Any tips for Peel Ply?

Hi guys,

I'm just now hopping on the band wagon when it comes to peel ply, for the last dozen drums of epoxy I've been in the dark ages of rolling on another coat of thickened epoxy and sanding it tomorrow... Or microballoons... or Adtech Proseal.

I've got a hundred yards of the stuff, and I'm aiming to learn how to use it successfully.

I'm begging for some tips on how to get a good surface using it, so it lays down flat and without wrinkles, and a general guidance on how to work with the stuff and cut the learning curve a bit.

I've been trying to find the right balance between getting a dead slick surface, and not having the exposed weave of the fiberglass still in places, believing that if i have weave showing I probably still need to sand it before filling...

Do you roll more epoxy on before applying the peel ply if you can still see the weave?

Do you air roll the fiberglass, then put the peel ply down... or do it all at one go? Do you just use a squeedgee to put it on?

Whats the best way to get it to lay into a concave surface like a bowl or box?

How do you go about putting in a butt or overlap from one piece to the next with minimal sanding the next day?

Thanks for the tips,

Zach

 

Work with small pieces ply instead of large sheets.

Peel ply is not happy going around corners. For a box use a piece for each side. dont peel ply the edge

Lay the ply on wet out fabric that has been bubble busted, gently smooth with your hand , then compact with a squeegee or roller or bubble buster. Only Use medium pressure to compact the peel ply.

Peel ply is logical stuff to use. I prefer slow cure resin so that I may patrol back over the surface looking for errors.


Peel ply works great over thickened epoxy to form fillets.

Use the real stuff....its texture and handling is better...imitation stuff may have contaminates.

 

Take off the selvedge along the sides, leave "starter tags" to assist peel once cured. Jeff.

 

Also try to peel it off at nearly 180 degrees to the surface not to risk delamination (especially if you're doing some sandwich stuff). And be gentle.