Top Layer Post Processing

After you waited enough tome for the resin to completely cure you can proceed with next step - sanding the top layer and cleaning up the openings and sides. Every step can be taken at your leisure - you can leave the project at any stage here. The resin layer will be very transparent and shiny but the carbon fiber fabric will look a little puffy, as if it was not flattened well. This to extent is due to top layer not being completely flat and reflecting light differently and this is what we will work on now:

Clean up openings and sides

Again you will have to clean all openings and edges from residue resin. If you cleaned the basecoat well previous stages the resin will come off very easy as it does not stick well to PLA. Proceed in same fashion as before to clean and sand all edges:

Resin does not stick well to PLA and is easily removed with knife

Sand with 180 Grit

At this stage will be the bulk of the sanding. Usually here I proceed directly to wet sanding as it is much faster. Using 180p sandpaper you have to flatten as much as possible the top surface. While at it you can also sand the outside edges if needed. You want to remove any dents and low spots if possible, aim for completely flat look. You will get quite hazy finish, but again if wetted you will see how the end finish would look. After you complete this step wash the item and change the water:

Wet sand with 180p

Dry look at 180p

Wet look at 180p

Sand with 400 Grit

Usually at this step i go for 240p, but as I was out of it I proceeded directly with 400p. It takes a little longer sanding time this way but still is fine. Proceed in same fashion - wet sand - sand edges - wash and change water:

Wet sand with 400p

Dry look at 400p

Wet look at 400p

Sand with 500 Grit

Next we proceed with 500p. Here it starts to get quite faster. You do not need to spend much time to finish this step as the surface is already flat and you have to remove very little material. Still look is quite matte but definitely improving:

Wet sand with 500p

Dry look at 500p

Sand with 600 Grit

Same as above, follow the procedure with 600p. Usually this is the last stage where I sand the edges. After a couple of minutes sanding tou get much better result:

Wet sand with 600p

Dry look at 600p

Wet look at 600p

Sand with 800 Grit

Spend two more minutes at 800p and this is where we get - almost done:

Wet sand with 800p

Dry look at 800p

Wet look at 800p

Sand with 1200 Grit - Matte Look

If you are after Matte finish this is the last sanding stage - 1200p. It provides quite nice finish, end result will be almost identical to this look, slightly better after top coat:

Wet sand with 1200p

Dry look at 1200p

Wet look at 1200p

Sand with 2000 Grit - Gloss Look

If you are after Gloss or Semi-Gloss look you can proceed with 2000p. I found out it does not matter much at the end as mostly glossiness comes from the top coat, yet again the sanded items to 2000P had some extra shine to them:

Paddles sanded to 1200p

Paddles sanded to 2000p

As resin is susceptible to ageing and will yellow over time you should always seal it wit Top Clear Coat: