kiztope

Hey all,
I had a carbon fiber hood painted recently to match the attached picture.
$1100 later, when I received the hood, I found that the painted area had been cleared, however, the carbon area was not, which gives the painted area a sharp edge which wax/compound gets stuck on.
I assumed that I would be getting hood with a smooth finish with smooth transitions from paint to cf. When I asked about it, I was told that I didn't ask for the entire hood to be cleared, so I'm out of luck.


Help me set my expectations properly! Should I have had to ask for the thing to be fully cleared, or was the assumption reasonable for the cost?

DUB

I would have CLEARLY ASKED you about this if I were to have painted it and NOT assumed that you did not want the carbon fiber clear coated over....because IF you said that you DID NOT want the carbon fiber clearcoated on top of... I would have let you know that you WOULD have a line where the clear stops. Not only that ...applying clearcoat on top of carbon fiber when you want the effect of the carbon fiber to show is best for the best look due to giving it more depth.

ALSO...Even IF you did not want the carbon fiber clear coated ...which would save you money due to not having to prep it...the painter...if they knew what they were doing ...could have masked it off in a way that when it was clearcoated. They could have removed the vinyl masking tape that was used to keep the blue paint off of the carbon fiber RIGHT AFTER they clear coated it and the thick layer of freshly applied clear would lay down and flow....instead of unmasking the area AFTER it had dried and the edge of clear formed to the edge of the masking tape...thus giving you a sharp line.

Now what I just mentioned works but not if they used the same tape to protect the carbon fiber when they primed, sealed and painted the hood and this sharp edge would be there due to all of the layers of different products used when painting the hood and the ONLY way to get rid of that would be to apply clear on that exposed edge .if the tape were removed BEFORE it was clear coated.

It seems like a bit of miscommunication from both sides. you not letting them know what you want.....and them not telling you what you can expect..

In my world... 'CLEARCOATING 'the hood is just that...the entire hood.. And the ONLY time that changes is if an add on part is bolted to the hood that is a painted satin finish. Or..Unless like I wrote above... I am told otherwise.

Not knowing how many hours they had in this to get to that price.....I feel like they were not looking out for your best interests and BEING THE PROFERSSIONALS and knowing things due to panting cars for living. I would ASSUME that they would have talked with you about that and now turn it back on YOU saying that you did not specify it. Because if the hood was presented to THEM and you said: "Paint and match it to my car". I cannot see HOW they would not get into it more than that and find out what your expectations were. Because when you said to them to "paint and match it to my car". I would have clearcoat the ENTIRE hood. I was not there...so I do not know that all went down. I am amazed that they did not paint the ENTIRE hood all the blue and not show any of the carb fiber at that point. And if they said they would "Clearcoat the hood'...then they should have entirely cover the hood in clear.

This may be hard to get right DEPENDING on how they did it. Sanding on that sharp edge can cause you to remove the blue and POSSIBLY exposé the color of the primer or sealer they used.

At the price you paid...and adding in the added time to prep the carbon fiber it should not have raised the costs that much....IF they know how to prep surfaces correctly.

DUB

bazza77

I know some GREAT painters around here and they talk over each job several times when they get someone who isn't sure what they want ,they go through several different things they can do and what the possible side effects are later etc. so at the end of the initial meeting , both parties are clear on what's going to happen , how long and how much its going to cost .And it's in writing.

Sounds like your painter isn't good at dealing with the public .

At any time did he talk about the effects of masking off the carbon parts ? That may be your only lifeline here, If he didn't discuss it with you , you assumed there wouldn't be one !