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Old 08-02-2014, 06:51 PM   #221
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I'm back!!!

I bought an epoxy gel coat. Yes epoxy. It is amazing stuff and a real game changer. I started working with it yesterday and I'm on a learning curve but it's straightening out real fast. For one, lets start with the basics.

Fast cure epoxies are brittle and not the strongest The slower the cure the stronger and more flexible they are. This sets up rock hard in 72 hours.

I rolled some on the glass cloth I had laminated to the plywood deck and let it cure over night, the next day I rolled a second coat. It is building up nicely and after my third or fourth coat it will be ready for the next step.

I poured a small amount in a non skid mold for a test sample. It turned out excellent!!

I might just gel coat the entire upper deck-house-fly bridge area with this. It's that high gloss and easy. Just roll it. No tipping. The small foam rollers.
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Old 08-02-2014, 09:33 PM   #222
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Brand and source for the epoxy gel please....
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Old 08-02-2014, 10:48 PM   #223
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You're holding back on us Stretch! Anxious to see the final product!
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Old 08-03-2014, 08:10 AM   #224
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Can you give us the source on the non-skid mold or pattern? I looks great!
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Old 08-03-2014, 10:22 AM   #225
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Can you give us the source on the non-skid mold or pattern? I looks great!

I believe early in the thread he said he got it from Nordhavn if I'm not mistaken.
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Old 08-04-2014, 11:07 AM   #226
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Hey guys, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to answer. I had a drama weekend and had to deal with a cat with cancer I'm trying to save. It really makes me screaming mad when people just drop off sick animals and treat them like trash. These are loving pets. They don't understand.


Back to the product.

I bought from flex mold, actually another division who sells retail, a female mold that has the same non skid pattern as Nordhavn which is their number 103. They sell the mold by the sq ft at $19.00 and a whole sheet is less which is 4' x 12'. I bought a 4' x 5' piece because there isn't and area larger than 5' where I need non skid.

My contact is Rhiannon Moore email
rhiannon@gibcoflexmold.com

They have every brand of boats non skid pattern however 103 happens to be used by more brands than any other and it looks great too.

The epoxy resin was a miracle find for me. I have been searching for gel coat or tinted epoxy and found a southern CA company that has been selling to aerospace and military. His epoxy is in outer space. This gel coat can withstand a temp range from -100 to 100 C. It's stronger than most epoxies, a very slow cure and after it sets up until finally cured, it has flex so it can be applied to a curved deck with my application technique.

I work with the owner, Ray

Welcome to Polymer Composites Inc.

They have videos of their product. They ship worldwide I think. It's amazing stuff.

I'm going to tell these people I posted this so they will be aware of any inquiries and please mention my name. NO, I'm not a sales rep nor do I get any kickback, just simply I am so happy with their products I told them I'd help them get the word out and I hope you mention me, Stretch, when you contact them.

I like the gel coat so much I'm going to gel coat everything from the hull up. It's actually less expensive than LP paint. Sterling, Awlgrip or Alex Seal. The shine is incredible. Just roll it, no tipping. Any sags or runs just sand with 400, 600, and higher, then buff to a shine. It's a dream to work with.

Just get a food scale and weigh accurately or use graduated cups, which I am. AND, don't mix too much at once. I did and lost 8 oz. It's thin and rolls on easy. It covers a lot more than West System which was my mistake.

As I complete more of this project, I'll post with my technique.

Cheers!!
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Old 08-04-2014, 11:23 AM   #227
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Hey guys, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to answer. I had a drama weekend and had to deal with a cat with cancer I'm trying to save. It really makes me screaming mad when people just drop off sick animals and treat them like trash. These are loving pets. They don't understand.


Back to the product.

.....cut for space.....

As I complete more of this project, I'll post with my technique.

Cheers!!
Thanks for the info...still a few questions if you don't mind...

What's the UV protection? that's usually been the trick with epoxies...any old time project pics they have or something you have personally have seen?
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Old 08-04-2014, 11:43 AM   #228
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....I bought from flex mold, actually another division who sells retail, a female mold that has the same non skid pattern as Nordhavn which is their number 103. They sell the mold by the sq ft at $19.00 and a whole sheet is less which is 4' x 12'. I bought a 4' x 5' piece because there isn't and area larger than 5' where I need non skid.

My contact is Rhiannon Moore email
rhiannon@gibcoflexmold.com
Thanks. Just what I was looking for.
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Old 08-04-2014, 01:01 PM   #229
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psneeld,

I asked the owner, who is an avid saltwater fisherman and has lots of boater friends, the uV question. His answer is, all epoxies yellow in time and are susceptible to UV damage, This will go about 11 years before any noticable change in color. At that time your options are to recoat or paint.

That works great for me. I hope this answers your question okay.

He has been selling to his boater friends about 12 years from what I gather. Maybe longer.
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Old 08-04-2014, 01:03 PM   #230
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One last post today. I got an email back from Rhiannon at flex mold. She will gladly help anyone wanting her molds.

Go for it!!
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Old 08-04-2014, 08:01 PM   #231
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psneeld,

I asked the owner, who is an avid saltwater fisherman and has lots of boater friends, the uV question. His answer is, all epoxies yellow in time and are susceptible to UV damage, This will go about 11 years before any noticable change in color. At that time your options are to recoat or paint.

That works great for me. I hope this answers your question okay.

He has been selling to his boater friends about 12 years from what I gather. Maybe longer.
thanks...
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Old 08-05-2014, 01:58 AM   #232
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Looking forward to seeing the photo's.
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Old 08-09-2014, 10:55 AM   #233
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I've been busy trying several application methods and found out Home Depot and Lowes quit selling the 6" fine white foam paint rollers. Nobody has them and all I can find is the black ones which are twice if not more as expensive. I tried the fabric rollers but lint is a problem with them so for the top coat, I can't use them.

I'm finding for this product it's probably not necessary to put anything on the bare wood. I think this alone is all you need. I'll continue to lay glass cloth on my deck but as far as the house goes, sanding to wood would be best.

This is a picture of my aft sliding hatch that I applied two coats of white gel coat on with the fabric roller. The picture doesn't give it justice. It is a higher gloss than any LP. I've seen them all. It has something paint doesn't have, Depth.

My friend who is a polyester fanatic is raving over this. I think he is a convert,
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Old 08-09-2014, 11:08 AM   #234
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Sorry about that picture, here is the hatch.
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Old 08-27-2014, 09:13 AM   #235
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A lot of catching up to do. First, let me say the white epoxy gel coat is kicking my arse. Getting it applied and having no fish eyes is a HUGE problem.

I took my hatch to a friends shop along with my air compressor and a new HVLP gravity fed spray gun. This was supposed to be my answer since Lowes, Home Depot and my other sources have quit selling the "best" quality 3/8" foam paint rollers. They now only sell the fabric 3/8" best and that leaves tiny fabric hairs in the finish no matter what you do. Tape it, vacuum it, shake it, blow it. Nothing keeps it from shedding.

The fact that it's such a slow cure, three days to walk on, it collects dust in the finish because it is tack hard in about 4 hours.

The spraying idea took over a week with the end result I needed a super clean room for that. The fish eyes were whale eyes after spraying and just fine eyes if I rolled it.

My deck is finally laminated with epoxy and heavy fiberglass cloth. This concludes the waterproofing and final strengthening component of this project. I am now starting the fairing and preparation for the non skid which will be gel coat and very possibly not needing painting for many years. This will be the white gel coat over the deck now.


I've come to the conclusion to roll or brush it and buff it out after the three day cure time. Simple as that. I'm going to get dust and fish eyes but they sand and buff out.

Another fact which I was mislead on is, do not recoat until at least a 24 hour cure has happened. I tried a 4 or 5 hour recoat and it went on like glass. Oh man, I was grinning....then as the smile was wide I saw the gel coat turn to cottage cheese and cure like a waffle iron.
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Old 08-27-2014, 04:45 PM   #236
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well, the hatch looks great so you've nailed it in the end! Thanks for the info.
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Old 08-27-2014, 08:14 PM   #237
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I've been busy trying several application methods and found out Home Depot and Lowes quit selling the 6" fine white foam paint rollers. Nobody has them and all I can find is the black ones which are twice if not more as expensive. I tried the fabric rollers but lint is a problem with them so for the top coat, I can't use them.

I'm finding for this product it's probably not necessary to put anything on the bare wood. I think this alone is all you need. I'll continue to lay glass cloth on my deck but as far as the house goes, sanding to wood would be best.

This is a picture of my aft sliding hatch that I applied two coats of white gel coat on with the fabric roller. The picture doesn't give it justice. It is a higher gloss than any LP. I've seen them all. It has something paint doesn't have, Depth.

My friend who is a polyester fanatic is raving over this. I think he is a convert,
You are OK, Amazon has a vast selection...hope you kept a wrapper so you know which one u want...
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Old 12-03-2014, 03:58 PM   #238
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Time for a followup report;

Yesterday was a rain day here with a total about 1.5" at the boat. I had to go down to pump out my dinghy and runabout. I also went aboard to check on the boat and I was totally amazed!!

The boat was dry. No wet saloon floor. No wet head cabinets. No water anywhere. I have a dry boat and the deck job did it!!!

WOO HOO!!!

Time for a celebratory cocktail.

Cheers!
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Old 12-03-2014, 04:02 PM   #239
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I will give an in depth report soon on the epoxy I bought. A quick summation is, it isn't what he said it was.

What it is, a great wood or polyester sealer and sandable to a fine finish, but NOT a permanent gel coat. I think it has to be painted over and can be painted directly with LP top coat. No primer needed.

I'll post more soon.
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Old 12-03-2014, 04:05 PM   #240
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Time for a followup report;

Yesterday was a rain day here with a total about 1.5" at the boat. I had to go down to pump out my dinghy and runabout. I also went aboard to check on the boat and I was totally amazed!!

The boat was dry. No wet saloon floor. No wet head cabinets. No water anywhere. I have a dry boat and the deck job did it!!!

WOO HOO!!!

Time for a celebratory cocktail.

Cheers!

That must have been an awesome feeling. Congratulations. Your boat will thank you, and reward with many more years of service.
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