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Painting fibreglass
Blacktop - 29/11/07 at 10:33 AM

Found this article while browsing the web. Seems like a cheap & easy way to paint a kit car.
Anyone done this before and what were the results like?

http://www.paintsystem.blogspot.com/


smart51 - 29/11/07 at 11:12 AM

It looks great. What is it? The deauville cars website doesn't mention parts or paint at all.


bonzoronnie - 29/11/07 at 12:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Blacktop
Found this article while browsing the web. Seems like a cheap & easy way to paint a kit car.
Anyone done this before and what were the results like?

http://www.paintsystem.blogspot.com/


Hi all.

I saw this stand at the Exeter Kit car show.

In my view. The finish of the car was total crap. ( Honest it was )

Yes It looks good in the photographs but it did not look the same at the show

I am not sure but I would imagine a good quality 2 pack acrylic paint would be best for painting GRP.

I am sure I'll be corrected if I am wrong.

Ronnie


bassett - 29/11/07 at 12:41 PM

Doesnt look too bad in the pictures but is a slightly hazy. If it looked better than gel coat and only £200 it could be worth while if you mearly wanted a change of colour.


marcjagman - 29/11/07 at 01:07 PM

I found good old fashioned synthetic to give the best finish, and if you mix with about 15% 2K harderner the finish is glass like, dries quick and is easy to t-cut/polish


house19uk - 29/11/07 at 01:17 PM

Have to agree with bonzoronnie the finish was total crap wouldnt want it on my car. They told me the only part of the body that was finished was the rear wing and that was crap


twybrow - 29/11/07 at 02:32 PM

Why does no one consider using gelcoat. It is sprayable, it doesn't have the nasty volatiles as 2 pac systems tend to have and if you are an amateur, they are forgivable and can be easily repaired!


James - 29/11/07 at 02:47 PM

Just ask Donut... it's fine for you to use just a roller and a can of household gloss!

Sorry Andy!



Cheers,
James


bonzoronnie - 29/11/07 at 03:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
Why does no one consider using gelcoat. It is sprayable, it doesn't have the nasty volatiles as 2 pac systems tend to have and if you are an amateur, they are forgivable and can be easily repaired!


I may be wrong. But is'nt the gel coat sprayed directly into a mould prior to the laying up of the GRP mat.

As far as I know, gel coat is not applied after the product has left the mould.
I have seen boat yards using 2k epoxy resin for repair work.

I do stand to be corrected. I am a little out of touch with the most up to date finishing systems. Although I have kept my air-fed respirator & filters up to date.

Ronnie


twybrow - 29/11/07 at 05:19 PM

Well you are correct, gelcoat is usually applied as the first layer to a female mould (well technically its actually called flowcoat, buts thats another matter), however, it is just a layer, it can be put on before of after GRP work. Some hi-tech yacht manufacturers for instance, use male moulds, ie they start at the inside of the hull, and work outwards. As such, the final layers would be gel coat.

Traditionally, it has been hand applied (with brush or roller) but there is nothing stopping you using it with a spray gun. You just need to be conscious of the viscosity (ie it needs thinning with styrene or acetone) and the workable time (so as not to go-off in the spray gun).

Something like this:




A useful link with some spray settings and a run down of the prep needed...

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=6328

I have seen a 65' £3million boat finished in exactly this way - and it looked beautiful afterwards!

[Edited on 29/11/07 by twybrow]


MikeRJ - 29/11/07 at 05:49 PM

I thought gel coat did not cure properly if it was exposed to air?


bonzoronnie - 29/11/07 at 05:50 PM

Hands up, I stand corrected

A good example you have posted.

I must say. I have seen some superb Yacht gel coat finishes here in the west country.

Ronnie


smart51 - 29/11/07 at 08:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
I thought gel coat did not cure properly if it was exposed to air?


you add wax dissolved in styrene to it. The wax floats to the top, keeping the air out and it cures.


twybrow - 29/11/07 at 09:32 PM

smart51 goes to the top of the class. Alternatively you just let it cure as it wants to. leave if for at least a week, then sand the surface back, but the wax route is much better.


RK - 30/11/07 at 12:40 AM

Where would one get the wax? I've looked around hardware stores and the like, and nobody knows what I'm talking about. Ditto for the yacht supplies store.


2b_pablo - 30/11/07 at 08:18 AM

£200 would 2pack DIY paint a kitcar and thats inc buying a compressor.

[Edited on 30/11/07 by 2b_pablo]


smart51 - 30/11/07 at 08:22 AM

CFSnet sell it, as do Scott Bader. You can buy wax in styrene separately or you can buy it premixed into the gel coat.


twybrow - 30/11/07 at 10:17 AM

You would need a GRP supplier - or a yacht repairer/industrial moulding company might sell you some.


Mave - 30/11/07 at 07:13 PM

I've painted my classic Mini (including GRP flipfront) with this paint, simply because I couldn't justify the 1000-4000 pounds quotations I received from different paintshops.
I must say it is great stuff. And it works a treat. But, you will have to polish it to get a really good result. In my case there was quite some dust in the paint....... But it flows really nice, and doesn't show brushmarks or rollermarks.
I'm pretty confident you can reach a really excellent finish, but you need to be prepared to invest quite some time.


Alex B - 3/12/07 at 06:31 PM

Glassplies in Southport for ALL glass stuff.

Alex