Would like to get my bike frame (steel) at Bob Jacksons but would like my carbon disc fork sprayed the same colour.

It has a thick clear lacquer and graphics under the lacquer – is it just a case of a fine wet and dry to take it down to the carbon – then send the forks away with the frame – seems a bit dodgy sanding down carbon forks…….

Anybody done it? Seem to remember seeing some of Singular Sam’s done this way?

I’d leave the laquer alone, phone the painters and see what they say, thye might have a paint that will stick to the fork as it is.

The Laquer is probably just the gelcoat, in which case it’s the same material all the way through the fork so sanding it down wont help except to key the surface.

I thought rather than just key the surface of the lacquer, they would need to take the decals off otherwise it would not be an even surface to spray??

You’ll be fine to sand them. We sand carbon boat masts before re-lacquering/varnishing them…. but as already said, you may be fine painting on top of the lacquer but the finish may not be as good.

Cool – has anybody already done this? What grade paper did you use?

I wouldn’t take it down too far. Just sand them down to smooth the surface and any edges that the stickers cause. tbh they could probably just give them a light sand to prep and then use a high build primer and then sand that back before spraying in the colour coat.

Do the stickers actually leave a ridge?

I had a pair of exotic carbon forks colour matched to a Swift. The painter just keyed the gel coat and sprayed ontop of that. Finish was fine but the weave did show ever so slightly as did the decals, probably more to do with the gel coat than the painters ability.

It’s a pair of Trigon carbon forks btw.

I presume that the painter would have to air dry the forks rather than heat/oven dry the forks?

iI suspect that a quick rub with a grey scotchbrite pad will be all that’s done to prep it for paint if the current finish is ok. Gives a 1200 grit or so scuff to the surface.

See my carbon fork thread. I used steel wool, I was a bit pissed and couldn’t find the wet and dry.

Any other examples that weren’t carried out under the influence of alcohol?

Unlikely but I’ll have a think