That CF look
The shiny even weave look of CF is actually hard to achieve. It is most common in pre-preg process. Even then , the industrial parts are not that good looking.... The nice showy parts on the cars are made for that with a lot of extra work.
Before thinking about stripping paint and exposing fiber consider the followin:
1. Who made it? i.e what process was used? Was it made for CF to be exposed with clear coat in the first place.
2. If it was 'bare' originally then the CF weave should show throw. It is hard to prepare and paint cleared CF, as the paint sinks into the weave and the weave pattern shows through the paint. If it was 'bare' and the paint looks good then someone did a lot of work to paint it right.
3. If I make a CF part for paint, I would actually make it with a fiberglass outer layer, beccause the prep and paint will be easier and look better.
4. Conversely lots of 'CF' parts made for look are a fiberglass part with just a single layer of CF for looks. This is also easier and cheaper to make look good. I put quotes aroung CF, because, it is really a fiberglass part. This is one step better than 'Carbon Wrap' i.e. fake CF look.
All of the posts here agree. A painted CF part should probably stay painted, unless.... you know who made it, how it was made, that it was made to be bare and you are prepared to put a lot of work into it and it may still not look good.
I would just pay $2k for a good new part, if you want the look.
Anton
The shiny even weave look of CF is actually hard to achieve. It is most common in pre-preg process. Even then , the industrial parts are not that good looking.... The nice showy parts on the cars are made for that with a lot of extra work.
Before thinking about stripping paint and exposing fiber consider the followin:
1. Who made it? i.e what process was used? Was it made for CF to be exposed with clear coat in the first place.
2. If it was 'bare' originally then the CF weave should show throw. It is hard to prepare and paint cleared CF, as the paint sinks into the weave and the weave pattern shows through the paint. If it was 'bare' and the paint looks good then someone did a lot of work to paint it right.
3. If I make a CF part for paint, I would actually make it with a fiberglass outer layer, beccause the prep and paint will be easier and look better.
4. Conversely lots of 'CF' parts made for look are a fiberglass part with just a single layer of CF for looks. This is also easier and cheaper to make look good. I put quotes aroung CF, because, it is really a fiberglass part. This is one step better than 'Carbon Wrap' i.e. fake CF look.
All of the posts here agree. A painted CF part should probably stay painted, unless.... you know who made it, how it was made, that it was made to be bare and you are prepared to put a lot of work into it and it may still not look good.
I would just pay $2k for a good new part, if you want the look.
Anton
