gelcoat question...not drying

[johnnyv49]

Hello everyone

I just shot a new coat of gelcoat on the topside of my boat. I used a cupgun to shoot it. I used about 7ml of hardener and 2 -2 1/2 tsp of wax in my final coat. I reduced the hardener from 11ml to about 7 to 8 being the 10-11ml caused the gc to takeoff in the gun.

We have had some pretty damp days here but it sat out in the sun in 70's for a full day and it is about day 3 of drying (2 damp days). It still tacky and I can make a nail mark lightly in it.

Suggestions? I thought of making up a qt of acetone wax and hardner and dusting the surface lightly.

Any suggestions would be great

 

[Axkiker]

Re: gelcoat question...not drying

Hello everyone

I just shot a new coat of gelcoat on the topside of my boat. I used a cupgun to shoot it. I used about 7ml of hardener and 2 -2 1/2 tsp of wax in my final coat. I reduced the hardener from 11ml to about 7 to 8 being the 10-11ml caused the gc to takeoff in the gun.

We have had some pretty damp days here but it sat out in the sun in 70's for a full day and it is about day 3 of drying (2 damp days). It still tacky and I can make a nail mark lightly in it.

Suggestions? I thought of making up a qt of acetone wax and hardner and dusting the surface lightly.

Any suggestions would be great

Are you sure you mixed it completely. I have worked with resins etc for quite some time and when you have something that doesnt cure there are only a few reasons.

Not enough activator
Not mixed
Bad materials


Can almost guarantee its one of the items listed above

 

[Axkiker]

Re: gelcoat question...not drying

After thinking about this I guess it could also be not enough wax in the final coat. Im not that familiar with spraying gel this way so someone else will have to chime in on your ratios.

 

[johnnyv49]

Re: gelcoat question...not drying

New materials, mixed very well, 3 tsp of wax (so 1 tsp extra).

The recommended hardener was 10-11 ml I dropped to 7-8 just because of the temp that day. At 11ml the GC kicked off so fast I could only get about 2/3 of a qt out before it hardened in the gun.

I also thought of shooting a coat of pva over it just in case the wax was was not sealing it. The only other thought I had was that it is the wax I'm feeling???? I learned originally with pva not wax.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: gelcoat question...not drying

Nothing you do at this stage will make the surface get hard.

Your best bet is to re-coat it, it its still soft you don't need to do any prep work.

You said how much wax and catalyst you used, but not how much gel coat.

Don't do it in direct sunlight.

You need to use the amount of catalyst recommended for it cure correctly, especially when it's being used as a final coat. It's better to mix less gel coat at a time than to under catalyze.