|
Soeiro
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 4,
Visits: 35
|
Hi there. I have been using Easy-lease for a wile now and never had problems. I was really impressed with its properties and ease of application when compared to PVA or wax. I could pull the parts easily, but the surface of the mould or pattern was always hazed and that always reflected on the part or mould. I allways apply the hi-gloss pattern coat, and then sand it and buff it to a very glossy finish in order to have a nice finish mould surface, and then apply a minimum of 7 layers of easy-lease waiting the necessary time as per the instructions, but on the last mould I decided to buff the hazed residues of the pattern with a clean microfiber cloth (just like I used to do with mould release wax) to try and obtain the best possible surface finish, but the result was catastrophic! On some places the gel coat adhered to the pattern and now I have a scratched and cuff mould and a ruined pattern! Here are some pics of them....    My question is, What did I do wrong? I can't buff the easy-lease like I used to do with wax to get a nice finish? How can I have the best possible surface finish and avoid this catastrophe? I just lost a couple of hundred euros and some work days on this... Thanks and best regards!
|
|
|
|
|
Hanaldo
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 2.5K,
Visits: 28K
|
Yeh, dont buff too hard. You can buff it lightly, but you really dont want to be applying any pressure at all, virtually just using the weight of the cloth.
This is really an application error though - it shouldn't leave a residue. Are you wearing gloves? Are you applying it too heavy? Are you using a new cloth for each coat, or are you reusing the same cloth each coat? All of these things will cause streaks.
|
|
|
|
|
Soeiro
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 4,
Visits: 35
|
+xYeh, dont buff too hard. You can buff it lightly, but you really dont want to be applying any pressure at all, virtually just using the weight of the cloth. This is really an application error though - it shouldn't leave a residue. Are you wearing gloves? Are you applying it too heavy? Are you using a new cloth for each coat, or are you reusing the same cloth each coat? All of these things will cause streaks. Normally I don't wear gloves to apply the release agent, but use a new cloth or paper towel for every part, but not a new one for every application... Is it really necessary?? It is neither ecological neither economical... If I am applying it to heavy... not sure, I can't compare it to anyone, nor has anyone showed me how this product in particular should be applied, just saw it on the youtube tutorials... I won't buff it next time, but it makes me mad to spend dozens of hours sanding and buffing and then the release agent leves its mark... but hey, it makes me even madder to destroy the moulds and patterns... Thanks!!
|
|
|
|
|
Warren (Staff)
|
|
|
Group: Administrators
Posts: 2.5K,
Visits: 7.9K
|
It sounds like a combination of factors including perhaps slightly heavy application and also excessive buffing. In essence it sounds like you have removed more release agent buffing than you applied so never built up a good enough layer all over hence the few sticky points.
Also how old is your release agent? In a sealed bottle it has a shelf life of 12 months but the more you open it and leave the lid off, the more water it will absorb and may well begin to degrade. Certainly if it is over 12 months old, I really would not want to use it.
Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
|
|
|
|
|
Soeiro
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 4,
Visits: 35
|
+xIt sounds like a combination of factors including perhaps slightly heavy application and also excessive buffing. In essence it sounds like you have removed more release agent buffing than you applied so never built up a good enough layer all over hence the few sticky points. Also how old is your release agent? In a sealed bottle it has a shelf life of 12 months but the more you open it and leave the lid off, the more water it will absorb and may well begin to degrade. Certainly if it is over 12 months old, I really would not want to use it. Ok, thanks for the opinion. I will be more careful with the buffing, and from now on I will probably apply at least 12 layers on a new mould or pattern. As for the age of release agent, I bought it in may of this year, so it shouldn't be a problem, unless it was stored for a long time on your facilities. Thanks again
|
|
|
|
|
Hanaldo
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 2.5K,
Visits: 28K
|
Yeh, you should wear gloves. Not only because it is a chemical and unhealthy, but because it is a solvent it will dissolve the oils on your hands and deposit it in the surface of your mould, leaving streaks.
You should also use a new cloth for each and every application. I know it seems like a waste, but again it will affect your surface finish. What happens is you apply your coat, and then leave the remainder of the release agent to partially cure in the cloth. Then you apply more release agent to the cloth, and again the solvents dissolve that partially cured release agent and deposit it on your mould surface, leaving streaks. If you want a more economical approach, use the lint-free solvent application wipes from Easy Composites, and cut each cloth into 8 pieces. This will give you enough wipes to do a full application on anything you are moulding, and it will also help regulate how heavy you are applying the release agent as obviously there is less cloth and it cant hold as much.
Which brings me to my final point. You dont want to over apply a chemical release agent. You only want a film that is just wet enough to leave a film behind as you wipe it on, before it evaporates 5 seconds or so later. If you can coat your entire mould before the film starts to evaporate, it's too heavy and it will leave streaks and can actually cause poor release as the liquid beads up. This may feel tedious as you need to reapply the release agent to your application cloth several times for a mould, but it will improve your surface finishes and release performance.
|
|
|
|
|
Soeiro
|
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 4,
Visits: 35
|
+xYeh, you should wear gloves. Not only because it is a chemical and unhealthy, but because it is a solvent it will dissolve the oils on your hands and deposit it in the surface of your mould, leaving streaks. You should also use a new cloth for each and every application. I know it seems like a waste, but again it will affect your surface finish. What happens is you apply your coat, and then leave the remainder of the release agent to partially cure in the cloth. Then you apply more release agent to the cloth, and again the solvents dissolve that partially cured release agent and deposit it on your mould surface, leaving streaks. If you want a more economical approach, use the lint-free solvent application wipes from Easy Composites, and cut each cloth into 8 pieces. This will give you enough wipes to do a full application on anything you are moulding, and it will also help regulate how heavy you are applying the release agent as obviously there is less cloth and it cant hold as much. Which brings me to my final point. You dont want to over apply a chemical release agent. You only want a film that is just wet enough to leave a film behind as you wipe it on, before it evaporates 5 seconds or so later. If you can coat your entire mould before the film starts to evaporate, it's too heavy and it will leave streaks and can actually cause poor release as the liquid beads up. This may feel tedious as you need to reapply the release agent to your application cloth several times for a mould, but it will improve your surface finishes and release performance. Ok, thank you very much for your info. It does makes sense what you are saying!
|
|
|
|