Color change with Gelcoat

Okay guys, I have a 1993 nitro 170tf. I have everything I need to spray gelcoat. I have red pigment powder for base color. I have my red metal flake for the main color of the boat, I have the silver flake to do a stipe on the cap of the boat, and the black metal flake to outline the silver flake stripe. Also will be using duratec. I filled in crack/chips and sanded boat with 80 then 120. When spraying the red base gel coat do I need to let it cure then sand the orange peel before taping off and doing the stripe? Or do I ignore the orange peel mask off spray the stipe with silver metal flake, let it cure, then the black metal flake 1/8” pinstripe around the silver, let that cure then mask the stripes spray the main red flake let it cure, sand all the orange peel at the same time then clear gel over everything, sand and buff? If anyone has suggestions on something I should do different or better please let me know! Thanks!

 

You should definitely sand out the orange peel prior to applying any flake.

1st, I place high odds that you will sand thru the flake and expose raw base.
2nd, you will not be able to apply all those stripes while the red base is still only semi-cured.

 

So definitely let the base coat fully cure, sand the orange peel wipe it down with acetone then mask off for stripes. Would it be better if after I sprayed one stripe at a time then when it’s tacky spray clear gel over the flake, sand it down? Do that on each stripe. Then once the stripes of metal flake are done and they have been sprayed with clear gel and sanded, mask off and spray the main red flake color. This picture will show the design I want to do on the cap. They have black stipe with a silver outline, I’m doing a black outline with silver where the black is in the picture.

 

Mix a little Duratec into the red so it levels and flows better, no sanding required, either way I wouldn't sand it.

 

So no need to sand the base coat, what about spraying my silver metal flake stripe then the black metal flake out line? Do I need to clear gel over each one at a time and sand them down then mask the stripes off and spray the main red flake?

 

It all depends on your skill and timing. If you can do it all in a couple of days you don't need to spray the clear as you go. It also depends on how intricate your tape lines are.

 

I posted a picture above, the picture has like a 1/8” silver stripe outlining black “stripe” I’m going to do a 1/8” in black and the middle part silver flake. So not intricate at all I would say. So if I get to a point where I can’t touch it for a couple days then I would have to clear before stopping then when I get back to it sand the clear down

 

Is it true you can’t use primer with gel coat? Like the total boat total protect barrier coat/primer?

 

With Duratec the finish should be the same as spraying enamel; no orange peel.

 

I did a test on a small portion of the boat with the red base gel with duratec and had orange peel when it cured, must not have been using enough air pressure, I think I was sitting at 35psi at the gun if I remember correctly, also using a hvlp gun with 2.0 nozzle. Was going to switch to a 2.5 nozzle to spray the metal flake.

 

Was it mixed 50/50?

 

Yessir I mixed 80z of gelcoat and 8oz of duratec and catalyzed with 10cc of catalyst

 

Why would you want to use a primer like that?

Unless you have a specific need for a primer, it's useless in this type of application.

 

Technique is critical in any spray application, so not getting it right on your first small test isn't unusual. The biggest mistake is trying to spray it like an automotive paint, it's not paint.

Lower atomization air settings and slightly flooding the surface using larger tips will help.

And orange peel isn't that important until your final clear layers to build up enough material so you can sand it down easier.

 

Your best bet is to do a few small test panels with the striping you plan to do and see how successful you are. Metal flake can be difficult even for experienced people, so jumping in with no experience can be frustrating.