XCR Black Epoxy Basecoat

XCR™ XCR Black Epoxy Basecoat is an ultra-black epoxy primer coat intended for use when 'skinning' or 'wrapping' parts with carbon fibre. The purpose of the skinning basecoat is to bond the carbon fibre reinforcement to the original part being covered whilst at the same time providing a strong black background for the carbon, preventing the colour of the original component being visible from under the carbon fabric.

XCR Black Epoxy Basecoat is designed specifically for use with our XCR Epoxy Coating Resin; the two resins working together to fully bond the carbon fibre to the original part and then provide a hard-wearing, highly polish-able, UV stabilised gloss finish.

In common with the XCR Epoxy Coating Resin, XCR Black Epoxy Basecoat has been formulated for rapid cure and will reach its 'B-stage' within just a few hours. Once the basecoat has reached its B-stage it will be firm but still tacky which is the correct point at which the carbon fibre should be pressed down only it. The basecoat should then be allowed to cure further before layers of XCR Epoxy Coating Resin are applied over the top of the carbon fibre.

To see how XCR Black Epoxy Basecoat is used as part of the XCR Carbon Fibre Skinning process, take a look at the video tutorial below for our XCR Carbon Fibre Skinning Starter Kit and scan through to the section 'Mix and Apply Basecoat'.

How to Cover Existing Parts in Carbon Fibre - XCR Skinning Tutorial

Further Information

Compatible Materials

It's important to be aware that some plastics (including polypropylene, polyethylene, HDPE and others) can be very difficult to bond to. Parts made using these or similar plastics are unsuitable for skinning or would need to be prepared with a suitable primer which is capable of bonding to the specific plastic. If you are unsure, test a small area first before proceeding.

In some case it is possible that the pigments in the basecoat will settle to the bottom of the container during transit or storage. We always recommend giving the bottle a good shake to redistribute this pigment but if this is insufficient to produce the strong black colour then you may need to physically stir the resin in the bottle to bring back the density of colour.

Compatibility Information - Dos and Don'ts

Although by no means an exhaustive list, the materials, pigments and additives listed below have all been tested and are known to work well with XCR Basecoat Resin.

• Compatible Moulds
• Epoxy, Polyester & Vinylester mould systems
• EPS & PU foams/modelboards.
• Carbon & glass woven fabrics
• Natural fabrics & materials - eg flax, jute, denim, cotton etc.
• Wood

• Compatible Pigments
• Already pigmented Black.

• Compatible Fillers
• All dry filler powders
• Metal Powders
• Photoluminescent (glow in the dark) powders

Key Processing Information

• Ease of Use
• Suitable for professional and hobby use (follow SDS advice).

• Odour
• XCR Basecoat Resin is almost odourless.

• Safety Precautions
• Wear gloves and goggles and work in a well ventilated area. Always read the SDS before use.

• Ambient Conditions
• Can be used from 15 to 30°C although pot-life and cure time will be affected significantly. For best results laminating at an ambient of 20-25°C is required.

• Degassing
• Not necessary. Simply mix and use.

• Mix Ratio
• Mix 'Resin and 'Hardener' 3:1 by weight. Use digital scales.

• Mixing
• Shake bottle to distribute pigment before measuring out. Mix thoroughly by hand for at around 1 minute.

• Pot-Life
• 33 minutes. Be sure to pour your casting(s) before this time.

• Exotherm (Over-Heating)
• Resin will heat-up whilst it cures. Very large batches of mixed resin in a pot will quickly overheat (exotherm) and can smoke/ignite. Never leave mixed resin unattended.

• Maximum Thickness
• Maximum thickness per layer is 1mm.

• Overcoat Time
• 1 hour 40 minutes at 20°C

• Initial Cure Time/Demould
• Initial cure time is 3 hours 40 minutes to touch dry. Full hardness achieved over 24 hours, ambient temperature dependent.

For more detailed process specific information, full instructions and mechanical data, please download the technical datasheet from the datasheets tab.