I'm repainting a Hobie 16 sailboat - filled nicks with epoxy, sanded
the entire boat smooth. West Marine reccomended directly apply Ezpoxy
to the hulls via the roll-on and tip method.

The problem we're having is that no matter how clean the environment,
(garage and surface), the paint is drying with a slight grain to it.
I'm pretty sure the "grain" is tiny bits of dried paint.

Anyway, we run space heaters in the garage and strain the paint prior
to applying it.

Ezpoxy says we don't need to thin it unless it's drying faster than we
can tip it out.

Any suggestions? Anyone else having this same problem?

Thanks!

Gabe Silverman

"Gabe Silverman" wrote in message
om...
I'm repainting a Hobie 16 sailboat - filled nicks with epoxy, sanded
the entire boat smooth. West Marine reccomended directly apply Ezpoxy
to the hulls via the roll-on and tip method.

The problem we're having is that no matter how clean the environment,
(garage and surface), the paint is drying with a slight grain to it.
I'm pretty sure the "grain" is tiny bits of dried paint.

Anyway, we run space heaters in the garage and strain the paint prior
to applying it.

Uuhh do the space heaters run on kerosene or propane or are they electric?
If petroleum fuels, then soot in your paint might be the problem.


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

Roll and tip can be a frustrating experience... assuming you're
tipping with bagder hair brushes (recommended by most), they need to
be thoroughly cleaned prior to use with the solvent recommended by
Pettit to clean the Easypoxy. Also, assuming foam rollers, they too
need to be pre-cleaned - in fact there's a special "roller spinner"
made specifically for this task. The point is that 'new' brushes and
rollers frequently contain dust and loose hairs that need to be
removed prior to use.

Another trick is to wet down (with a mop or the like) the floor or
ground over which you're painting, and to wear non-shedding clothes;
preferably as little clothing as possible.

Also, assuming you've cleaned the hull with solvent prior to begining
the process, then wiped with a clean cotton cloth, you must follow
with a series of tack-cloth passes to remove the cotton lint.

Lastly, you may ultimately find that you need to resort to the "two
foot test."

If the results look good from straight on at two feet, cal it "good
enough!"

Mike Worrall
Los Angeles

The spacer heaters are electric...

You should still pre-heat the shop then turn off the heaters while the paint
takes a set. Moving the air around means you are moving dust around. Turn
the heaters on after the paint can be touched. Note that this takes
baby-sitting, else things may cool too much and paint can sag rather than
set. You might try radiant heaters without fans in them. Some people
pre-wet the floor (water) to reduce dust even further. I usually spray, so
I run a few pots of water through the paint gun to humidify the air and to
settle dust, then while any mist on the boat dries, I mix the paint and get
set up for the real thing (paint).

Brian

"Gabe Silverman" wrote in message
om...
The spacer heaters are electric...

Thanks Mike, that was helpful - we'll give it a shot. We weren't
using foam rollers and I'm not sure what kind of brush we used either.

G

Gabe,

I've used Pettit paints for years; I even used it to paint the steel keel on
a 'trailer-sailer'.

One of the most recent {a couple of years ago}applications - other then
anti-fouling bottom paint - was a 'touch-up' to the gel-coat of my West
Wight Potter 19. I used the White EZ-Poxy. The hull area was cleaned with
Lacquer Thinner {using paper towels}, 'scuff sanded' with 400 grit
'Wet-or-Dry' paper, then cleaned again with the Lacquer Thinner. If memory
serves, I added a 'dash' of Penetrol to the paint {for improved 'flow-out'},
and used a simple foam brush. [NOTE - paint dried as smooth as the
surrounding gel-coat] After 'curing' {a few days}, a gentle compounding &
waxing of the hull completed the job. If I get within a foot of the hull, I
can see the demarcation of the area . . . by the VERY slight color
difference between the EZ-Poxy and the 14-year old gel coat.

This work was done OUTSIDE in typical ambient temperatures of a SE
Pennsylvania Spring. The only time I have had pieces of a brush getting in
paint/epoxy was when I used a cheap BLACK foam roller . . . which was broken
down by the SOLVENTS of the paint. I now use a Polyester {?} short-napped
roller for applying epoxy . . . which WILL be sanded by 60 grit paper or
have several other layers in it's 'schedule'. For 'Roll & Tip' painting I
use the WEST 'System' YELLOW rollers. While a bit more expensive, they are
of a 'very fine' foam, and quite impervious to the typical solvents. [NOTE -
they can be cleaned, 'spun dry' by the spinner, and re-used. But do
'segregate' your brushes, etc. - BOTH by 'solvent type' and also color {if
you use only a few on a consistent basis}.

One of the biggest 'trouble makers' has already been alluded to -
TEMPERATURE. If you have an OVER-ALL granularity in your finish, it is more
likely a temperature or application technique/tool selection problem then a
breakdown of the brush material. If you are doing a LARGE area {like an
entire hull, or even a side}that WHOLE area of MATERIAL must be close to
about 70 degrees F. It is a large 'heat sink' and may need a 'heat soak' of
24-hours or more. That temperature must be maintained for a period AFTER the
paint has been applied . . . for the paint film to at least 'skin over' and
any 'out-gassing' to occur. After that, the area may cool . . . but at a
slow rate. A SUDDEN drop will cause problems. This is one of the reasons
that the application of Varnish {or Paint, or Epoxy} is recommended ' . . .
no earlier than 10 AM or later than about 3PM '.

Any questions, or elaboration required, please drop me a line.

Regards & Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop

"Gabe Silverman" wrote in message
om...
Thanks Mike, that was helpful - we'll give it a shot. We weren't
using foam rollers and I'm not sure what kind of brush we used either.

G

Thanks Ron, we're going to give your tips a try.

Thanks for helping out!

G