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CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Mike Canavan
(---.stny.res.rr.com)
Date: October 30, 2016 11:09AM
Top-coating some CFX carbon fiber grips with either Lumiseal or Permagloss, is there any need to sand these down any further before applying?
Many Thanks! Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Spencer Phipps
(---.hsd1.or.comcast.net)
Date: October 30, 2016 03:03PM
I do, the material is low build so further smoothing ensures a smooth finish without a half dozen or more applications. Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Mike Canavan
(---.stny.res.rr.com)
Date: October 30, 2016 03:42PM
Thanks Spencer - appreciated, will do some sanding. (I should have thought of this before gluing the grips on the blank!) Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Michael Danek
(---.adr02.mskg.mi.frontiernet.net)
Date: October 30, 2016 07:04PM
If you have not dealt with carbon fiber before, keep in mind you DO NOT want to sand through the finish into the carbon fiber cloth. Better to put a coat of epoxy, like Riley's, onto the grip to provide some depth of finish before sanding. Or maybe two coats. Regardless, don't sand through into the cloth. Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Tom Kirkman
(Moderator)
Date: October 30, 2016 07:56PM
Sanding into the actual carbon won't cause the same problems as sanding into fiberglass. The former will sand smooth, the latter winds up with sharp edges and ends which are very difficult to overcoat.
................... Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Mike Canavan
(---.phlapa.east.verizon.net)
Date: October 31, 2016 12:42PM
Thanks all. These are the unfinished CFX grips I wish to coat, will probably use the Riley method. Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Norman Miller
(---.lightspeed.jcsnms.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 31, 2016 01:26PM
If you want a high gloss use the epoxy, if you want more of a satin finish use Permagloss. I have done it both ways, and like Permagloss better. I think it has a better feel, and seems more durable. For either method, use a scotch brite pad to rough up, wipe down with a clean cloth, and turn the grip while applying the finish. I use a foam brush for the Permagloss. Very easy and looks good.
Norm Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Mike Canavan
(---.phlapa.east.verizon.net)
Date: October 31, 2016 04:20PM
Thanks very much Norm, I may give that a try. Just watched Tom's video and it looks easy. Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Tom Kirkman
(Moderator)
Date: October 31, 2016 04:27PM Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Michael Danek
(---.adr02.mskg.mi.frontiernet.net)
Date: October 31, 2016 06:10PM
I have sanded into the Riley carbon fiber material and it left an unrepairable void, looks sort of frosty gray and different even after another coat of Riley epoxy. Maybe there is something I'm not getting, but the 100% successful method, IMHO, is to not sand into the carbon fiber material. Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Norman Miller
(---.lightspeed.jcsnms.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 31, 2016 08:25PM
I agree that sand paper can be a no no. The unfinished cfx grip does have a thin layer of a matte finish and I do not want to get down to the bare carbon fibers.. The scotch brite pad is not sand paper, it just gives enough scuff so the finish can possibly adhere better. In fact, I have put finish on these grips without scuffing with no problems. I just feel that scuffing does not hurt and may help the finish adhere better.
Norm Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Tom Kirkman
(Moderator)
Date: October 31, 2016 10:27PM
Riley uses charcoal colored cores. It sounds like you sanded through the carbon skin all the way to into the core.
I am the co-inventor of these grips and have done more of them than most people will ever do. You can get away with sanding into the carbon skin, but you don't want to sand all the way through it. .................... Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Norman Miller
(---.lightspeed.jcsnms.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 31, 2016 11:07PM
I know when refinishing a rod you can certainly get down to the bare graphite with no ill effects. I have done this many times. So I agree with Tom that you can do the same thing on these grips, but I do not think it is necessary to do so. Scuffing should be fine to get a good durable top coat. I followed Tom's instructions on youtube when I top coated my first set of CFX grips and got great results. It was extremely quick and easy. Thanks Tom for coming up with foam core carbon fiber grips. They are great!
Norm Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Michael Danek
(---.adr02.mskg.mi.frontiernet.net)
Date: November 01, 2016 08:38AM
No I did not sand all the way into the core. Just kissed the cloth. I guess it's just a great mystery. I guess it could have been that there was an air bubble there that I hadn't gotten out. An expert at these grips saw it and said the problem was that I had hit the cloth. Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Tom Kirkman
(Moderator)
Date: November 01, 2016 11:09AM
I routinely sand into the cloth (not through it) and have been doing these grips longer than anyone else. With the carbon skins, I've not experienced what you mentioned so there is something else going on, although if you didn't go all the way through it I can't imagine what it might be. I'd like to see one that has had that happened and might be able to offer a better explanation or solution if I could see the issue firsthand.
................ Re: CFX carbon fiber grip finishing
Posted by:
Michael Danek
(---.adr02.mskg.mi.frontiernet.net)
Date: November 01, 2016 01:45PM
I'll see if I can find it and photograph it. I think I still have the rod. It's not a show stopper for a rod of mine, but I wouldn't want to have it on a custom rod that I was selling. Thanks for the offer. Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
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