The trim pieces that I covered have a rolled edge on both top and bottom. Also the front doors and the dash trim pieces are curved. Carbon fiber is typically used as a reinforcement layer in structural parts. So when you wet the carbon fiber it tends to stick up due to the structural properties of it. I wanted a fairly heavy ounce material so the fibers would show though. After talking to some people about the project it was recommended that I vacuum bag the pieces of trim in order to roll the carbon around the rolled edge of the parts.
Let me say that this project requires a lot of time and patience. With that being said I needed to remove all of the trim from the door cards and from the dash. Okay this should be easy right? Guess again…the doors yes…it was cake but the dash is another story. Four or five hours later the trim is finally out but I needed to put it all back together because it’s my daily.
Now with the trim removed I made wood bases for the parts to sit on so I could vacuum bag them down. I took 2x4’s and traced the shape of the part on then, took it to a band saw and cut them out.
After that all of that the materials could be cut. The carbon fiber, peel ply, blotter and the bag itself. The real trick is getting the weave lined up straight without any kinks, bends, or other imperfections. I left about a 1/2” hang over the part on all sides and then trimmed it later once it was dry.
After the vacuum bagging process is done I built up about 3 or 4 layers of resin and wet sanded in between each. Then once I was satisfied with the finish I applied 3 coats of clear coat and wet sanded with 1500. I finished up with buffing compound to get a clear glossy look.
The before:
The after:
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Originally Posted by big_greasy_taco
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