today's work

[DrSchmidt]

My experience:
Standard gel coat with a bit of color as top coat. When applied and still wet, I use a kitchen sieve to lay down a thick layer of cotton fibre, then I let the gel coat cure. After that you blow away the remaining cotton fibre and you get a turf like surface that is ideal for coupling the fibre galss layers to the top coat.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Isn't that just a standard thixo agent? I've also used cellulose fibres for thickening resin, although it's not a smooth as colloidal silica it adds lots of strength. Also makes for a great coupling coat between a gel layer and fabric reinforcement, a tip I picked up from a video showing model aeroplane fuselage moulding.

Good tips, I'll file them away, Andy.

[Subculture]

Isn't that just a standard thixo agent? I've also used cellulose fibres for thickening resin, although it's not a smooth as colloidal silica it adds lots of strength. Also makes for a great coupling coat between a gel layer and fabric reinforcement, a tip I picked up from a video showing model aeroplane fuselage moulding.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I wondered what the spray gun was for, are you applying a release agent?

Nope. It was yet another semi-successful attempt at producing a 'gel-coat' for my glass layup work; this time using micro-balloons.

Over the decades I've tried all sorts of resin doping-thickening mediums, including silica fibers, micro-balloons, talc... everything but Kryptonite and lawn-dirt!

But, from this same thread, the good Doctor put me onto a commercially available thickening agent that should be in tomorrow (lov'n Amazon!). We'll see if that does the trick.

Thixotropic agent, this stuff:

Amazon.com: Fasco Epoxies - Fasco Cab-O-SIL Fumed Silica thickener in Quart tub : Tools & Home Improvement

[Subculture]

I wondered what the spray gun was for, are you applying a release agent?

[Timothy L]

I love thus thread - wish I could give many photos a thumbs up - but don’t seem to have administrative permission to so - so I will just waste a bit of space saying thank you again for all of the effort that goes in to making these posts ON TOP of the work itself!!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Another method is to get an thixotropic agent https://www.r-g.de/en/art/210120?srs...uaRreMxCGLXvC7

Rather cheap and the surface stays harder than with micro baloons

Doctor, that was an excellent tip, and I'll do that. Just ordered a sample and will conduct tests with it this weekend. Thank you so much for the tip and I'll keep you informed on how this thickening agent works out as applied to the gel-coat.

David

[DrSchmidt]

Another method is to get an thixotropic agent https://www.r-g.de/en/art/210120?srs...uaRreMxCGLXvC7

Rather cheap and the surface stays harder than with micro baloons

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Are you spraying thinned resin into those tools?

No. Thickened epoxy laminating resin -- micro-balloons added to mix, forming a 'home made' gel-coat.

[Subculture]

Are you spraying thinned resin into those tools?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

https://youtu.be/sgAG6t0Z5Ek

[Albacore 569]

Wow excellent contributions for David Thanks. I took the adobe files and converted and boosted the contrast and sharpness.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Hi here some pictures for more details.
rgards gantu

Wow! Great pictures, I'm filing these away! Loads of detail not evidenced before. Can't wait to dig back into this project, Steve.

David