Pro Tips - Finishing Carbon Fiber
Whenever you buy a new carbon fiber piece in the RC world the edges
will not be finished. Finishing the edges will make it stronger,
look nicer, and prevent splitting or getting slivers from it.
If you look at the piece below it’s got a square edge.
You can bevel the edge with some sand paper, emery board, or a
fine file. Be very careful when doing this as carbon fiber dust is
bad for your health and can make you very itchy. When doing this
make sure to have: eye protection, rubber gloves, and a mask is
recommended. Wetting the product down while shaping will keep the
dust from traveling and make cleaner edges. Start on an angle
(roughly 45 degrees) and start shaping. (some rougher cuts need to
be flattened out too)
Once you have shaped it you will see it will smooth right out and
look a lot nicer.
Now that it's all shaped use rubbing alcohol and clean all the dust
off and degrease the piece. Now to seal the edges to protect it.
You can use any CA glue for this and I apply a small amount onto a
q-tip and roll it on to the edges. Be careful when doing this
because some CA's will have a reaction to fabrics and items like
Q-tips so it may get warm and will have a bad smell.
Now that it's all sealed let it dry and enjoy the finished product.
