Exterior Finishing

Clearwater Composites offers a variety of exterior finishes to provide our customers with turnkey solutions.

Various exterior finish options are available on all carbon fiber products. Typical options are:

1. Standard Finish – “Cello-wrap”

Cello-wrap is slang for describing the textured exterior of carbon fiber tubes made using the roll wrapping process.  As shown in the photo to the right, the surface of the carbon fiber tube is slightly textured with small resin ridges, about 0.001″ thick.

 cello-wrap

2. Sanded Finish

Smooth exterior finish with a matte-like exterior where the tubes are the color of graphite (greyish).  This is seen in the two tubes on the left side of the picture (the three tubes on the right have cello-wrap finish)

 Sanded and cello-wrap carbon fiber tube

3. Ground Finish

Ground finish refers to centerless grinding the carbon fiber tubes to a precise OD tolerance.  The carbon fiber tubing has the same matte-like finish as sanded, but with an added advantage of tighter OD tolerances.

 Seven Carbon Fiber Tubes

4. Clearcoat Finish

The clearcoat finish is generally a glossy exterior that brings out the carbon fiber “look” of the carbon fiber tubes.  The clearcoat also provides UV resistance to sunlight exposure.  The picture to the right  shows the difference between a cello-wrap and clearcoated carbon fiber tube with the 2×2 twill carbon fabric.

 2x2 twill carbon fiber tube clearcoated

5. Painted Finish

A painted exterior in various colors is possible.  Although this is not a popular choice for most of our customers, it is common for carbon fiber fishing rods, golf shafts and softball bats.