US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

[Llunker]

Hey Guys,

I am kinda stuck here. I thought i had the necessary steps to repairing my gel-coat but I am starting to doubt what i am doing i guess.

First off i am using US composites Clear Metalflake gel-coat with MEKP and I am using a surfacing Wax. I think this is where i am a little confused on the curing process.

I went ahead with all mixture ratios properly with all three and went ahead and just placed cellophane over the repaired areas. After several hours i peeled back some of the cellophane and the surface is still very tacky???

Do I need the cellophane since i used the surfacing wax? Other areas that are not quit covered are cured and rock hard. Do I need to pull the cellophane and let it cure to the air since it has surfacing wax already in it?

A little help please. ONDARVR --you out there bud !!!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

You only need to use of the two, either the wax or the cellophane.

Since you most likely need to sand and buff it, just leave it until tomorrow and it should become less tacky. If its a small area it may gum up the first piece of sand paper, but after that you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Llunker]

Re: US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

You only need to use of the two, either the wax or the cellophane.

Since you most likely need to sand and buff it, just leave it until tomorrow and it should become less tacky. If its a small area it may gum up the first piece of sand paper, but after that you shouldn't have any problems.

Thanks Ondarvr---i knew you would be on here some time----Thought i was double doing it. I actually had little places all over the boat when i was done and quite a bit of the hull underneath that needed help as well.

Figured I would do that as well since I had the Neutral coat with a black additive. It turned out beautiful.

Now onto just using a preval sprayer and after knocking down the sanded areas to smooth I want to go back with just Clear--byitself.

My question Ondarvr would be how long do i have to wait in between coats ? I am going to be using MEK to thin it down to a heavy cream and then take off the filter base on the preval sprayer for more even spraying.

Thought maybe three coats would do it--with wet-sanding(320 or 600) in between.

Finally round this baby out with 1000-4000 grit wetsand and then finish with meguiars #3 cut compound and the finish it with my favorite carnuaba wax collinte #845

Do i have this right?

Thanks again Ondarvr--you have saved me one more time

here is what i am working with

Many spots like these all around the boat i found and just repaired them all.

to look more like this

and let me tell you what --mixing with polyflake is not easy !!--but I think she will come out looking like a dream !!!

 

[Llunker]

Re: US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

Well,

that didnt work out too good. When i went to sand the cured gel-coat the polyflake was also being sanded and would turn silver in color(i knew this wasn't going to be easy)--of course it makes sense that it would.

I wonder if the preval sprayer's nozel is big enough --if i take off the filter at the bottom(for 0.025 flake size) i could go back and make some passes with a spray look and this time don't make any sanding attempts

then make several passes with just clear-gel coat by itself for a couple coats.

then i could go back and wet sand that to give it a more uniform look.

What do you guys think?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

I was thinking this was the final clear layer we were talking about, not the clear/flake mix.

You don't want to use either product (wax or cellophane) with the mixed layer and you don't want to sand on it either. It needs to be applied in a thin layer, thin enough so its lower than the surrounding surface. The final layer of clear can be higher because it will be sanded smooth.

Sanding on the flake layer can change the look and make it more noticeable, wipe it down with some acetone and see what it looks like.

A preval sprayer won't spray any flake, they have a tough time with just the gel coat.

If you thin the gel coat much to spray it, it will discolor (typically turn yellow) in the sun, that?s why a brush works well on small repairs.

 

[Llunker]

Re: US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

Well i went and bought a spray gun and thin out my gel-coat mix with MEK and tryed again

Starting to look better now--Will finish up with a preval sprayer and two coats of just Clear in a few hours.

then wet sand with 600,1000, and finish with 4000. then Compound this baby out polish and the Wax it and I should be done

Ondarvr--thanks bud

 

[ondarvr]

Re: US Composites Gel-coat and cellophane??

Its looking good so far, good luck on the next step.