Clear Gel Coat ???

Discussion in 'Materials' started by opmope, Jun 1, 2012.

  1. opmope
    Joined: Jun 2012
    Posts: 4
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 41
    Location: Muskoka Ontario Canada

    opmope New Member

    Clear Gel Coat ???
    Hi all. I posted on iboats and got one reply so I'm wanting to get a second opinion.
    I have a two colored deck, white and metallic red. The white gel coat was freshly sprayed and last coat, the air dry was added. It was then taped off. The already taped off area, red metal flake, is now ready for spraying. I have already got my red base down and am going to be spraying the red flake clear coat gel mix with no air dry on last coat.
    The metallic will not be sanded before covering it with three layers of clear gel coat but the white needs to be sanded to remove orange peel and then going through all the sanding process and then being polished and waxed.
    1.) Can I forget and the white sanding process and just sand it with 180 paper to get rid of the orange peel and then clear coat gel over both the white and red matallic??
    2.) Can I use straight Clear Gel Coat with styrene and catylis and final coat air dry added or is there some other combination that is better for less orange peel and less sanding to achieve the finished product?
    3.) What is the mixing process for the powdered Poly Flake, Fire Red by Glitterex, ratio when mixing with the Clear Gel Coat. So how much flake will I need to add to let's say a 500 ml pot?
    Thanks, Dave.
     
  2. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    You added a little more info on this site, so I'll add more to.

    Don't add styrene to the clear and don't use wax in it either (airdry).

    Styrene is the main ingredient in gel coat that yellows, clears already have a problem with yellowing, thats why on the other site I said to not use it over the white.

    Wax additive (surface agent, airdry) can cause the clear to become cloudy. Use PVA or nothing.
     
  3. opmope
    Joined: Jun 2012
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    Location: Muskoka Ontario Canada

    opmope New Member

    So here is what I found out for any of you that are in the same boat!! Get it? boy I crack myself up sometimes.
    Talked to the guys over at Skeeter boats. NEVER clear gel over colored gel coat at all. As ondarvr said, it will yellow. I should have done the metallic portion of the deck before doing the white. That was my first mistake but no biggy. They say that the tape line when removeing will lift some of the flake so if sprayed first you can use a sharp carpet knife to make a straight tape line for when spraying the white.

    Poly Flake mixture is 3/4 pot clear gel coat (1/2 clear gel and 1/2 Duratec high gloss additive) then 1/4 pot Poly Flake plus catylis.

    Apply flake till the red base is completely covered all in one shoot. Let harden then apply three coats of clear gel coat and duratec high gloss additive 1:1 mix plus catylis leaving 1/2 hr. between coats. 4th and final coat they say to mix 1/4 pot (1/2 and 1/2 clear and high gloss) and then 1/2pot of Patchaid plus catylis.
    They say it will look amazing.
    I'll let you know the out come.
    Thanks for the replies, Dave
     
  4. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    I use to do tech service at Skeeter and they use some of our products right now. I don't cover that area now though.
     
  5. elkmaster101
    Joined: Dec 2018
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    Location: Ames

    elkmaster101 Junior Member

    Is there anyone that has payed gel coat in multiple colors with glitter flake separated by a pin stripe in gelcoat 1/2 inch wide.
    This spring as soon as the temp. gets a constant 66 + degrees out I’m going to do this shoot.
    Red white and blue on my ranger.
     
  6. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    I'll second Ondarvr's instructions.

    Don't finish sand or polish the white now. The red flecked portion will need the same treatment; so wait to do it all at once.
     

  7. elkmaster101
    Joined: Dec 2018
    Posts: 42
    Likes: 0, Points: 6
    Location: Ames

    elkmaster101 Junior Member

    So how do I tape off for the pin stripe?
    Do I mask off the pin stripe first and gel coat with clear and gold flake first let it kick then pull side of tape where I shoot my color? Tape over my pin stripe shoot color pull pin stripe tape shoo 1 coat clear, let kick tape over pin stripe
    Pull other side of pin stripe tape shoot clear coat with white flake and pearl. And o coat of clear.
    Pull all tapes and masking and shoot last 2 coats of clear.
     
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