I’m working on my second board, laid down the hot coat and started sanding in preparation for gloss coat. I’ve sanded up to 220 and want to make sure I’m on the right track(see pics of current progress). Will I eventually get a uniformly dull finish as I move through the higher grits and is that what I’m aiming for prior to the next glassing? There are a few areas where I’m starting to see the cloth and a few areas where I obviously didn’t saturate the laps enough during the lam stage. But overall do I just keep sanding to get rid of all the shiny spots? Thanks.
Just the opposite as to your question about the grits.
All those shiny areas are low spots (ones in which you have yet to hit with any sand paper)
Move to a more aggressive grit (100-120) with a med/harder pad… Try not to hit the weave.
If you got some stubborn areas left get them by hand. Try to get it as flat as possible.
Keep off the weave - once sanded if there are areas where you burned through weave go back and patch them. You may also benefit from a second hotcoat (at which point if I was in your shoes I’d sand it lightly, wax it up and surf it)
Your troubles will only magnify as you progress through the gloss process if not eliminated now.
Yup, I’m with wide awake. You hot coat was pretty lumpy. Here’s what you are going to have to do to fix it. 120 grit on a sanding block. No machine for you! You are going to block sand until either all the shiny bits are gone, or you just start to kiss the weave. Once you kiss the weave, that is as flat as you can get it. Just lightly finger sand the shiny spots so you get a good bond, and do a second hot coat.
Thanks for the advice, the machine scares me anyway haha. With all this sanding I’m thinking I should just stop at the second hot coat. What type of sanding will I give the second hot coat before it hits the water? Appreciate the feedback for sure!
If it’s smooth…
Just knock off the shiny with some 320.
At this point it’s all just look and feel