Alligator'd gel coat

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Alligator'd gel coat

Alligator'd gel coat

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AlpineCoupe	A AlpineCoupe posted 5 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
A Group: Forum Members Posts: 45, Visits: 2.1K	Was starting a mold today and got terrible alligatoring when I applied the second coat of gel coat. Is this only caused because I applied the second coat too soon? Or could there have been other factors causing this mess? Sorry the image is inverted, I'll fix it when I'm on a computer.
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beliblisk	b beliblisk posted 5 Years Ago HOT Post Details
b Group: Forum Members Posts: 53, Visits: 2.8K	+x AlpineCoupe - 6/16/2020 5:21:29 AM I'm glad you clarified the gel coat application. I applied a very thin coat, left it to cure and then came back with a thick coat. Which is when I got the alligatoring. I'm glad to know that I should have applied the second coat sooner. Can't wait to try this again, and thank you for all the comments! Just to make sure: -1st thin application + second pass to add to normal thickness -2nd aplication (after 1st has cured to tack state or later) Have fun Edited 5 Years Ago by beliblisk
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Alligator'd gel coat

AlpineCoupe - 5 Years Ago

Aligartoring is a tricky beast. Sometimes it is hard to say why it happened. But there are some things that provoke it certainly: -Undercured gel coat -badly mixed gelcoat (uncured patches) -to thin....

oekmont - 5 Years Ago

My initial layer was pretty thin, and I was brushing it on. And I may not have waited long enough. Lots of possiblites. Lots to learn about this composite making. ButBut at least I'm still learning....

AlpineCoupe - 5 Years Ago

When i apply gelcoat i do it really thin on first brush up just to make sure i cover everything and then make another pass adding to normal thickness (probably close to 1mm).Second aplication is in.....

beliblisk - 5 Years Ago

*without letting it cure in between*, correct? This is what I do as well as it takes advantage of the thixotropic properties of the gelcoat - thin when brushing, thick when left to sit. Brush it on....

Hanaldo - 5 Years Ago

Correct. Just thin film followed right away with thicker second application (after about 2h folowed by "true" second layer).

beliblisk - 5 Years Ago

I'm glad you clarified the gel coat application. I applied a very thin coat, left it to cure and then came back with a thick coat. Which is when I got the alligatoring. I'm glad to know that I shoul...

AlpineCoupe - 5 Years Ago

Second coat doesnt have to be sooner, in fact it is better to leave it longer if you have any doubt about the state of cure. Gelcoats are air inhibited, so they can be left up to 24 hours without...

Hanaldo - 5 Years Ago

Just to make sure: -1st thin application + second pass to add to normal thickness -2nd aplication (after 1st has cured to tack state or later) Have fun

beliblisk - 5 Years Ago

Well it took some time but I stripped all of the ruined gel coat off of the part, re painted it, and then prepped it for the new gel coat. And this time no alligator-ing! And those spots in the middl...

AlpineCoupe - 5 Years Ago

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