Gel Coat: How to Apply by Spray Gun

How to repair and re-coat gel coat finish on kayak or boat hull using DIY methods. This is a method for those with some experience with techniques of fiberglass repair and basic gel coat repair. It's suggested to learn how polyester resin works and basic fiberglass repair techniques before moving on to spraying gel coat. This method involves several dangerous chemicals and all proper protections must be in place before spraying gel coat or other products shown in this video. Use of personal protection equipment including a respirator is mandatory for any method or technique shown in this video. Do not risk personal injury, injury to others or damage to property. Attempt at your own risk. Nuf Said.
This is a spray gun method which produces higher quality results compared to a brush or roller. Be advised that to get to higher quality finishes you'll need additional steps of sanding with progressively finer grit sand paper between coats and using a final buffing compound at the final step. The sanding and polishing is a time consuming step that I will avoid here and I will leave my gel coat rough. This is still a much nicer finish than one can achieve with a paint brush and it covers a large area very quickly with even coats.

[@greenpedalsmd]

Your video stands out as one of the best DIY help ones I've viewed. You are so clear: succinctly telling me everything I need to know and very little that I don't. Your video production is as well organized as your gel coating technique. Better than the commercially produced ones. Thanks

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks for the feedback. I've watched all those commercial videos as well. They just confused me or ended up being a sales pitch for some product.

[@bjhqi8697]

I'm a professional Geller, and noticed a lot here I'd like to address, but I'll keep it to just the main things. First, I want to say your technique is good. I can tell you've applied gel or paint before. That said, here's some tips. When doing multiple layers, don't wait between them for the gel to set up. A wax layer will form between gel layers increasing the chance for separation. Wait between 1-2 min between passes. This allows time for the air to escape without allowing it to set up. Second, check the gel expiration before use. It's very important to use fresh gel. That gel looked very expired. Third, you can use marine putty to fill in the damaged areas before gelling. That's what those expensive shops will do, but to do this you'll need to take off nearly all the gel and reapply 18-24 mils of gel (a cheap mil gauge on Amazon is about $10 and works great). Follow that with wat sanding and buffing it and VOILA! Professional quality gelcoat application. Good luck!

[@bjhqi8697]

Wet sanding, not wat 😊

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks there are a lot of great comments coming in with good information. Yes, there is a lot of details that I skipped in making this video in order to keep it down to the DIY basics. At some point I'll make another video with more detail, but keeping it short and watchable was the goal on this one. I still stand by my disclaimer that I state in the video - If you want that real pro finish then take it to a professional shop.

[@walkertongdee]

Dude he was too far away from his work covering with overspray lol but he said diy I find your comments worse than his amateur job, you a.pro gellcoater lol hardly

[@Rick-tb4so]

If your painting over old gelcoat why do you have to remove all of it ?? Isn't a good sanding enough before you spray new ??

[@Butterstickx3]

How would we wait only 2 minutes between layers if we're doing something like a 20+ foot boat?

[@MasterMotoTv]

Awesome Video!! Quick tip, the knob on the side of the paint gun by your thumb, is the fan adjustment. Open your fan up more so you can get closer. Approx 8" away!! 🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@toddswitzer6799]

Yes. Great tip! That job was done overspray.

[@timschwarze4842]

Thanks for taking the time to share with us. Very helpful for someone like me. You obviously have a lot of experience and I appreciate you making the effort to share it. Now it is ready for some new memories!

[@toddswitzer6799]

The old kayak's ready for another summer of adventures.

[@cameronr1451]

Excellent job explaining what you’re doing and making the video!

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank You.

[@ArunVijayan]

A fantastic, no bullshit explanation. Kudos to you Todd!

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks I tried to boil it down to just the important points.

[@devildogae]

great video, I know what you mean about being confused. look into patch booster, sometimes called patch aid. it the best thinner you can use. faster cure, harder, eliminating the need for wax in final shoot. And thinning can be done like paint but without possible yellowing.

[@Brian-ds5gq]

Thanks for keeping it simple got a lot out of this video

[@toddswitzer6799]

Great to hear. Many Thanks!

[@oliverellwood2864]

Great video! Wish I had seen it before learning from trial and error when I re-did the Hulls on my Hobie Tiger F18!! Sanding to a good finish is always scary when laying it on thin...

[@toddswitzer6799]

I think learning fiberglass and gel coat is tough when you're working on your own hull and there's a high probability of making it worse.

[@buyamerican3191]

Fantastic video Todd, As you said there are very few truly informative resources out there. I am researching so I can spray a 23' runabout. I will start with the bottom and pending the results I will work my way up. I can't say enough how impressed I am with your video and I will be using all of your information. Having some experience with epoxies and polyester resins I see some of your readers are having some confusion about wax and what part it plays in the whole big picture so if you don't mind my adding a note I want to explain to them that as with laminating resin you don't want to use wax in your gelcoat where you are adding multiple coats, after catalization it will and should stay tacky making the next coat bond without any prep. Adding wax to your final coat will allow the gelcoat to catalize hard, not tacky.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Well said. Adding wax to any of the coats except the final one can cause the layers to separate and flake off and that tacky state of the previous coat is excellent for bonding additional layers. On very large areas like entire hulls I try and mix the final batch with wax and cover the entire hull with one light coat, or use the keel or other natural breaks to mask off half the hull with a final/wax coat, then do the same on the other half of the hull. It would be easier with large commercial equipment but I use a DIY gun and it can only handle about 250-300 ml.

[@kiyomiswan4871]

very thorough explaining of precautions and health hazards related to gelcoat project for at home diy-fer, thank you, Todd Switzer for taking the initiative and guts to help those of us that dont have this pro-knowledge in this video of ur example. very educational in its format,as i wasnt aware there was that much to have to know...phewww!

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank you. As others have pointed out in the comments I skimmed thru a lot of the details in this video but I'm glad I got out just how toxic it can be working with these chemicals.

[@TheMurray313]

Well done..! Great DIy video 👍🏼

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks!

[@Spludgeroo]

Thanks for making this video. Really well presented.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks. It is a bit different than what I usually do on my channel, but it has been one of my most popular videos in years.

[@JASPREETSINGH-nr3kt]

very well explained sir. Thank you.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks

[@apaulothegreat1581]

Pretty good no complaints great video

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank You.

[@markrevelle4621]

Great video, great job, Thanks

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank you for the feedback.

[@mcroman-superfeat]

THX for sharing - we learn a lot ...

[@toddswitzer6799]

Great to hear it's useful.

[@boulahya05]

thank you for the vedio , that was awesome , and you helped me a lot

[@toddswitzer6799]

Glad it helped

[@dejayrezme8617]

Thanks, great video!

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks for watching it.

[@Raygilley10]

very well explained thanks.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank You, that's good to know that it helped.

[@hieibrt]

Great video man!

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks.

[@michaelbodsg127]

Very good the only thing I have is both of those paint guns are automotive paint guns the green one is a gravity fed gun and the other is called a siphon fed and you can get different tips for each gun to make the fluid nozzle bigger or smaller and both are pretty cheap guns

[@toddswitzer6799]

Good guns would most definitely make a big difference, I was using a gun below $50 on that job.

[@BioBoardsLandsurf]

Hi, great video , I would like to know the capacity of the compressor and the pressure used. thank you

[@toddswitzer6799]

21 gallon compressor, about 50 pounds but spray guns vary so check each time.

[@bburks78]

I like the boat stands. Did you make them? And if so did you make a video on how to make them? Or would you be willing to make one? Great job on this project.

[@toddswitzer6799]

I had plywood and just used a scrap rod as the hinge and some old rope as the saddles. But I think I'd buy them next time. They make them out of steel tubing and they pack down a lot lighter than my plywood version.

[@gezac440]

Need to spray in a linear motion not an arc, and spray so that the over spray is away from the painted surface.

[@truenorth365]

Intresting to watch! How do you repair the hull of a scratchy kayak made of plastic?

[@toddswitzer6799]

You can heat HDPE plastic and hot soldering iron and work it into the scratches. There are a few good videos on KZbin on plastic hull repair.

[@matisssarma9814]

Really nice level of detail and great pace - could you name the gun you use and any quick hints about psi? Thanks for doing the research and producing this summary!

[@toddswitzer6799]

My gun is some knockoff gun I bought on Amazon. I think it's called a Razor. Thanks for the feedback.

[@hobohacker258]

Gloss finish? Why? First landing will tear it up! Love your make it look better outlook. (but I dig the battle scars! Had a racing sailboat that had 'helicopter damage' repair)

[@toddswitzer6799]

No gloss finish, I didn't add wax or polish it up. I just tore it up later that year on an Alaska trip dragging it so why bother.

[@joshuamunoz5036]

Nice job man on the canoe I have a question What brand is the gun where did you buy it from and what’s the psi that you would typically use for gelcoat

[@toddswitzer6799]

I bought a knock-off Gel Coat gun off Amazon, I think it's a Razor. I'm certain that better guns will give better results than my $50 gun. Just make sure it has at least a 2.3 to 2.5 mm orifice, most gel coat guns have a 3.0 mm orifice. I use about 45 psi, but it can go up or down by about 5 psi depending on the thickness of my mixture (viscosity of the mixture is a product of temperature and amount of thinner). Just spray some cardboard first to test it and adjust your pressure as needed.

[@chriszbodula1894]

What did you use to fill in any gouges? It seems like you just sanded them deeper and feathered it out over a larger area, is that correct. I have a jet ski I want to apply new gel coat but have gouges I want to fill first. What do I use for gouges.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Fill gouges with fiberglass filler putty its much lighter than bondo and sands easier. Stores that specialize in these materials like Fiberglass Supply or Fiberlay are usually the best and cheapest sources for these products. I wasn't looking for a top end job on that kayak, I was just going to drag it up rivers and beaches again. You can get a much better finish is you prep more and sand and polish after the gel coat cures.

[@stumask]

Great video, just one thought what was the weight of your boat when you first purchased it and what does it weigh now, if you spary it every year for 26 years I rekon that thing could take a direct hit from a torpedo and servive LOL thanks for the video very interesting .

[@toddswitzer6799]

It went from 57 lbs to about 75 lbs with all the glass and gel coat over the years. I leave a lot of the gel coat on rocks on many beaches and rivers tho. It's taken some massive hits running class III white water.

[@canesser1]

You have the gift of teach Todd, I'd be confident enough to try this on this video alone. I have an ABS hull on my Delta 17, same rules apply?

[@toddswitzer6799]

Gel Coat won't adhere to ABS. I think your boat is thermo-form plastic.

[@toddswitzer6799]

You will get a better chemical bond with epoxy, but remember that is really toxic stuff so use all the protection you can and absolutely use a respirator. With epoxy the slower cure the better in the case of coating a boat hull. 5 minute epoxy will set up quick (less working time) and it will be more brittle than an epoxy that takes 12 or 24 hours to full cure. You want a boat hull covering (epoxy, resins) to be pliable so that it flexes with the hull so the slower the cure the better. Good luck.

[@canesser1]

Thanks for tips Todd. My only other question is how do you endure an 11 hour crossing in your kayak to POW?!? Tough on the lumbar discs! Your arms must've been ready to fall off at the end of that one lol!

[@toddswitzer6799]

I get in about 20 days per year that are 12 hours or longer in the kayak. My longest day was 22 or 23 hours in the kayak. Yeah, it's not everyone's thing. It's like running ultra-marathons you have to train to that level then train to stay at it. I can't get too tired after 12 hours in the kayak on a trip like that because I usually need to paddle the next day too.

[@canesser1]

EPIC is all I can say!

[@ZURITROY13]

well i just need the acetone gosh i hope walmart has it

[@toddswitzer6799]

Every paint department has acetone.

[@elementalworld]

At last some basic sense thanks Todd

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank You.

[@elementalworld]

Todd Switzer just out of curiosity what is the construction of your boat ? Make etc

[@toddswitzer6799]

It's a 1990 Necky Tesla, I've modified it a lot over the years including layers of fiberglass reinforcement.

[@elementalworld]

Seems hard to find Fiberglass now all of it seems to be off the shelf plastic ...I'm thinking of skin on frame for my next Ever used one?

[@toddswitzer6799]

Skin boats are amazingly light. They can be very fast too. They have a few "features" you need to be comfortable with including flexibility, easily damaged by rock impacts or dragging, lack of bulkheads. I think the market for them is very small as folks don't want to take proper care of them but if you're handy with fixing them and take proper care they are very nice kayaks.

[@larryscaduto]

I have fiberglass steps to enter my in ground pool. The topcoat is completely gone but the steps structurally sound. I live in southwest FL. Do you think this technique and product will work well on steps that are going to be submerged in pool water constantly? I look forward to any comments. Thanks!

[@toddswitzer6799]

Yes, spraying on gel coat and leaving it rough (not sanding it smooth) will work great for fiberglass steps in a pool. It will last underwater just as my kayak hull does. Just make sure to clean off any chipping gel coat or fiberglass before you start, if the steps are textured use a wire brush or some method like that which will remove any flaking material that sanding won't remove. If the steps are smooth you can just use a sander as I did in this video. Wash it well with acetone and the gel coat will form a solid bond.

[@larryscaduto]

Todd Switzer thanks for the quick response

[@toddswitzer6799]

Best of luck on it.

[@joshuamunoz5036]

Thanks a lot.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks for watching and the feedback

[@GaragemdoBuda]

Very nice vid

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thanks

[@stelamincomresinefiberglas8151]

Thank you for the vedio i am from morooco

[@toddswitzer6799]

You are welcome. I will put out an update video soon.

[@manuelcruz-oy4xy]

hello how many psi for the spay gun. and the nozzle is 2.3??

[@toddswitzer6799]

I use about 50 PSI and my gun has a nozzle of 2.3mm. I've seen Gel Coat guns with nozzles to 3.0mm.

[@ahmedazim5161]

Very detailed. Very clear info. Highly apriciate your advice about cleaning the gun. I can say this is one of the most detailed short video i have seen. Hope to see more videos from you about Gelcode, Airless spray. Painting amd fiberglass...

[@toddswitzer6799]

Thank you. I have plans to make more of these Gel Coat videos.

[@joeschool4724]

If you don't like mixing, or buying all the spray equipment, Dolphinite.com will mix custom colors into gel coat spay cans (cool stuff). Had to wait a couple days for shipping, but worked well, and was easy. More fun and less work, and the cost wasn't prohibitive if the job doesn't require spraying massive areas.

[@toddswitzer6799]

I'll try that, thanks

[@craigmonteforte1478]

nice video , sounds like you are using a pretty small tank trying to catch up to your gun ? Harbor Freight has come out with a newer line of medium duty compressors that may help if this is something you plan on doing more of dont get me wrong ive sprayed Gel Coating out of a 3 oz jar using a thruway aerosol container to patch small blemishes on fiberglass boats in the past as these were on larger Yachts still in the water i grew up in South Florida and not always did the owners want to have the boat pulled to make repairs on it so we did what we had to do on time we made a cardboard spray booth out of a appliance box and clear plastic believe it or not the customer was happy with the results ? another trick of the trade we had was we had almost every touch up spray can of Whites we could find and with experience we knew what would best match most manufacturers Gel Coats so sometimes we blended a area with the paint needed we had one boat that Appliance White was the best match we used to make our own color chips as well using the paints we had

[@toddswitzer6799]

Yes my compressor was always my weak link. I started with a 6 gal tank, nail gun compressor and burned it up. The 20 gal replacement was overworked and overheated a lot. It's possible to make it work out with a kit of minimal gear but like you indicate the better the gear (booth, compressor, gun...) the better the final result.

[@surfguitar6041]

Thanks Todd, very informative. As you said, there is not a lot out there on DIY gelcoat application. A couple of questions: 1) - What kind of compressor are you using? I found my dinky 4.5 CFM (at 50 psi) didn't cut it for spraying. 2) - 2.3 mm orifice, you said. What pressure are you using? 3) - Are you using gelcoat with wax already mixed-in? My understanding is that if not, you need to overspray the finished product with wax or PVA to keep air away from the surface or it won't cure. Finally, 4) - You mentioned the cheapo Harbor Freight sander, are you also using the cheapo HF spray gun? Mine seems to work just fine and only costs $10. (How do they do that?). Oh, and 5) - I've heard it said polyester resin or gelcoat that is over a year old is junk. True? Or is the man just trying to get me to buy more gelcoat? Thanks again for the great video.

[@toddswitzer6799]

The larger compressor the better, I have used nail gun 6 gallon types but they overheat quickly. Now I use a 40 gal 2hp and that keeps up for kayak hulls - bigger is better. I spray at 50-60 psi. I got my gel coat gun off Amazon, an off brand name like Razor. They make much better guns that have orifices around 3mm. I usually add wax to my mixture in the final coat only, and mix at about 5% or a bit more - No, I didn't show that step in my video. The wax helps with curing but without it the gelcoat should harden in about 3 to 5 days, but if you want to have a shine or finish it further you need wax. I've never used a cheap HF gun for spraying gelcoat, I just can't find one with a large enough orifice, the painting guns work fairly well for simple painting. A good 8" disc sander, Makita or DeWalt types, cost well over $300. I'd love one but I just can't justify that much for a tool I use once or twice per year. The knock-off version is doing the job I want for $30. I've hear that old resin breaks down, but I think it's mostly how it is stored. If it is sealed so no air gets to it and stored in a cool place with consistent temperature then mine last for several years. Leave it in a leaky can in the sun and weather and I wouldn't expect it to last 3 months.

[@Mike-qo4kp]

Appreciate the video m8

[@toddswitzer6799]

You are welcome!

[@brt-jn7kg]

How long in between coats do you wait? Sand in between coats? Last coat buff? I've got a 13ft Gheenoe I'd like to restore.

[@toddswitzer6799]

I don't wait long between coats on something like the hull of a kayak. It takes me about 20 minutes to clean up and prep another gun full of gel coat and by then the previous coat is still tacky. Another method is to wait a couple days until it hardens, then sand it with 240 grit and clean before the next coat. You'll get better results by the wait-and-sand between coats method because your reducing the flaws at each layer as you go, but the downside is the extra time it takes. Just don't try and cheat the clock and sand out a coat that is still soft, you'll just load up sand paper and mess up the previous (too soft) layer. Adding wax at 5% volume to the final coat helps it to cure harder and gives it a shine when buffing, but don't add wax to any coat but the final coat as it will interfere with the bonding. Remember that wax rises to the surface as the resin produces heat during the curing process.

[@brt-jn7kg]

@@toddswitzer6799 thank you for taking the time to give me such a thorough answer. I'm thinking this is above my ability and tooling.

[@toddswitzer6799]

It's an investment in tools, even using the cheaper gun and compressor system, but if you do a few kayaks it might be worth it. Best of luck.

[@brt-jn7kg]

@@toddswitzer6799 well I've got a compressor and a shop full of tools. The problem is here in my part of Texas my compressor pumps more water than air. But I see what you're saying as far as investment. I have never done anything with gel coat. I know after you get a couple of coats down it needs to set up and then you need to come back wet sand and buff the hell out of it.

[@sunilkumararickattu1845]

Please mention how gel coat thinned and what you were used either Styrene/Acetone & ratio?

[@toddswitzer6799]

In the video I mentioned only thinning with Styrene Monomer or Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), only use acetone for cleaning the gun and gear.

[@sunilkumararickattu1845]

@@toddswitzer6799 thank you very much.

[@coffinshaker]

Where is the transducer for your fish-finder?

[@toddswitzer6799]

It's mounted behind the seat. I had to make a L shaped bracket and mount it into the bulkhead. It was a pain but it works well and is out of the way.

[@bottomofthemap696]

Thanks

[@toddswitzer6799]

You are welcome.

[@SuperJlonergan]

dont know if i missed it but did you add wax to last spray?

[@toddswitzer6799]

Good catch. I didn't add wax to the final mix because I ran out, so I didn't mention it. I usually add it at 5% to the top coat.

[@craignmz5264]

How is the gel coat holding up? any delamination?

[@toddswitzer6799]

Still looks great and it's been 3 years since that gel coat. I was out in that kayak last weekend. I'll do a follow up video soon.

[@carlosreyes6448]

Which gelcoat is better wax or non wax

[@toddswitzer6799]

wax should only be added to the final layer of gelcoat, if it's added at every layer it decreases the bonding between layers

[@carlosreyes6448]

do you have to let it flash dry inbetween coats

[@toddswitzer6799]

If your catalyst is correct for the temps it should flash in about 20 mins. By the time you clean your gun and reload its ready for another coat.

[@HighlyAddictiveRC]

Some say 1,2 min as a wax layer forms in between coats if u play it sit too long which effects the bonding

[@thenubbynomad2828]

Man so I’m confused do you thin it with anything?

[@toddswitzer6799]

The video shows MEK or Styrene Monomer as thinners, no more than 10% by volume. Acetone is for clean up only.

[@nemanume]

So you need to spray gelcote or paint on a fiberglass boat ?

[@toddswitzer6799]

Yes gel coat is what covers a fiberglass boat as the final layer. It is possible to paint it on, but the results aren't as nice as spraying.

[@772777777777777]

You need to open your spray gun up patteren wider and come much closer use 50 to 75 % over lap in the painting industry we call it spraying scared you dont have good overlapping coverage

[@toddswitzer6799]

Yes, I've learned that since I made that video. I use to do a lot of tiger stripes with the narrow pattern.

[@shankarpatel5]

Sir can we spray it on a design paper? Just a single coat, will that stand ?

[@toddswitzer6799]

I think it will crack and fall off of paper. It is thick and needs the matrix structure of fiberglass for binding and support.

[@shankarpatel5]

First design paper will be glued on the wooden door, then after drying, single coat of resin is to be sprayed. Will that stand strong ?

[@toddswitzer6799]

I believe that will work, you might test a small patch. But if you are going to cover the design paper up with gel coat why not replace it with 1.5 ounce fiberglass cloth (almost like thin silk), then the resin will fully bind to the fiberglass cloth and the gel coat finish will be as smooth as possible.

[@shankarpatel5]

Todd Switzer well okay will try with fiber glass.. and surely will give u an update

[@shankarpatel5]

Todd Switzer I should spray on the fiber glass mesh?

[@andytheartist1]

Did he say MEKP was a thinner?

[@toddswitzer6799]

Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) is a decent thinner, Methyl Ethyl Ketone Phosphate (MEKP) is the catalyst. Thanks for the feedback if I make another gel coat video I'll be clear to point that out better.

[@sunilkumararickattu1845]

Question please. How gelcoat thin? Is that by styrene or acetone? Please clear?

[@toddswitzer6799]

I thin at 5 to 10 percent (by volume), and that is temperature dependent. For example if it's 90 degrees don't thin gel coat at all but if it's 70 degrees you might need to thin 8 to 10 percent. The best thing to do is mix a small batch to test it.

[@sunilkumararickattu1845]

@@toddswitzer6799 thanks for the information. Then are you using Styrene fo the thin the Gelcoat or any other chemical ?

[@sunilkumararickattu1845]

I have one more question. How do we preoare, powder form of Gelcoat into the brushable form? Polyurathene resin with 1-2% MEKP ? Or any other best method. The reasonwhy sometime brushable Gelcoat not available since we need to prepare our own.

[@toddswitzer6799]

Use Styrene for thinning only. A cheaper chemical for thinning with is MEK. I've had good success with both of these.

[@toddswitzer6799]

I've never used power form Gelcoat. Are you certain you're not speaking of silica or glass added to resin to thicken it for brushing? My video on how to patch with silica shows how to do just that ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6u7lamcgNJ0ick ).

[@Rick-tb4so]

How many psi ??

[@toddswitzer6799]

I had it set about 50 psi, but start at 40 and test it on a piece of cardboard, dial it higher until it looks right.

[@kidee124]

Okay.. I do body work for an rv company trainer is on of those "I know it all" type of people... he actually taught me to use acetone as a thinner. And I can tell that's a no no.. he also uses different "lingo" for body work and I've context clued a bit of it.. catalyst is "hardner" right? So why did you call the mekp (thinner) catalyst? And I'm not understanding?

[@toddswitzer6799]

The catalyst or hardener is always MEKP. The thinners I mentioned that can be used are MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) or Styrene Monomer. I know a lot of people use acetone to thin and also to clean up their gear and most the time they're happy with the results. But it makes more sense to me to thin the gel coat mixture with a stable chemical that isn't made to break down the gel coat and/or evaporate away in a matter of minutes.

[@kidee124]

Todd Switzer oooh okay I see where I got confused now thank you :)

[@richardlove4287]

Get some gel flow....seemingly it does what gel coat does ..but from out side the mould

[@toddswitzer6799]

I'll look for that product.

[@rockyriveroutdoors9229]

U should have bn able to cover that canoe in 6 mils of gel coat in 4 passes.

[@toddswitzer6799]

I agree, once the base material is prepared correctly. But if you don't sand the surface smooth, or fill those deep scratches then you end up applying a lot more gel coat. I made both those mistakes in this video.

[@atstupenas]

You DO NOT have to pay someone to get a high gloss finish!

[@toddswitzer6799]

I agree, however, for the DIY backyard first-timer getting all the variables controlled will be extremely difficult. At very least you'd need a booth to keep the dust and bugs out of the gel. Here's and excellent video From Ashland that touches on most of the variables that one needs to control: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2ezmYyQpq-Le6M

[@67polara]

Thinking my Devilbiss auto primer gun with 2.2 tip would do.

[@toddswitzer6799]

You can always try a small quantity (50 ml or so). You have nothing to loose but a bit of material. Good luck!

[@michaelbodsg127]

And you can adjust the fan pattern on the gun wider so you don’t have to be so far away you should only be 8 to 10 inches away

[@toddswitzer6799]

I'll try that, thanks.

[@jasonstocks6460]

you forgot the liquid wax

[@toddswitzer6799]

Correct. Wax in the final coat only, adding wax to every layer will insure pealing.

[@tomdobyns2062]

I wonder? Grand maw used ammonia to remove old wax buildup on wooden floors. Gel coat will make bubbles if the surface is too hot, or too much hardener is used. For some reason, fans make it worse. Using a mold wax will release styrene gas (bubbles) into the gelcoat. Sunshine can cause bubbles. PVA is good stuff. Adding styrene to gel coat will make it chalky. Not a good idea. I've made gelcoat before. All I used was a good quality polyester resin, caco3 as a filler, and pigment. A little pigment goes a long way. I used the caco3 to control the thickness. Mix some with resin, and use as a filler to see what it is. Making paint (or gelcoat) is facilitated by using a paint mixer blade in a router. Paint or gelcoat really need to be homogenized. A drill motor will not work. BEWARE ! NEVER turn the router on with a mixer blade in it. It will remove arms and legs. Always place inside of a 5 gallon bucket before pressing the trigger !!! ALWAYS unplug the thing, so someone doesn't come along and slice themselves up. It is cheap, holds up better than paint, works over metal better than paint, especially if something like ZRC cold galv is applied first. The finish is rough using this, but it works well around the salt water with metal. Cost fall about $10 to $20 dollars a gallon, depending on the resin. Any acid, but especially phosphoric, works well with removing and neutralizing rust. It is called "Neutro", but has a lot of different names. It dries to a whitish powder, and can be painted (or gelcoated) over. Try before you commit to a large project. This is ALL hard earned knowledge. Your results may vary. Use at your own risk. Oh, anything "soaked" in Acetone (covered with a lid) that has hardened resin in it can be cleaned. Mixing 1/2 acetone and !/2 mek works better as a clean up agent than acetone alone. Acetone flashes off too fast, so it leaves a sticky mess. Tide washing powder can be used to clean brushes and such, but must be used straight from the box with a small amount of water. It takes a bit of work, but will do it.

[@tomdobyns2062]

Never pour Neutro works well cleaning rust from toilets too. Never mix acid with bleach. never put hydrocloric acid in a lead acid battery (Don't ask !!)