Painting Troubles

[Elund09]

After the first coat of paint, Pettit Easypoxy, I noticed some areas not taking the paint. The deep scratches and pits seem to be the problem areas. Before painting I cleaned the boat with Acetone before sanding, then cleaned again after sanding. Did this several times while I was applying and sanding filler.
I'm guessing this is the mold release agent. I got some laquer thinner, removed some paint, cleaned the offending spot and repainted the area. The paint still seems to "bead" off the area.
Any ideas? My next idea would be to get a can of automotive primer and prime the offending areas. Looking for a little advice before I really mess something up here.
Thanks, Erik

 

[drewpster]

Re: Painting Troubles

I am not as familiar with easypoxy as I am others but It certainly looks like you have contamination issues.
Fist the basics, did mix the paint real well? is it possible it could be old paint?
Frome the splattered dots, is it possible anyone use penetrating oiL (WD40) or any other product near by prior to getting the paint on? I know penetrating oil is a major pain to get out of a surface before painting.
It looks to me unfortunately that you are going to have to sand and clean those areas over again.
Another good dewax/ cleaner is MEK. It is very strong and will not evaperate as quickly as acetone. You might try that. Also be sure to use clean rags. Two of them, one to wipe on the wet solvent, and another to wipe it off. Change the rags often to clean ones as you go. The MEK may smear the paint around making a mess so you need to sand most of it off before wiping everything back down.
The dots look like somone may have sprayed something near by that splattered in that area. The bottom is hard to tell in the picture.
It is possible that it is mold release wax, but if you wiped down thoroughly before painting, I would be inclined to think it got there by accident somehow.

 

[pervinmervin]

Re: Painting Troubles

hi, first let me help you by saying I know nothing about about boats, i only boat my first today which is why i'm here!

but if it's like any other painting i've done, priming is a must for an even finish.

i'm sure you can buy boat primer, dunno why would you buy automotive stuff.

-----

..are you painting the topside?

 

[Elund09]

Re: Painting Troubles

In the pic where you see the spotting, its actually a pock in the gel coat. The paint is not covering over these imperfections. Yet the paint covered all the spots that got filled.
The directions for this paint requires no primer on gel coat.
I'll try one more thing before stripping it all and priming the whole boat. Luckily the first coat took only a third quart of paint. Bought 2qts for the job.
I'll let ya know what I come up with.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Painting Troubles

Oh ok it is hard to tell what is going on from the pics. These paints cure with allot of shine. It is best to fill them before laying on the paint.

 

[Elund09]

Re: Painting Troubles

In preping for paint I filled in all the real nasty gouges and scratches. Now the smaller pock holes and scratches I had hoped would fill in with the Easypoxy.
However, something in the pocks and scratches, even after cleaning, rejected the paint. With the first coat of paint cured I primed the offending areas. Was waiting for the whole thing to go bad, but the paint and primer played nice together.
After another coat of Easypoxy I was feeling better. It covered nicely over most of it. There are still some problem areas but are on the bottom of the hull, no one will ever see it.
If you have a perfect gel coat surface go ahead with this product without priming. But if you have a 33 year old fiberglass boat with multiple imperfections like mine, prime before using Pettit Easypoxy. The primer will act as a barrier between whatever rejects the paint. Then the paint will fill in the small imperfections that you did'nt see before.
All that's left now is another coat and wet sand. I might start a new thread showing the whole restore. Just gotta figure out how to put up pics like the other guys. And yes, It's a Tri Hull!

 

[toey77]

Re: Painting Troubles

well this is something i can help with as i am a automotive spray painter... the effect is something we call silicon caused by anything with silicon ie oils use a prep sol cleaner not acetone as that is a very harsh cleaner for gel coat use two cloths one to wipe it on and one to wipe the prep sol of again, i repeat this up to 4 times before i even think about painting a car... if it still comes through because by the sound of it is has penetrated into the gel coat you can apply some dry coat or dusting the paint on the effected area before apply the final wet coat to smooth it all out, you can also sand back and prime the offending areas only you don't need to prime the hole area you need to paint, it can still come through the primer so apply light (dry) coats of primer to help seal it out as well

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Painting Troubles

never use anything less than xylene for a wipe down and several times........Your seeing contamination

 

[86RajunCajun]

Re: Painting Troubles

Prep issue in my opinion. You should prime before painting regardless of gelcoat quality. In this sequence...sand, clean, fill problem areas, sand, clean, sand a lot if needed, clean, prime at least 2 coats, sand in between, then paint. Thats how you should do it.

Primer really helps get a quality paint job as a generally accepted rule, and prep is the most important aspect of a good paint job.

Good luck!
RC

 

[Elund09]

Re: Painting Troubles

Yep, your all right, It was a preping issue. I got the surface good and clean but the other imperfections in the gel coat needed much more work. A better cleaning agent should have been used and the areas primed with a few light coats of primer sanding inbetween coats.
Not the end of the world. This piece is looking good now and I still have the top half to do yet. Will be priming that piece. Live and learn I guess. Thanks everyone!

 

[Proselect]

Re: Painting Troubles

We just had a very similar thing happen with my father in laws boat. We sanded it all down and wiped it down like we should. He paints cars so he knows what he is doing. Being it was a boat he didn't worry about sanding and feathering away every little chip(aluminum fishing boat). Quite a few of the chips did not take paint. Hind sight my father in law forgot that he had waxed it in the past and figured that is why the chips did not take paint.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Painting Troubles

never use anything less than xylene for a wipe down and several times........Your seeing contamination

xylene is the best, followed by toluene... and that's what you'll find as major ingredients in many commercial degreasers intended to use for paint prep. Acetobne is arguably a strong enough solvent, but flashes off / evaporates to fast. make sure not to keep using the same rag surface or you just spread it everywhere. the fact that you'
re seeing it around deeper scratches, etc... - the places where it is hardest to get contaminants out of - is probably a good indication that this is what your problem is.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Painting Troubles

Everyone should take a lesson from this. Always, I mean ALWAYS use a primer before painting to ensure proper adhesion and NO GOTCHA's. MICKS110 used the same paint on his 1962 Arkansas Traveler. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=365820

Difference. He used the Pettit primer. His Results. Perfection!!!