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...

Hi Don,

I'm glad it's arrived with you. I think it hitch-hiked all the way there!

For your release surface I would just go with a couple of coats of Easy-Lease (clean the mould first to remove any old wax or other release agents) and give the Easy-Lease a bit of a buffing off between coats to ensure you don't see any built up spots or relase agent on the mould surface after it dries. The release agent shouldn't make a massive difference to how the gelcoat goes down but you don't want it to be so repellent that the gelcoat fish-eyes away from it.

Putting the GC50 down is a balance of getting it going down smoothly (not speckled, like it does if you go very thin with it and let a lot of the styrene evapoiurate out before it has a chance to self-level) and yet not putting it down so thick that it starts to affect the clarity (much over 0.5mm and it will start to look milky. I appreciate (from people's feedback on this forum) that the balance (and the technique) is not the easiest to find but it remains the case that the GC50 is the best (and pretty much only) UV stable in-mould clear coating process for epoxy infused parts. Your other options will always remain to either leave the parts without any clear coating or to clear coat them after they're made. If the GC50 can be put down satisfactorilly smoothly then we all know that this is considerbly less work that a clear coat/lacquer after the part has been made (because that will invariably require a flat and polish) so despite the relative difficulty of getting the GC50 down right we still feel that it's well worth trying to perfect.

Speak soon, Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales