Bicycle Mechanics - Sanding Carbon fiber wheels to remove Decals

Got a set of wheels, hate the decals and want stealth mode.

But...they put a thin clear coat over the decals/wheels.

Anybody remove clear coat and stickers on carbon wheels?

I'm guessing I could just sand it/wet sand, and hit it with some store bought clear coat to match what I took off?

Any tips appreciated.

Anybody remove clear coat and stickers on carbon wheels?


NB, the lacquer protects the Carbon fiber , can't you just live with the logos on there?,
and just ride the bike..?

Maybe a little spray paint that matches the color & finish of the wheels would do the trick. Just stay away from paint that is solvent based.

If you don't like them why did you buy them?

If you don't like them why did you buy them?

He likes the wheels and hates the decals?

He likes the wheels and hates the decals?

So he likes the sin, but hates the sinner?

He likes the wheels and hates the decals?


Wait, that makes too much sense.

Because I want stealth mode, and to lose 30 grams...what's wrong with that?!?!

I found some threads at weight weenies...several guys have done that and gave me some tips. Basically sanding, finer grain to hit the sticker, once you hit the sticker, you know how thick the clear coat is and can take it from there. Then use some clear coat after finishing it all off/wet sanding to match the stock.

Time consuming, but winter is coming up.

30 grams of decals?

That's a load of decals.

What manufacturer of weight-sensitive components would add 30 grams of decals?

i feel like any sanding, even with a wet stone, your prone to scratch the surface. matte black or grey paint might do you better.

I think 30 grams is a bit much for decals, but 30 grams is pretty obsolete anyways in the grand scheme of things.

I would use a cutting torch to reomve the decals...works like a charm...LOL

DO you realize that the clear coat they put in the carbon is not rattle can spray clear from rustoleum right?

Most CF bike parts explode spontaneously even without alterations by users, or so I've read on BF.

I'd learn to love the decals. Especially on parts that spin, support weight and provide control.

I'd just put some black reflective tape over them.

I'd just put some black reflective tape over them.

Geez, dude, you're talking about adding a bunch of grams. Totally wrongheaded approach for this mission.

With the money you've spent on the wheels, I would not be sanding & spraying rattle can paint / clear over them. I'd take them to a body shop and have them wet sanded & professionally painted and / or cleared to your liking.

Geez, dude, you're talking about adding a bunch of grams. Totally wrongheaded approach for this mission.

yeah, but they are LBDs.

What are LBDs?

DO you realize that the clear coat they put in the carbon is not rattle can spray clear from rustoleum right?


I was going to just use a paint brush and lacquer...

Are the decals under the suface "coating" you are talking about? if they aren't, the surface which you think might be just a clear coat paint might actually be the resin that holds the carbon fiber material together.......don't sand it....

Chombi

I'd just put some black reflective tape over them.
Now there is a good use of the deep V section rim .

perhaps a source of black in daylight , reflective at night. tape can be offered
as an internet link.

I wouldn't use lacquer that paint it might be too hot for carbon. Use something called U-pol clear #1, u will spray it and will be dry like in 15 mins, the best thing is that will filter u/v rays, u can find the product in any shop that sells descent car paint. Second option, use tamiya clear coat, just use the paint brush, it will level nicely, u can thin it with water or alcohol, the part i dont know is if wont turn yellow due to U/V rays, lacquer as i'm thinking u are going to use almost all the time gets yellow.

Good luck.


I was going to just use a paint brush and lacquer...

Not all clear coat products are compatible. You're going to want to play with a few different ones to find the one which "blends" with the exsiting clear coat and doesn't cause a difraction effect due to different refractive indices between the two clears. That fancy mumbo jumbo is a way of saying that if you don't match the properties of the clear coats that you'll end up with a funky cloudy line around at the overlap. This doesn't mean you have to use the exact clear as the original. Just that it has to be the same or nearly the same optical properties. You may also run into a issue of the actual mechanical bond between the product on the rims and what you're putting onto it. If it's not mechanically and chemically compatible it could either flake away or it may even soften and cause the existing clear to lift. Lacquer would be a prime candidate for a fill in finish which may well soften and bubble up the existing clear. So test with a small spot.

Along with the lacquer there's a number of clear oil and water based polyurethane varnishes which may work as well. The trick will be to put a small dot of each product onto the sanded area right by the edge of the label. If you get it right the dot will go clear and basically look like you didn't sand that spot. If there's a bonding or optical incompatibilty it'll scratch off with your fingernail easily and/or it'll look cloudy or somehow funky in some way.

What are LBDs?

you don't know of load bearing decals?

you don't know of load bearing decals?

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o305/spike110820/smile.gif

How could I forget?

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o305/spike110820/thumbsupicon2ii.gif

I have the decals off of one wheel.

Basically, I contacted a few carbon fiber bike repair places, one guy said, just sand it, get the decals off, then hit is with a clear coat...good to go.

So, I started with 400 grit, got basically nowhere after a long time. Then went to 150, was better, but still taking awhile...then just broke out my emory cloth.

Used the emory cloth gently, then I used goof-off and acetone alternatively once I was into the decals to soften them, then back with the emory.

Finally after alternating and then some steel wool with this method, all gone.

Looks like there is no clear under the sticker, if so, it was very little. So now it is dull and just a few places the carbon is coming through what was sanded off as expected.

I'm thinking just some stain clear coat since it isn't gloss or flat already, and it should match pretty well. Or I could just hit it with clear coat, and if it doesn't match, just go over the whole wheel with wet sand real quick, dull it all out for a flat black look and wax/buff it.

After going to the emory cloth method, and the goof-off and acetone technique, it went pretty quickly, maybe 90 minutes to remove 6 decals and 1 1/2 sheet of emory cloth cut into strips.

Another carbon place said they use a solvent that is safe for the carbon epoxy to remove cleat coat and decals off of bikes, then treat/repair and finish a repair.

I think if I stay away from any solvent based clear coat, no issues. I will get it to match one way or another.

Thanks for the info for those that offered it.

After before clear coat.


http://i55.tinypic.com/11vp1sg.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/10s8b9u.jpg

Rear wheel was a nightmare. They put the decal right on the carbon/epoxy layer, then clear coat over. Front had some clear, then decal, then clear. So I had to grind it out with brute force and left some deep scratches from the emory cloth, then hit it with 150 and 400 wet to smooth it before clear coating.

Used some Vaspar satin clear coat with UV blocking properties out of the can. Since I emailed a pro carbon frame repair place, the guy was nice and said it was a home job, and not for them, and said what I was doing was completely fine. They basically do the same thing in the shop.


http://i56.tinypic.com/ank5ts.jpg


http://i53.tinypic.com/2n8q8wl.jpg


http://i56.tinypic.com/153tl6a.jpg

Looks good but from 400 to 150 grit is not the way to do things, the idea is go from havier grit to lighter grit, when i rear emery cloth I almost...

Well looks good :)

Looks good but from 400 to 150 grit is not the way to do things, the idea is go from havier grit to lighter grit, when i rear emery cloth I almost...

Well looks good :)


I went Emory cloth, 150, 400 dry, then 400 wet. That got it pretty smooth with just a few deep spots in places that the emory cut into due to the decals on the rear being right on the carbon/epoxy later. The front wheel had clear, decal, then another clear. So removing/sanding those was pretty easy and the surface is beautiful.

The clear coat filled in any minor scratches still in the rear wheel due to the decal being right on the carbon/epoxy layer the emory cloth left.

Heat, acetone, nor goof-off would get the decals off. I had to use the emory cloth to sand them off right down to the epoxy/carbon layer they were sitting on. But I wasn't getting any black carbon dust ever. Which means I will still on the clear layers and decal and not damaging the carbon. The dust was always white/residue white.

The slight roughness now is due to the clear coat being sprayed and not having 1000 grit since Lowes didn't even carry it. I just used some rubbing compound and removed much of the roughness. Some 1000 grit wet would be nice with a buff afterwards to get it real smooth. But comparing it to a tubular carbon wheel I have, the surface isn't that much rougher, so I'm not so concerned about the additional roughness.

From talking with a few carbon frame repair guys, either my method of just sanding, then heat to remove stickers is what they do. Or some use safe chemicals to remove clear coat/paint that don't go into the epoxy/carbon and won't damage the structure. But either method works. If I did it again, I would prefer a chemical method to remove the clear/decal, then some prep sanding before re-shooting the clear. Sanding is a lot of work, and it has to be done by hand due to the spokes and other delicate parts of the wheel assembled.

Live and learn. Wasn't that bad at all. Just time consuming and my fingers hurt for a few days.


Edit: picked up some 1500 wet from the local auto parts store. Best place to find that stuff in case anybody wants to know. Wet sanded the surface, wiped it down, then waxed the wheels. Smoother than my tubulars from a well known wheel company now...sweet.

Stealth mode is sweet. Next time, just buy wheels I can remove the decals off of easily, or that come with no decals.

Hi there, big bump i guess, but i would like to get more info on how you did this, i am planning to do it myself, as i cannot find a company that will....
Help me out please!

I hate to point this out after all your hard work but - have you noticed the writing on your tyres? They're not stealth, people will still see you coming. And what about that fancy racing jersey with all those furrin adverts on? I think this is a work in progress....
Just a thought

Anyway, never mind all this twaddle, how do I get an emoticon into this post?