Few years back, a surf ski developed cosmetic delams in the gel
coat around the cockpit area.

The builder sent me a half pint of polyester resin pre-mixed with
yellow pigment and, I guess, wax.

Stuff worked.

But now I want to finish a ding repair and, upon opening the can
of gel coat, find that it's gone all lumpy.

If I stir it long enough, some of the lumps smooth out, but I
still can't get it to where it will flow properly upon
application.

Is there any hope for this stuff (thinning agents? extreme
agitation - as in a paint store's mechanical shaker? something
else?)

Or should I try to get some fresh resin/pigment?



If when I do get some fresh stuff, it seems more logical to me to
ask for the pigment, resin, and wax as separate items and then
mix them when needed.

Am I on the right track with the separate ingredients approach?
--
PeteCresswell

A little heat might work. I've had good luck submerging the can in a
bucket of hot water.

On Mon, 25 May 2009 15:04:54 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Few years back, a surf ski developed cosmetic delams in the gel
coat around the cockpit area.

The builder sent me a half pint of polyester resin pre-mixed with
yellow pigment and, I guess, wax.

Stuff worked.

But now I want to finish a ding repair and, upon opening the can
of gel coat, find that it's gone all lumpy.

If I stir it long enough, some of the lumps smooth out, but I
still can't get it to where it will flow properly upon
application.

Is there any hope for this stuff (thinning agents? extreme
agitation - as in a paint store's mechanical shaker? something
else?)

Or should I try to get some fresh resin/pigment?



If when I do get some fresh stuff, it seems more logical to me to
ask for the pigment, resin, and wax as separate items and then
mix them when needed.

Am I on the right track with the separate ingredients approach?
--
PeteCresswell

You can buy a pint of white gelcoat and get a little pigment kit from
Evercoat via eBay.
Mix your own.
the shelf life of gelcaot is pretty short. I keeep some mixed for my
little boat in the frige and it has been ok for a year now but I'm
sure that's pushing it.

I don't mix wax in with the gelcoat. I spray PVA over it.
I keep it in the beer frige in the shop, not in the house.


If when I do get some fresh stuff, it seems more logical to me to
ask for the pigment, resin, and wax as separate items and then
mix them when needed.

Am I on the right track with the separate ingredients approach?
--
PeteCresswell

Per Pirateer guy:
I don't mix wax in with the gelcoat. I spray PVA over it.

Polyvinyl Acetate?
--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Pirateer guy:
I don't mix wax in with the gelcoat. I spray PVA over it.

Polyvinyl Acetate?

Polyvinyl Alcohol.

It is readily water soluble... Used as a mold release agent.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol

Brian C