Set up time on gel coat?
 

I gel coated part of my boat and it still is not dry 4 days later. I used additional activator but my shop has only been about 50 deg. It has hardened some but feels a little tacky.
MD

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

Did you use wax additive to seal off the air ?

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

Exactly... Tack free additive must be added. The TFA we use from Cook Composits is good. Usually 10cc to a Qt.

Rick

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

You may be able to save it by spraying a light coat of PVA. Let it cure as much as it's going to. Wash the PVA off with water then wipe back any tackyness with acetone. Hopefully you won't end up right back to where you started.

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

I don't know............. after 4 days, I don't think PVA will work. My 2 cents worth

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

Yeah I never tried it. The alternative sucks, that i'm sure of

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

Gelcoat is a polyester resin that is normally 'air inhibited'- It does not completely cure in the presence of air. This is so glass/resin will chemically bond to it in a mold. With regards to polyester resin, there is laminating resin and finishing resin. The finishing resin simply has wax in it to cure it 100%

You can use wax in gel coat to seal-off the surface and get 100% cure. Or there is a product called Duratec that is blended with the gel that makes it more user-friendly.

If there is no problem doing so, I would just overcoat it with some gel and the Duratec additive (preferable) or wax. Duratec is made by Hawkeye Industries:

http://www.duratec1.com/index.html

Good Luck!

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

you may have to apply another coat of gel than the PVA. i dont believe putting on just the PVA will work. the purpose of the tackiness is to allow multiple laminations to bond properly during the building process. in a repair precess you have to seal off the surface from air to get it to cure. the waxing additive or TFA is a styrene wax that floats to the surface blocking it form air or PVA can be sprayed on the surface after the last coat having the same effect. if you use PVA use several light dust coats and do not try to wet it out. good luck.

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

ya beat me to it Bulldog . . .i was typing at the same time :D :D how the Kaama coming along?



good call on the Duratech to. i love the stuff.

Re: Set up time on gel coat?
 

We had a problem with the gun not adding hardener as it sprayed the gell coat. The guy that sprayed it for me took it all off with accetone.

Jon