Painting carbon frame w/aluminum lugs

[Ellingferd]

I am in the process of stripping my 09 bmc team machine slt01 down to bare carbon and bare aluminum lugs. I'd like to paint the lugs black, but because of the way the joints where the tubes meet the lugs, the paint will extend onto the tubes a bit (hopefully that makes sense). I know I need to use etch primer on the aluminum, but is there a risk etch primer will damage the carbon? Can you use etch primer on carbon? My guess is no, but this is my first foray into this arena so I thought I'd ask. Otherwise I'm going to polish the aluminum and leave it bare (but I'd like to have them black if possible). Thanks!

[shlammed]

just scuff up the aluminum really well, with ~220 grit by hand and you wont have any problem with using a primer that isn't specifically etching. I would think the chemicals to make the product etch would damage carbon.


You could also try some of those plastic covering products that seem to be trendy but they might flake with use. i.e., plastidip.

[Ellingferd]

I thought about plastidip as well, but wasn't sure if that would work on bare carbon or if it contained some compounds that may harm it over time. Although I imagine if it doesn't affect a clear coat, it is fine on carbon. Plastidip may be cool as a means of changing colors periodically without the rigor of sanding an repainting.....seems a little cheap though.