My engine cover may might not go back on my Kona after I drop the 496 in there. This will leave a very ugly floor in the engine bay. It looks like gelcoat or paint in areas but I want the whole thing black or dark gray. The engine is out and I cleaned the hell out of the engine bay with castrol superclean and hot water. I was going to wipe it all down with Assitone (while not smoking) then scuff with 200 grit and just brush on some black gelcoat that comes in the qt can that you see in the marine section of sporting goods stores.
Does this sound idiotic? I'm an airbrush artist and haven't messed around much with the gelcoat.
Boosted the only help I am is to tell you I don't know how either. All I can say is I did a (inside)floor of a boat and it never did cure all the way. Aparently it takes more than gel and catalist. Yellowboat told me how dn here in the fiberglass section it went so far over my head I was embarassed to ask what he meant.
:sqeyes: :idea:
Haha! I wonder if you could have waxed the surface. I have read something about using wax on some types of resins to get rid of the tack but I don't know Jack about this stuff.
Someone else said some thing about wax. I thought that was just so the gel would release from the mold. Someone else said it would cure in the sun but that's what would make it tacky. It would be fine i'd take it out on a hot day and stick city. I dunno let me know when you figure it out.
There is an additive that goes into the gel resin before you apply it, that floats to the surface and seals off the air which allows the gel coat to cure. With out that you get a sticky mess, ready for the addition of fiberglassed reinforced resin which will cure.
You can add wax to the gel to aid in curing without stickiness......or spray PVA on after you apply the gel to seal it....or just wipe the surface with a rag soaked in acetone......after it cures
boosted, do a search on my miller, i just had a buddy do my rear engine area, make a battery tray, install billett battery holdown, etc, turned out real nice..............
I did some research on the gelcoats and I hear a lot about:
"Duratec High-Gloss Additive, add to gelcoat at a 1:1 ratio to make an easily sprayed coating that can be sprayed through most paint guns. Provides a high quality finished surface for doing repairs or finish work. Can also be used in molding to improve gelcoat properties. "
I spoke with a salesman about it and he said that you could use it with most any gelcoat to make it flow well enough to use in regular HVLP guns and it has a wax that floats to the surface to seal the gelcoat from air to allow it to cure completely. He said it can be sprayed in multiple coats back to back but you will have to scuff between coats if you let it harden.
That's what I'll go with!
Duratec is good stuff for engine compartments, and flows out really nice.
I did some research on the gelcoats and I hear a lot about:
"Duratec High-Gloss Additive, add to gelcoat at a 1:1 ratio to make an easily sprayed coating that can be sprayed through most paint guns. Provides a high quality finished surface for doing repairs or finish work. Can also be used in molding to improve gelcoat properties. "
I spoke with a salesman about it and he said that you could use it with most any gelcoat to make it flow well enough to use in regular HVLP guns and it has a wax that floats to the surface to seal the gelcoat from air to allow it to cure completely. He said it can be sprayed in multiple coats back to back but you will have to scuff between coats if you let it harden.
That's what I'll go with!
Your supplier told you right, HOWEVER clean your gun well. If any trace of the gelcoat goes off in the gun it's shot (no pun intended).
I have heard that Duratec can cause yellowing if used on exterior surfaces due to the U.V.
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