSP means Top Secret Project or it could be I suck at typing or ISAT.

come on dude (west coast talk)

muuuhuuuuhaawaaaaaahaaaaaaa...


let's just say it involves carbon fiber.

OOOOoooohhh. Dude! I get it!

Jake

Does it have anything to do with boats? Or is it something like a carbon fiber sippy cup (thinking about what is important to DS)

boats....little boats....imagine, if you will, a Ford Pinto with a 460 cu in engine. Mosley should be scared.

done it. ran 10.8's at 127. squirrely bitch at the top end tho...

The yellow squash still has something for you...hummmm, come to think of it my A Cat is a funny kinda yellow squash color too...

Back to The small boat project. Can you make miniature WWDLD stickers for it?

Okay, and no one has given me a really firm answer, at least not one Im comfortable with yet. so what the heck do I do with the ugly paintjob on the beams?

I say try the oven cleaner on a small spot on the outside end of the beam and see how it looks.

sorry DM, did not mean to derail the thread, although, a carbon fiber cup sounds really cool!!

I agree with Jake on what to try first. If it has epoxy on it you might be better off repainting.

years ago, one of the head guys at the company that makes 'easy off' was a sailor. he had some 35-40 foot sail boat with [censored] bottom paint on her. he tried a bit on a sample piece and sent it off to the lab to get checked for damage to the laminate. the lab boys said it was fine. the easy off removed all of the anti foul.
this was on a polyester laminate, with a shitty gel coat, not an epoxy matrix.
trust me.

Dave,
I agree with Jake, sand it off.

To get it to look shiny, 2 part poly clear coat, I like the water based System Three LPU. Doesnt smell, you can work with it inside without killing yourself.

It doesnt last as long as the solvent based poly, but its so easy to redo, that you just hit the area with some 100 grit and put on more clear coat if it needs a touch up. Foam brushes can be tossed when you are done, or regular brushes clean up with water.

I've done all my carbon parts with it, masts, beams, spin poles, booms. Every couple of years I rough up the spots that need touch up and reapply more poly.

Bill