ls1nova

Is midnight express affiliated with powerplay at all? That 37 look very similar to a 33 powerplay. Or vice versa.

monstaaa

Looks great but you just removed the protective properties of the AWL GRIP should have just used AWL CRAFT.

I know you can sand and buff awl grip but u will never be able to blend an awl grip hull side like u can with awl craft if it is damaged.

a Bilge u will never notice but what makes awl grip superior over awl craft is the epoxy,.... by sanding it you are removing it.

Does look very nice though.[/QUOTE]


not sure i understand how sanding and polishing would remove the protective properties. catylized single stages use a carrier for application. and when thoroughly mixed you have a contiguous solid.
how does it loose its properties?

maybe im missing something.

do you mean like u-vee and weathering properties?

and no attempt to sound likie a jacka$$ either, please.

Enforcer2

Nope, not at all. Keep in mind these Midnights are no longer in production. The Midnights I have pictured are the " original" Midnight Express. They were dervied from Aronow's famous 36 Cigarette with the 9'6 beam.

The new Midnight are a copy of the old Midnights with mods to the bottom, shear line, floor heif=ght and the integrated transom.

I was fortunate enough to purchase the last " Original" Midnight hull that was taken from the original molds.

Enforcer2

not sure i understand how sanding and polishing would remove the protective properties. catylized single stages use a carrier for application. and when thoroughly mixed you have a contiguous solid.
how does it loose its properties?

maybe im missing something.

do you mean like u-vee and weathering properties?

and no attempt to sound likie a jacka$$ either, please.[/QUOTE]


No I understand the question, it was desribed best to me as taking the clear coat" off of a paint job.

The other issue was that its not a problem to sand it but for blending purposes IE : if a hull side gets damaged and repaired the local painters are telling me that it is nearly impossible to get a match on the blend.

Awlcraft on the other hand is similar to imron where it can be sanded buffed etc.

I think in your application none of this would apply, but I would be concerned with the chemical resistance now that it has been sanded.

I would contact awl grip and and speak to a tech, they are very helpful. Let us know what you find out.

A lot of the guys use DURATEC. I used it fo my bilge and cuddy and it is a premixed white super high gloss finish that is apparently excellent for bilges etc...

Most fiberglass guys are famaliar with the add in color agent for the clear duratec, but I have purchased it ready to go in a high gloss white..just roll or brush it on and yuo are done.

JUST FOUND THIS ON THER WEBPAGE
Do Not
Do not use traditional waxes. General: Traditional waxes break down rapidly. The residue can cause the topcoat to appear yellow, plus it attracts dirt. This creates the need to maintain the wax, increasing overall maintenance. Traditional waxes which contain no abrasives probably do little harm to the coating, but offer no benefit.

Awlgrip has developed Awlcare Protective Polymer Sealer (73240) for those who want to enhance their finish and need the additional cleaning power of a hand applied, dry wash product. Awlcare is a non-yellowing sealer that will protect both Awlgrip and Awlcraft 2000 with regular applications. Hand applied Awlcare will not harm Awlgrip's topcoats and can easily be removed with Awl-Prep Plus-T0115 (or T0340 Surface Cleaner in Europe) when it is time to repaint.

Awlgrip Only: Regular applications of Awlcare will help temporarily seal and restore shine to painted surfaces that have become porous due to age or mistreatment, helping to maintain a satisfactory appearance until there is time to repaint.

Awlcraft 2000 Only: Awlcare Protective Polymer Sealer will help maintain the gloss on Awlcraft 2000 topcoats with regular applications. Especially those which have been buffed or polished. Remember, Awlcare is only applied and buffed by hand. Never apply or buff Awlcare with a machine.
Do not use abrasives, scratch pads, or compounds. Scratching the surface gives dirt a place to cling while wearing out the resin layer. Using abrasives of any kind will reduce the overall life of the finish and voids the Awlgrip Limited Warranty.
Do not allow contact between Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat and teak cleaners. Most teak cleaners contain acids or caustic agents that stain and discolor an Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat.
Do not allow metal polishes to dry on the surface of Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000. Metal polishes may discolor and stain the painted surface. Metal polishes contain acids. Rain water and dew running off metal fittings will spread metal polish residue onto the paint surface and will etch and dull the paint finish. Washing freshly polished metal fittings thoroughly with Awlwash and water can help eliminate polish residue and reduce the metal polish run off.
Do not use strong solvents (e.g. lacquer thinner, M.E.K., acetone) to clean Awlcraft 2000, Awl-Brite or Awlspar Varnish.
Do not allow wet equipment (e.g., seat cushions, coils of line, sails, sail covers, coolers) to trap and hold moisture against Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoats. This condition can result in blistering or delamination of the Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat.
Do not use acrylic Teflon coatings over an Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Finish. Use of these coatings void the Awlgrip Limited Warranty.
Awlgrip and Awlcraft 2000 winter storage
Do not "shrink wrap" or tightly bind Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat surfaces with plastic wrappings.

When tarping a boat for storage, the cover system should be ventilated to allow the coating system to "breathe". Covers and tarps, whether synthetic or natural fiber, should not be pulled tight to surfaces painted with Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat. This condition can trap and hold moisture on the surface and may result in loss of gloss, blistering, or delamination of the topcoat.
Caution should also be used to ensure that the tarp does not chafe against the Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Surface. Such chafing, especially when accompanied by airborne dirt, can abrade the surface and cause premature loss of gloss.
Back to Application Guide main page

Looks like u can't even sand of buff the AWLCRAFT..I hope the painter is on the money the first time. I am going with gloss black!!!!!

31scarab31

Monstaaa, Help! I just had some scratches and gouges repaired on my V. With huge communication issues the person doing the job sanded the bottom and rolled the Awgrip (shark white). The glass work came out great, I’m just not extremely happy with the final finish of the Awgrip. Are you saying that it should be wet sanded and the buffed with compound? Or should it be wet sanded and re-applied with a spray application? The person doing the job is suggesting nothing else can be done! Your suggestion is greatly appreciated!!!

monstaaa

depending on the amount of paint applied you should be able to wetsand and then compound with 3m polishes( or other prefered brand) in succesion. and have just as glossy of a finish as if sprayed. just try not to sand through or burn thru.

monstaaa

taking the clear coat" off of a paint job.

The other issue was that its not a problem to sand it but for blending purposes IE : if a hull side gets damaged and repaired the local painters are telling me that it is nearly impossible to get a match on the blend.

i would ask the question again as for removing the protection. a cattlized single stage like awl grip or U_TECH, or chroma one, imron, centari, glasso, and the like have chemical properties which are inhernt in the MIX. thus removeing a layer will not effect them. maybe awl craft as the article says.
as for the blending, i have never had much of an issue with blends. uless the air temp or paint temp is off and there is poor conditions ergo humidity and dust or bad prepping.
i stand on my ground awl grip rules. and the warranty implied or written is for the sue happy peons out there.

in either case those are some nice pics of some niece pieces.

31scarab31

Hey Gentlemen,

I greatly appreciate the information. Your information is allowing me to sleep better with some hope. Like i said the work came out pretty good, maybe I am just a perfectionist and I want a smooth, shinny, fast azz shinny bottom boat.

So I'm going to the shop tomorrow and asking them to wet sand it and buff!!! Again guys thanks for the info. Monstaaa I will send yall some clips when the job is finished!!!

madbouyz

+From my own personal experiences+

Have had three seperate 'spot repairs' or blow ins done by three different applicators , of course each one claims to be 'expert' in Awlgrip .... (yeah , right ...!)

ALL THREE developed a tan coloured blush/ring around the blow in after the boats made it back out into the environment and they weathered for a few months.
No matter how good it looks in the shop !

I'm having a battle royal right now with a service person and the insurance company over this ..

Enforcer2

Maybe you can go the route that they voided manufacturer's warranty by sanding ???