alfredmaul

In regards to this: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hreadid=527268, which yielded -- thanks again for your responses -- the answer that a carbon fiber fork should never be mediablasted by anything, I'm sad to now ask ---

-- if there is something I can do about the mediablasted fork? (Through some amusing circumstances it ended up getting blasted anyways, but I will spare you the details). I've already paid for it [the fork] and am curious if it is possible to apply some bonding epoxy resin to it to make it suitable to use for the bicycle I am building. Would it be best to just take it to a place such as this: https://www.calfeedesign.com/howtosendrepair.htm ?

Here are some pictures, but you may cringe.
https://www.shackpics.com/viewer.x?fi...snn6cvehsd.jpg
https://www.shackpics.com/viewer.x?fi...1gqnieqzdx.jpg
https://www.shackpics.com/viewer.x?fi...gd1wlgpkca.jpg

The fork is from a Jamis 06 Coda Comp -- "Fork" Carbon fiber blades with brake bosses -- and I wonder if I should not just try to find a replacement fork? Ideas or suggestions, even if you couple them with some disparaging remarks such as "Why was the fork mediablasted you fool?!," are more than welcome and, of course, appreciated.

Apologies if this is a redundant question asked elsewhere on the forums, like my last post was. I was too hasty in posting that one and may be too hasty in posting this.

Thank you, truly.

Butterthebean

I think you should take it to a place like this....no joke.

HillRider

It's impossible to be definite without seeing and testing the fork but my first reaction is that the fork is toast and should be discarded. The blasting medium probably damaged much more than the surface coat and the superficial resin. It likely damaged the structural carbon interior and, I personally, would never trust it for anything.

Calfee could possibly repair it, or at least tell you if it is salvagable, but the cost would likely be more than a good replacement fork.

Dr.Deltron

They look ready to paint to me.
I was expecting much worse. What "media" did you use?

I can personally attest to NOT using chemical strippers though, as Kestrel & I both got to see the effects it had on my MXZ frame. But the repair they did lasted for many years of hard riding.

So hand sanding is best, but I would think you'd be OK using a small pressure blaster and some fine media. The trick is to just blast enough to get most of the paint off. Hand sand the details & paint away.

Kestrel is trying to prevent you from taking your frame out to the country and having the farm equipment painter guy blast it with #20 mesh sand at 500 psi.

DaveSSS 

I agree that it doesn't look that bad. It just shows that some filler was used to smooth the thing up prior to its first paint job. It would be good to know what media was used. Some are probably safe, like glass beads or soda blasting. Plain old sand blasting would require low pressure and the finest sand.

I don't see any loose fibers. Apply a couple of coats of sandable primer and then smooth it up with 400-600 grit.

alfredmaul

I will take it into a bike shop to see if they can stress test the fork; I have to wait to find out where the fork was blasted and at what PSI.


And thanks for the responses, though the first one was a little disheartening

HillRider

They were supposed to be!! Evaluating that fork from the pictures is difficult and my reaction is always to be on the safe side. Forks are cheaper than teeth.

I do know what Kestrel said in the instructions that came with my EMS Pro fork; "Don't blast it with ANYTHING!" and I tend to take them at their word.

Butterthebean

I'm sorry to be so doom and gloom. You certainly may get a different opinion from somebody who has more experience with CF forks than I've had.

In the meantime, how about some pointless bike porn to lift your spirits?

Metzinger

^That'll teach Gordon Brown for whatever it is he messed up.

LarDasse74

Saw one of the legs off that fork and throw it away.

The "filler" does not appear to be filler - it is more likely the epoxy holding the carbon fiber wrap on the aluminum crown underneath. The reason it is visible is because the carbon fiber overwrap (probably a cosmetic wrap) has been stripped away. My concern is that if the cosmetic carbon is stripped away, how much of the structural carbon is stripped away. Unless you can answer with near 100% certainty that zero carbon has been removed, throw it away. As someone said above - forks are cheaper than teeth.

nitropowered

Aluminum crown forks aren't really wrapped. They are socketed and they just glue in the blades

LarDasse74

What is the black stuff on the crown in the OP's pics?

(I assumed it was a cosmetic layer of CF but I don't know for sure)