FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: How do you recondition or resurface carbon fiber?

A: In use, carbon fiber components will get scratched. This wear is cosmetic and will make the piece look worn, however it will have no effect on the structural integrity of the part. To recondition the part it is simply a matter of removing it and using an epoxy resin to recoat the piece. Epoxy resins are two part mixtures, which cure through a chemical reaction. The are several available on the market. For this purpose we want to use a 30 minute epoxy to resurface the part. Thirty minutes basically refers to the time it takes for this particular resin to cure. It is available in most hobby shops and is reasonably priced. Of course if you have longer curing epoxy it will do as well. The main thing is not to use five minute epoxy in any case. Although it has a fast cure time, the trade off is that it is not as hard as the longer curing resins. The other items you will need are a small one of those cheap disposible foam brushes available in most hardware stores, and some fine sandpaper. The grit is not critical, just make sure it is fine, i.e. 320 to 400 grit would be fine.

Now, to get to renewing our piece: The first thing we want to do is clean it well. Wash it with soap and water and let it dry thoroughly. When dry, lightly sand the complete surface you want to recoat with 320 to 400 grit sandpaper then wipe it with a dry clean rag. Once this is done mix up an ample amount of resin. Most resins are mixed one part resin to one part hardener, read the instructions and follow them. When thoroughly mixed using the foam brush paint the surface with the resin. Load up the foam well and make sure to flow the resin on as smooth as possible. Let it cure thoroughly and voila you have a like new part!!

Q: What is vacuum bagging?

A: All our parts are made of layers of carbon cloth. Prior to putting these layers together each piece of cloth is wet out with epoxy resin. That is, it is saturated with the resin using a squeege or a roller. Generally speaking, too much resin makes a weak structure and by the same token, not enough resin also makes for a weak component. What we want is just the right balance of cloth and resin. In the vacuum bagging process the part is first wet out with resin, the layers are arranged together on the mold or form, and then they are placed inside a plastic or nylon bag. This bag is then connected to a vacuum pump and the pump suctions or evacuates the bag. Atmospheric pressure then evenly compresses the part inside the bag. The layers are firmly held together as the resin cures, and more importantly, the excess resin is squeezed out of the layers of cloth. What we end up with is a lay up that is just the right balance of cloth and resin. This makes for a stronger more durable part.