# removing clear coat



## martyn bruce (Mar 3, 2006)

what's the best way to remove the clear coat covering the carbon on my frame,so i can re do the frame to make it all beautiful again ?.


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## Al1943 (Jun 23, 2003)

Automotive sand paper, 320 grit, then sand again with 600 or 800 grit, use with lots of water while sanding.

Al


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

You might try an automotive paint store. Ask them for some paint remover. Beware...it will remove ALL paint almost instantly from anything it touches. I'd also ask if it's safe for use with CF.


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## the bull (Jan 16, 2003)

No No No!!!

That is not good for carbon!

Do you really trust some bonehead at a auto paint store to know how there materials are going to react with carbon?


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

the bull said:


> No No No!!!
> 
> That is not good for carbon!
> 
> Do you really trust some bonehead at a auto paint store to know how there materials are going to react with carbon?


Gee! I don't know. Can I trust you to difinitively say that it will be detrimental? Have you tried it & had a bad experience? What type / brand did you use? What happened to the CF you used it on?

There is a surprising amount of CF used on cars & motorcycles today. Maybe the "bonehead" at the paint store might actually know.

That being said, I'm all in favor of erring on the side of safety. That's why I said to ck it out. If the owner of the bike isn't comfortable with that, let him reasearch it furthur.


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## the bull (Jan 16, 2003)

Read the seatpost article.
http://www.velonews.com/tech/report/articles/9053.0.html

I have never used paint remover on Carbon fiber.
I have used paint remover and let me tell you this, my friend, I would not even test think of putting it on anything that was not metal !

I can not comment on the surprising amount of carbon fiber in todays cars unless you are talking about the aftermarket carbon that "racer boy" used to replace the hood and ashtray cover on his 88 civic. The only car I have seen in the shop with a surprising amount of carbon on is the 1/2 million dollar SLR in our dealership, and I doubt the bonehead at the auto paint shop counter will be recommending any products for it, but even a bonehead should know not to use that stuff. :0


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

I have done exactly what you are planning to do.

Results were amazing.

If you wish to just remove the clear coat to remove decals, a fine grain sandpaper will do.

If you wish to remove the paint also, then I would recommend a random orbital/fine sander with 80 grit, while working up to a finer grit for the best results.

good luck.


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## martyn bruce (Mar 3, 2006)

wanted to take the clear coat all the way back to the carbon,is sanding the best way to go?.


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## the bull (Jan 16, 2003)

Yes like other have said sand and work your way up from a course paper to a a fine one.
Do you think you need to go all the way to the carbon?
How are you planning on replacing the clear coat?


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## golzy (Dec 18, 2005)

*This sounds interesting*

IMHO something about this screams "bad idea". I'm interested to see/hear about the results - would you mind posting an update or some pics when the deed is done?


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## the bull (Jan 16, 2003)

*Then he got an idea!*

An awful idea!
THE MARTYN
GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!


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## martyn bruce (Mar 3, 2006)

Wanted to take it all back to the carbon to get a nice even job done with no join lines any where. Will get a professional painter to do the job but no one really knows the best way to stip the clear coat from the carbon. Getting the paint off the rest of the frame is no problem. Bull, have you stripped the clear coat all the way back to the carbon?


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## the bull (Jan 16, 2003)

Not on an entire frame. I have done small parts and forks. You should try to lightly sand out all the scratches. You should not have to strip it down all the way. Just wet sand out scratches. Work your way from a corse to fine paper then buff it to a shine.One word...Water! Sanding the whole frame down to bare carbon will take along time. Your fingers will be killing you. You might not even have to paint it at all, but if you do you can clear coat over clear coat.


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## martyn bruce (Mar 3, 2006)

Thanks for the help. Will have a go at the end of the race season.


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

I stripped my Giant TCR composite 2 winters ago and resprayed it as shown below. I did a long post on the process in the Giant section here on RBR.

I went with using sandpaper and think that's best. The clear coat is tough enough that you'll have to have some pretty strong stripper (made for urethanes and epoxies). That also means that the stripper may well attack the epoxy that's holding the carbon together. I'd highly discourage this method.

I used 100 grit to get the bulk off, being careful to stop immediately once I got through the clear. Finished up with 150, then 220. No water necessary although the silicon carbide paper (black 3M brand Wet-N-Dry) will last longer than the brown aluminum oxide paper. 

Make sure you wash the bare frame with wax and grease remover after you're all done sanding. I use adhesion promoter as a base coat to help bond the first coat to the frame. After that, it's up to what type of finish/color you want to do.


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## golzy (Dec 18, 2005)

*Wow*

Holy smokes Wasfast - your TCR looks great.


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

shabbasuraj said:


> I have done exactly what you are planning to do.
> 
> Results were amazing.
> 
> ...



Here is a thread with pics describing my results at BF....

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=2411624&posted=1#post2411624


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## martyn bruce (Mar 3, 2006)

did you use the fine paper on the carbon?,


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## the bull (Jan 16, 2003)

Looks fast but makes me thirsty......


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

martyn bruce said:


> did you use the fine paper on the carbon?,


yes......


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

*how do you spray new clear coat or even paint ?*

how do you apply the clear coat so that it is even ? And more difficult, how do you spray the paint so that it is even and doesn't leak on the sides of the pattern ? All I've done in the past in this area is sand a fork down to nude.


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

Regarding spraying a smooth, tough clear coat: Materials, technique and equipment. I use automotive materials and application methods. I used a Sharpe Detail gun which is much easier to manuever on a frame than a regular quart gun. You could satisfactorily use one of the import Binks knockoff guns that are sold at Home Depot or auto parts stores. Spray at 30psi. 

The automotive clear coats are the easily purchased and very high quality (optical quality and toughness). However, they require you to buy 3 different materials (clear coat, rcatalyst, and reduces) so it's not inexpensive. You'll also need a clean place to spray, forced ventilation, and a carbon respirator. 

As far as the technique, that's just from practice. Most folks put on too much material at once. I still use the old method of spraying a tack coat, a fog of material that appears rough. Let that flash for perhaps 5 minutes, then spray a moderate complete coat. Let that flash for 10-15 minutes then reduce the material so it's thinner and spray the final coat. Having pretty thin material for the last coat will allow it to flow out better and hopefully leave a perfect finish. A clean environment and not getting too much material such that you get runs are the key. 

Should you have some issues in the clear, all hope isn't lost. You can let it sit for a day or 2 and then wet sand out the previous coat and respray. 

The highest gloss is as sprayed but you can wetsand the clear with 2000 and buff it out if you still have issues to fix. It's more difficult on bikes because of all the tight corners. Buffing can be done by hand but a machine will do thousands mroe revolutions compared to your arm.


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## cdaringe (Aug 7, 2006)

what an incredibly beautiful job. i am blown away. absolutely phenominal job. i have been searching for a good technique like this for a very long time. i also have a tcr carbon frame. riddle me this, how did the cosmetic carbon weave look beneath the original paint? i wanted to just do a naked cosemetic carbon weave all over.


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

Not sure I understand the question as there is very little paint on TCR's, especially the early ones. The carbon looks just as you see it. 

2003's are pretty much naked carbon, Giant went to clear coat in 2004. In 2005 and 2006, you have the various painted sections around the downtube/top tube and head tube junctions.


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## cdaringe (Aug 7, 2006)

I do have one of the newer frames, and beneath the clearcloat and decals there is that carbon weave. that carbon weave (at least on the new bikes!) is simply an applique-- a carbon looking sheet for good looks, as you may already know. i was under the impression yours was similair and have hence realized that it is not, rendering my original question irrelevant! my apologies!


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## cdaringe (Aug 7, 2006)

*and another!*

I as well have redone my carbon frame. Mine is a 2006 TCR Composite. Removed all the decals to show a pure carbon applicae weave w/ a matte black downtube and headtube! Sandpaper worked great, but let me tell ya, that clear coat was tough! On this little guy, I acutally started off using 100 grit, then moving up. To say the least, I had great success. Unfortunately im not the best photographer...
the dudes at work call it the stealth. tell me what ya think! :thumbsup:


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