Used CF hood install/compounding(REVISED!!!)

[BadgerType]

Re: Used CF hood install HEADACHE!!!

I got CF hood locks last night in the mail from ebay. The K2 motor ones that have keys. They are perfect because they go around the holes that were already cut in the hood. But yet again they didnt line up at all.

Apparently a j30 and a f23a4 have different front frames because they lined up on the original owners accord perfectly. Unfortunatley for me that was'nt the case. There are holes in the frame already in the space that is about an inch to the left of were they should be so im gonna have to get some washers and drill out a new hole in the frame.

I left the top part in so it looks like they are functional. Ill post pics when I get home. Nothing ever works out as planned.

As for Buffing a carbon fiber hood it can be done you should have seen that hood before i put it on it looked like total sh**. I wouldnt recomend ever using a wool pad because

1. it will swirl

2. it will burn. and you def dont want either of those things to happen because it will ruin it forever. I used a foam light cut/medium polish pad from ardex and never went past 1500rpm.

I used some light cut 1500 for compounding mixed with some thick cake batter gray polish from Extreme Solutions. When you start before you start globbing compounds on you first spread the compound all over the hood like you were applying wax. This will protect the hood and act as a base coat.

After you have a good coat of cut/polish mixture on then you make lines that cover the area you want to start with i usuall do it in 2 or 4 sections at a time. Then you start very slowly so you dont sling compound all over and give the pad a chance to soak up the compound.

Always keep the buffer moving and move in on continuious back and forth motion and repeat. Ill try and post a pic of what the hood looked like prior to the first treatment rough to say the least.

As for selling the hood were did you see that? If I wanted to sell it, it would'nt be on the car and i certainly would not have went through the trouble of tap/dying/buffing/mounting.

I also wanted to point out that not this whole post was directed to the quote that i highlighted. I also edited the post to be in paragraph form an i appologize to the folks who dont like squinting.

Ill post more pics later.

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[nzaf001]

Re: Used CF hood install HEADACHE!!!

try to space it out in paragraphs and space the paragraphs about a line or two apart so it wont give people headaches reading it

Ok thanks sorry if i seemed a bit defensive i always get like that under criticism i will follow these guidlines from now on

 

[nzaf001]

Re: Used CF hood install HEADACHE!!!

Here is my new advice for restoring a CF hood:

Get urself a dewalt 3000rpm buffer and a mean wool pad(spur and air for cleaning)

Glob on some 1000 grit compound real thick like wax and make lines with the compound as well.
(Mask anything you dont want covered in compound sling, a must for noobs!)

Set your buffer to 2200 and let the fun begin. Crosshatch in parallel lines over the panel until all you have is a thin residue resembling swirls.

Repeat process up to 3 times going higher in gittiness of the compound with each pass(1000,1250,1500) Polish that bad boy with a foam pad and oggle at the difference. Waxer up for future protection/swirl deflection. Goodluck

This hood is on its 3rd owner and you should have seen it when i got it sundamaged and scratched to hell now its nex to new besides that hole next to the hood lock were the previous owner ran the hood pin wire. I also found out that its not an off brand hood at all its an OPAK R hood which is a company out of Cali that sells SPOON merchandise. Checkitout---

And the new finish post compounding.

No more spidewebs or dull spots with nearly invisible swirls! A good detailer will tell you thats a tough one to accomplish especially with severe scratchs and a dark colored panel. Proceed with caution and rememer these guidlines:

1. Use the weight of the buffer as the amount of force pressed against the affected panel. Never use your body weight or try and force the pad to the panel this is key to buffing to a swirl free shine.(let the buffer do the work)

2.Don't be sparing with compound. The more compound on the panel the more space between the pad and panel, therfore making it much more difficult to burn the clear. Cover the whole panel with compound like you would with wax and then make lines (above) over the area you will be working on. Start off with the variable speed engaged and work the compound into the affected area slowly before engaging a set rpm.(2200 for cutting in this instance and 1000-1800 for polish/glazing)

3. Keep the buffer moving at ALL times while engaged, when you compound a panel heat is needed to refinish the clear but when the buffer is left spinning in one spot for too long this is when the heat starts to melt the clear hence burning/ruining the paint forever. (Some peolpe never get this one)

Keep these rules in mind and with a little practice you too can be a "Pro"

 

[nzaf001]

Re: Used CF hood install HEADACHE!!!

.

Thanks badgertype as you can see ima noob to forums. I think my next post is a good one. I totally revised and trimmed up alot of my textual diarea.