[Ducati] Carbon Fiber detailing question, please.

[Don Ross]

Thanks Charles...I figured you'd respond. :)

Weight not an issue here...I'm 30 lbs. overweight me own self. :(
Just looking at it in the sun, it's definitely noticeable.
With a 7x eye loupe, one can see millions of these tiny holes in the clear coat/resin filled w/white residue.  
I'll be dead before I can clean all of them out w/a brush, etc.
I'll drop by local auto paint store w/fender in-hand 'n ask them for some wax/grease cleaner.

BTW, these particular pinholes are not clear through the CF...just the routine pits in DP's clear coat/resin.
After buffing, etc., the CF looks good (shiny), but for the millions of tiny white specs.  Boo!
I may also try a bit 'o Pledge to see if that'll dissolve the residue.  What the hell, eh?

Thanks again.

DR



----- Original Message -----
From: the Kid
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 11:56 AM
To: Ducati Owners Group
Subject: Re: [Ducati] Carbon Fiber detailing question, please.

DR, you definitely have a problem there. Ducati performance is all about  
putting as little resin into their carbon as possible, creating hundreds of  
pinholes. Your dilemma might be solved with soaking the piece in hot soapy  
water (use a sponge) to "loosen" the compound/ polish, and then hitting it  
with a power washer. other then that I would use some wax and grease remover  
and a tooth brush. you'll end up stripping off all of your polish, but it  
wont look like it has a skin disease. The only way to make the piece look  
nice is to recoat it, as far as weight, unless you are Loris or Capirossi,  
it isn't going to affect the performance of the machine. I doubt very much  
that those small pieces re-cleared are going to increase but a few ounces at  
most. You will fill them faster and easier by sanding the entire piece,  
mixing up some clear coat, dabbing in the clear over the pinhole with a  
small brush, let dry, re-sand, repeat the steps until holes are filled, and  
then spraying the part with a nice coat of clear. not a huge deal, just time  
consuming. BTW, my candied over "bling" parts are Ducati performance. I did  
the exact thing I just described to you and I dont notice one bit of  
difference in the weight. they just look a lot better, lol.
Charles
http://www.autoartstudio.com

----- Original Message -----  
From: "Don Ross" <moaug at msn.com>
To: "Net List" <ducati at ducati.net>
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 10:37 AM
Subject: [Ducati] Carbon Fiber detailing question, please.



Listers & painting/detailing gurus...

Ducati Performance CF front fender was built for lightness and not foo-foo  
bling...
unlike some other CF parts with a thick/smooth clear coat.
Therefore, lots of teeny-tiny micro holes in the top clear coat of the DP  
CF.
I did a buff job on her recently w/Mequiar's cleaner-polish and the  
teeny-tiny holes are
now filled w/the white residue.  She looks like she has a pox.
How do I remove her white pox?
I tried hot water w/hand soap, alcohol, naptha...nothing works.
Is there some magic ingredient/solution that will work?

Thanks.

DR.