I don't have more than one-two attempts at Carbon Fiber "wrapping".
I can tell you it sure isn't as easy as "OH! I can do that!" as I thought after watching numerous youtube videos. But with more practice I'll get the hang of it. The material is really not very low cost so I hope it doesn't take to much practice to get it down.
My first attempt at Carbon Fiber vinly wrapping was to attempt a crf230 number side panel.
I can't tell you how many side panels I have thrown away the last 2 years that just couldn't be sanded out so bad were they in scratches and gouges. Having watched many car wrapping videos i thought I could save lots of side panels (and cost to replace) by covering in carbon fiber. This would also give me more color choice options, while also giving an extra layer of protection to the plastics.
All went fairly well in my experiment til I got down to the last couple of inches.
(Click on photos to enlarge)
Then I fought it - or it fought me all the way. No amount of re-stretching or heating seemed to work it out. I fought wrinkles and bubbles til I had to put it away for another day--- fresh brain start.
After many many tiny steps (lil by lil) I began to gain on it. I am still not happy with MY results and would NOT put it on a bike until i get it right, I was able to get a semi-decent completion. I did a terrible job cutting the edges too.
On another attempt I thought to avoid some of the problems I'd had I would try covering less material & seeing if I could get some cleaner cuts than the butcher job I'd done on the full coverage.
Having watched several videos on a product called "Knifeless Tape" I hoped for better results.
What I get for hoping, I guess. Again I didn't do a great job of it- but again I think it is 'practice' and not the product.
See videos on youtube on "Knifeless Tape." Great videos on car wraps.
example video on HOW TO USE: 3M- Cookies TIPS- Knifeless Tape- Wrapping Vehicles
One of the main ideas for using this tape is to avoid using a regular cutting knife to cut out material thereby cutting into the plastic/material.
I found it very hard to turn small corners while trying to keep the tape in a flat position. Straight lines were very easy. I didn't leave long enough beginning tail pieces which made getting the Tape started hard, but once started the tiny 'string' in the tape cut pretty straight lines thru the Carbon Fiber material.
I had to hold on to the rounded corners though to keep it from ripping. Again I think it was way i had laid it down in the tight rounds that was the main problem. On the right side there the green tape is almost a point rather than the round I tried to get.
Finished attempt.
Not sure how much "practice" I can continue to afford :) But if i can get it down so i can cover bad panels, then I can save 20 bucks per panel in the future.
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