Could Use Some Advice on Fillers

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

I totally get your thoughts on Gelcoat. Tonight I was second guessing. But I think I've decided just to go with my original plan and epoxy and paint. I want to put cockpit combings on my deck ( the DE 38 has a completely flat deck and lots of water gets into the cockpit underway. Not so fond of having a cold, wet butt. ) So I'd have to gelcoat THOSE and that seems like too much for my novice skillset. So paint it is. Alarm set for the morning...going to grind out some cracks!

Too true. Paint that suckah. BTW, they're coamings. I see that one a lot here. Combings are dandruff. Amazing how many crusty old-timers do that one too (the misnomer, not the dandruff!).

[DiverChick71]

Originally Posted by minaret

Yeah, those are pretty bad. Definitely will be well into the laminate. I wouldn't be surprised if you find some factory voids as well, particularly on the radii. You may want to grind some of those out a little wider, like around 2-3", if you have to grind well into the glass to get the crack out. Don't grind a hole chasing cracks, leave yourself something to glass to! Your gel is pretty severely hammered, and looks to have a serious porosity issue as well. This boat needs a paint job, probably can't restore the gel here. You need to use an excellent primer like 545 before topcoating with the paint of your choice. Much of the job's quality and longevity will depend on your prep work and primer. Lots of work here. I would start by giving the boat a serious wash down, using at least Boat Zoap or better, and preferably a pressure wash too. Then get down on hands and knees and minutely inspect every square inch of deck you will be painting. Mark every crack and chip with a Sharpie (I like red for this). If you don't you'll miss a lot of them due to dirt or just forgetting where they all are, or due to the incredible amount of dust that will be created on your first grind. You can't conceive the volume of toxic itchy glass dust created by this process if you haven't done it before. The sharpie marks will get ground off, but you can use blue tape instead if you are afraid of the sharpie. Then mask any adjacent hardware, to avoid getting grinder scratches on your hardware. Triple tape if it's close. You can use a base layer of good tape covered with layers of cheap stuff. Grind for prep. Wipe with acetone while grinding to make the lam clear so you can see the crack and chase it out completely. Then vac well and blow off. Wipe off with 'tone or alchohol. Then mask around each repair, 2" or so back if possible, depending on size of the repair. Glass with WEST and Fast hardener, mixing small batches. As soon as the glass is half set, apply WEST with 407 mixed to mayo consistency (not peanut butter, it should still be glossy, just thick enough not to run). Apply sloppy high, it's better to have to sand a lot to fair than to have to come back and fill lows again. Don't try to fill flush or make it pretty, just make sure you put on plenty and it's high everywhere. Sand fair with 60 and 80 grit on blocks only, no hand sanding. When you start to hit the surrounding tape with 60, pull tape and switch to 80. Keep the 80 scratches within 2-3" inches of the repair. Fair flats first, then radii and fillets. Then prep the whole boat to 180, guide coating first. 3M dry guide coat is best, but a rattle can works too. Apply a spot prime to each repair, making sure the primer covers the 80 grit profile and using at least three coats. Sand the spot prime out with 180. Now the whole boat is in 180 profile. Prime the whole boat, spray applying at least 3 coats. If you roll and tip primer, you will need to sand out twice and may need as many as six coats. Good primer ain't cheap. Sand the primer out with 400 grit, guide coating first. Then vac well, blow off, and wash the whole boat very thoroughly. Wipe clean twice with Awlprep and lint free cotton rags. Mask off well. Use quality tack cloths next. Then pick a perfect weather window and time frame for the right ambient conditions, and apply the topcoat of your choice. De-mask. Clean tape adhesive and any bleed through (use fineline to prevent this). Then apply a beauty bead of black caulk (or white if you prefer) around all hardware and rails. Voila! A deck paint job. Next you get to do the non-skid, which is a whole other conversation.

Oh Lordy. Glad I had a couple glasses of wine on board for that post. I'm exhausted just reading it. Ok. I've got some work to do (start) tomorrow. :-) Sharpie. Good plan.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

Oh Lordy. Glad I had a couple glasses of wine on board for that post. I'm exhausted just reading it. Ok. I've got some work to do (start) tomorrow. :-) Sharpie. Good plan.

Good luck!

[DiverChick71]

So the roloc is awesome....until the disc thingy wouldn't come off and then the plastic screw part sheared off and is stuck in it. :-(. And what's best for inside corners? The dremel gets in but it just seems to dredge out a hole...?

[spraygun]

Make sure you do not over tighten the disk to the mandrel. It is self tightening as you're using it. I'm not sure if you using 3M Disk or some generic brand. But those 3M should never break off in the mandrel.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

So the roloc is awesome....until the disc thingy wouldn't come off and then the plastic screw part sheared off and is stuck in it. :-(. And what's best for inside corners? The dremel gets in but it just seems to dredge out a hole...?

Lol, you'll learn! Try needle nose vice grips.

For inside corners use a 1/4" shaft die grinder, preferably pneumatic with regulator but electric is ok if it's variable speed. Use tungsten carbide burr bits. I like conical for inside corners. Wait'll you fair 'em!