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Old 09-21-2018, 07:33 AM   #1
Breel
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Carbon fiber question

I am planning on reinforcing the rear portion of my 63” light blue water build with CF. My question is how do you make the transition part from CF back to wood clean, seamless and smooth? Do you sand down the wood that is going to be covered with CF in order to eliminate the “bump” from the transition?
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Old 09-21-2018, 09:40 AM   #2
humpinit
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Re: Carbon fiber question

I’m actually getting ready to do the same thing. I don’t think the transition will be very noticeable. I’m not sure though, yet.
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Old 09-21-2018, 09:56 AM   #3
humpinit
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Re: Carbon fiber question

I want to apply epoxy to the gun and let it tack up and then try and lay the carbon fiber exactly where I want it. I’m not sure about how the frayed ends will look. I’d like to have a nice clean transition.
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Old 09-21-2018, 11:05 AM   #4
deanmc
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Re: Carbon fiber question

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Originally Posted by humpinit View Post
I want to apply epoxy to the gun and let it tack up and then try and lay the carbon fiber exactly where I want it. I’m not sure about how the frayed ends will look. I’d like to have a nice clean transition.
Hi, I just did exactly what you are talking about. Here's how I do it:

• After cutting your cloth to size and test fitting it on your gun use some masking tape to tape off the area right next to where you want your cloth to end. Cut your cloth a little bigger than it needs to be so you have extra.

• Use spray adhesive and spray the part of the gun where you want your cloth to be.

• Tack down the cloth. Trim back any pieces hanging out over the masking tape as best you can.

• Lay down some epoxy wet it really good.

• Peel off the tape after the epoxy is down.

• Let the first coat of epoxy cure and put another coat of epoxy down.

• Use a dremel or rotary tool with a sanding drum and grind off any extra cloth hanging out. It comes off really easy using this method as it will have absorbed some epoxy and hardened. Make sure you are wearing a good quality respirator while doing this, also long sleeves or your arms will itch for days (don't ask how I know!)

• Do at least one more coat of epoxy before you start sanding. If you sand too early it's really easy to go down through the cloth.

Here's two handles I just did.

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Old 09-21-2018, 11:47 AM   #5
Breel
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Re: Carbon fiber question

This is great!! So there’s no slight bump due to the sanding at the edge? Thanks for the response and pictures
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Old 09-21-2018, 12:26 PM   #6
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Re: Carbon fiber question

Very nice! Great job!
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Old 09-21-2018, 12:51 PM   #7
deanmc
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Re: Carbon fiber question

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This is great!! So there’s no slight bump due to the sanding at the edge? Thanks for the response and pictures
I just got done doing six coats of epoxy on the entire gun and with sanding in between there is no bump. I'll post pics after I get them assembled.
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Old 09-22-2018, 11:43 AM   #8
baitball
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Re: Carbon fiber question

Wow those guns look awesome
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Old 09-22-2018, 11:43 AM   #9
baitball
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Re: Carbon fiber question

Can you show a photo of the whole gun
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Old 09-24-2018, 10:06 AM   #10
deanmc
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Re: Carbon fiber question

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Can you show a photo of the whole gun
I haven't done the final assembly yet. I should have them done Friday. I'll post pics in a new thread.
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Old 09-24-2018, 05:05 PM   #11
Hpwatson
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Re: Carbon fiber question

Haven't done carbon fiber before but I've covered other things up under epoxy and typically once you've laid a few coats of epoxy, sanded it down smooth, then done the final coat anything underneath won't leave it's own 'bump'. I think carbon fiber is so thin it will probably smooth out just fine.
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Old 09-24-2018, 11:01 PM   #12
Diving Gecko
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Re: Carbon fiber question

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Originally Posted by Hpwatson View Post
Haven't done carbon fiber before but I've covered other things up under epoxy and typically once you've laid a few coats of epoxy, sanded it down smooth, then done the final coat anything underneath won't leave it's own 'bump'. I think carbon fiber is so thin it will probably smooth out just fine.
Don't have much to add other than a thumbs up and a rule of thumb...;-)
First, cudos to Dean for sharing the trick - I think it's something a lot of us have wondered about (and the guns look great)!

Now, the rule of thumb if anyone so cares to know is that the thickness of carbon cloth happens to correspond to the weight designation in the following matter; a 200g cloth will be app. 0.2mm thick, 300g will be 0.3mm thick, 400g will be... hold on... 0.4mm, etc, etc.
Probably not as cool a rule when you guys wreck it with your imperial system;-).

Last edited by Diving Gecko; 09-24-2018 at 11:12 PM.
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Old 09-25-2018, 03:09 AM   #13
kavachi
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Re: Carbon fiber question

SUPERB craftwork Dean
please dont forget to post some pics of those weapons rigged!
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Old 09-25-2018, 03:48 AM   #14
spearq8
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Re: Carbon fiber question

I find that the secret to being able to work with CF is to use a very slow cure epoxy. I also think it helps to use a vacuum pump and vacuum bag system as that makes the CF pack really well. If you use a vacuum bag and slow epoxy, you can actually stop the vacuum pump after initial set, and pull the stock out and use a very sharp xacto knife with a metal straight edge to cut a perfect line transition between the wood and epoxy. This is possible because the slow epoxy is still soft and the xacto knife will easily cut straight through. You can then put another coat of epoxy and the peel ply and back in the same vacuum bag and vacuum again. I think you should try and avoid sanding the carbon fiber as much as possible. If you do have to sand the CF, do it wet and don't use anything finer than 120 grit as that makes the CF particles larger and less irritating. By adding several coats of epoxy and only then sanding, you are actually only sanding the epoxy and not the CF.I have to say that this is all cosmetic and personally I don't care as much about cosmetics as I do about how a gun shoots. One rough day on a boat and the gun will get scratched up anyway.


Carbon Fiber is an incredibly strong material, and with these new high performance setups using high handle with very shallow triggers, you absolutely need to reinforce the back area as it becomes incredibly thin once you fit a 15mm wide trigger in there. I have seen several guns where the gun actually broke at the trigger area … usually when loading the gun. I prefer to use sleeves rather than CF cloth for spearguns. With a sleeve the CF contours exactly around the outside and it is very easy to get a professional look as there is no seam.
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Old 09-25-2018, 05:07 AM   #15
Mikel_24
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Re: Carbon fiber question

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Originally Posted by deanmc View Post
I just got done doing six coats of epoxy on the entire gun and with sanding in between there is no bump. I'll post pics after I get them assembled.
I am sure your product allows for so many coats of epoxy but beware that some products are not meant for top coats over Xmm thick.

Sometimes too much is... TOO MUCH.

When I did my last gun I applied one top coat only. Special epoxy meant for top coats, thicker than usual. And used a rottisiere setup, so I could really load it up with no risk of it running/dripping.

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