Here it is boys, something I like to think as the last step in getting a perfect part!

After stepping into the clearcoating/painting business I can tell you, with or without a paint both it is a total PITA. I cant stand clear coating a part after de moulding, then the clearcoat gets wavy or a bug in it. then i san and polish, still not perfect.

I'm starting to learn this real fast; the key to a perfect part, is taking a mould from a perfect part and polishing it there. I plan to make some really perfect molds, then try this.

 



 

The site says you can brush it on, we for my size parts that would be really connivent. Now matter what the surface of the part will be perfect but if your paint strokes on the back are to thick you may see your weave get a little wobbly.

When making parts smaller than ".5 meter" I think my cup gun is a bit much? think an air brush system would work?

 



If Brute Force Isn''''t working your not using enough...

Well I decided to test  the gel coat.

I bought this paint sprayer in fear that my big 20oz. one would be to much. I started with the volume knob the whole way down and that was gonna take too long in my opinion so I had creeped my way to full pressure. This stuff is like gel, kinda hard for the sprayer. Still It seemed t slowly build. I got about 70 grams on a 6in. by 16in area.

• High volume, low pressure (HVLP) material transfer
• Designed for detail painting
• Gravity feed
• 5.3 oz. cup
• Regulator available separately  *********** I got the regulator toooooo
• Stainless steel nozzle and needle
• Flow rate: 40cc per minute
• Minimum transfer efficiency: 65%

Required pressure: 43 PSI

Average air consumption: 3.2 to 5.6 CFM

Nozzle size: 0.8 mm   I think that purple gun mentioned in earlier post would be a total POS do not get it for this gel unless you do small parts like cell phone cases. Here's what the Mold looked like after I was done. Let me ask this, is anyone getting a smooth finish right outta the gun? is this smooth enough to do a decent infusion? should I be sanding this?   Just trying to get into this stuff but devil is in the details...

If Brute Force Isn''''t working your not using enough...

Hi Carbon Tuner,

It looks like it's gone down evenly but it does look a bit 'dimply'. I think what you'll find if you infuse over this surface is that the carbon will look consistant but it will have a slightly strange appearance caused by the dimpled surface of your gelcoat. If you wet-laid carbon over it (not that many on this forum would) then it would look perfect because, without the vacuum pressure forcing the carbon hard against the dimpled gelcoat, the carbon would take a straighter line and resin would fill in the dimples. Under vac pressure however the carbon will follow that exact surface and might be left with a very slight pattern to it.

To improve the flatness out of the gun, it actually helps to put slightly more gelcoat down and put it down faster as well - this allows it to self-level a little more. Also, the clarity of the GC50 is very good and so being a little thicker on the gel is not too much of a concern. Like all clear gels if you go too thick then you'll get a slight milkyness but that would need to be pretty thick with the GC50 before it started to do this and in general, a thicker gel will provide more UV protection and more to polish into in the event of a scratch.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the part comes out.

--Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales