carbon fiber help - complicated shape

before I get stoned for not checking the FAQs and tutorial, I actually have gone though all of them here, in SPC and at Brian's model car site. the tutorials always looks so easy :) I tried the masking tape template method and I just can't seem to cover this item properly without warping the carbon decal pattern. I hope you guys can give me an advice if this piece can actually be covered in a one piece carbon fiber or am I better of splitting it up into 4 pieces or so? thanks in advance!

part in question is the Aston Martin DBS rear diffuser:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/CRV18s/models/IMG_2285.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/CRV18s/models/IMG_2284.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/CRV18s/models/IMG_2283.jpg

I'm not experienced enough with CF, and want to start getting more experience, and CF parts like the DBS rear diffuser. I don't know how the pros do it! I can barely get my Scalemotorsport CF to lay down on any surface during my practice runs! I'm baffled.

I'm with you BVC500, I'm doing okay with big flat surfaces like car hoods but with a complex shape like this, no success. i've already wasted a ton of carbon fiber decal. I've tired museum collection, crazymodeller and scalemotorsports hi definition carbon fiber. no luck on all 3.

I do think with this part, you'll have to do the winglets ( or vertical pieces?) separately, then maybe one piece for the areas between the winglets, and another piece for the sides, being careful to line up the pattern.

My question is: for the winglet, do you attach one side first, let it dry, then do another side, etc.? B/c I have a hard time getting all sides to stick at the same time.

looks like multiple pieces is the way to go. you would definitely need to let one part dry before putting on another one. I'm just worried that microsol will make the first decals wrinkle again.

Here you can find pics and description how I did it (about in the middle of the page):

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1053906&page=3

On the next page you will find all of the shapes I have cut for the interior.

You have to cut multiple pieces of the decal to cover all of the shapes.

One piece? Noooo. :disappoin Decal film simply does not have the ability to warp and bend around a highly complicated 3D part like this.

If I decided I absolutely had to have this part covered in CF decal, there would be a dozen or more individual decal pieces. (It would be a monstrous effort.) Macio's method is the correct and time honored way of going about it. Stick some high quality masking tape (Tamiya tape or similar) to the part, and use it to make pattern shapes for the decals.

To make this thing look like carbon fibre, I personally would paint it black, and then lightly airbrush over it with gunmetal. Clearcoated with lots of clear gloss, it would have the color and appearance of CF, but not the weave pattern. But for a part like a diffuser that doesn't get much light anyway (under and behind the car), a bright obvious decal weave pattern is probably going to look overstated anyway.

MPWR speaks the truth. I see min 13 pieces (complicated) but rather 17 simpler shapes to cover this part. I would estimate at least 2-3 hours to get it right plus time for clear coating.

I personally would go for it but it is a personal choice.

I personally would go for it but it is a personal choice.


Ditto! Damn these exotics and their use of carbon fiber!

Solvaset and a hair dryer ;)

Solvaset and a hair dryer ;)

always leaves me with split ends. :shakehead

I also use alot of water also to keep the decal from wrinkling and getting overlaps on the decal, and just very carefully let it stick to the part. takes me alot longer to do parts, the bumper he has mentioned will prolly take me 5-6 hours to do

The way I see it, you'd have the main bumper as one-piece and then seperate pieces for each blade of the diffuser. Lining up the weave would be a pain though. Alternative method to MPWR's painting suggestion is to paint it with a black base, then lightly spray silver/gun metal through a pair of tights stretched over the part. Should give a subtle patterned effect.

always leaves me with split ends. :shakehead

:rofl: :rofl:

...assuming you've got something still up there to split...


I agree with the "lottsa pieces" lobby. Probably impossible to do with one piece and still look nice.

I started this DBS kit a few weeks ago (and then stalled after getting the body in colour :s) When I finally get to this diffuser, I am definitely not going to be covering it in CF because I just don't want to spen the money time and effort on this part of the build :)

But as Maciek rightly says, it's all about personal choice and what floats your boat in a given project.

To make this thing look like carbon fibre, I personally would paint it black, and then lightly airbrush over it with gunmetal. Clearcoated with lots of clear gloss, it would have the color and appearance of CF, but not the weave pattern. But for a part like a diffuser that doesn't get much light anyway (under and behind the car), a bright obvious decal weave pattern is probably going to look overstated anyway.


^^ you could do this, and then place CF decal only to the areas which 'show' (upper/vertical surfaces), leaving the lower (less visible areas) painted, then clear coat the whole together, for even texture (smooth) surface effect...possibly tint the clear, to blend the transition for effect

I would also add that there is no other way to achieve good results other than practice/experience. Practice and practice again and then it become much easier than appears.

I use Gunze solution (pretty strong) and Microscale which is much more forgiving. I make decals softer with help of a hairdryer as well. The slower and more patient you go the better results you get.

The more complicated decal shape the longer time to lay it down. Much quicker and easier is to brake shape into small pieces and every small piece is an eye blink to lay down.

I would also add that there is no other way to achieve good results other than practice/experience.

I would accept this as a maxim.

thanks for all the feedback guys! you learn something new everyday on here :) looks like I was a bit to ambitious with the 1 piece cf decal.

macio4ever, I love your arta nsx thread! the full carbon interior is amazing. looks like the multiple piece template is the way to go.

I'm looking at this as a challenge and will give this a try again with the multiple patterns. If that fails again (my 4th try) then it will definitely be covered in black and mist coats of gunmetal as suggested by MPWR.

you could paint it first, then try the decals on top of that, that way even if the decals you cut/apply don't fill the edges/corners, the paint will conceal it

thanks for all the feedback guys! you learn something new everyday on here :) looks like I was a bit to ambitious with the 1 piece cf decal.

macio4ever, I love your arta nsx thread! the full carbon interior is amazing. looks like the multiple piece template is the way to go.

I'm looking at this as a challenge and will give this a try again with the multiple patterns. If that fails again (my 4th try) then it will definitely be covered in black and mist coats of gunmetal as suggested by MPWR.

I would suggest to prepare surface with semi-gloss black. As Garnet garnet said in case that you will cut decal too small it won't be noticable.

Try simple shapes and cut them in the same direction from one big piece of the decal - probably you will manage to keep all the pattern lines in order.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Macio4ever/carbon1.jpg

Cut decals bigger to overlap so you will not have to have very, very precise shapes.

i yield to Macro4ever and MPWR on this subject, they really know thier stuff :)

Macro, why flat black rather then the black/gunmetal then decals?

i'm just thinking about the contrast between the glossy decal and flat paint vs glossy decal on glossy/gunmetal paint finish.....maybe it doesn't matter since a liberal gloss coat is going over the whole afterwards?

i'm just learning this also, so this is great help to me too, from your experience, thx


I would suggest to prepare surface with semi-gloss black. As Garnet garnet said in case that you will cut decal too small it won't be noticable.

Try simple shapes and cut them in the same direction from one big piece of the decal - probably you will manage to keep all the pattern lines in order.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Macio4ever/carbon1.jpg

Cut decals bigger to overlap so you will not have to have very, very precise shapes.

Flat is big no, no under the decals because it may trap air and cause "silvering". I said: semi gloss black or even better you can use gloss black.

The dried decal is semi gloss (I use SMS and S27) so it will perfectly match to surface finish. What's more if you are going to use clear coat it will make all gloss anyway without any problem.

If you see at the decals under direct light you will see that (some of them) are semi transparent and depending on the surface color you may get different results in terms of overall carbon color.

I would suggest to try on both black and gun metal and compare which one matches better the original car part or effect you want to achieve.

my bad, you did say semi, not flat

Flat is big no, no under the decals because it may trap air and cause "silvering". I said: semi gloss black or even better you can use gloss black.

The dried decal is semi gloss (I use SMS and S27) so it will perfectly match to surface finish. What's more if you are going to use clear coat it will make all gloss anyway without any problem.

If you see at the decals under direct light you will see that (some of them) are semi transparent and depending on the surface color you may get different results in terms of overall carbon color.

I would suggest to try on both black and gun metal and compare which one matches better the original car part or effect you want to achieve.