Glassers: What's up with gloss?

General Discussion
1

For the glassing guru’s out there: I hope you can answer a question for me, because I’ve read contradictory information.

I’ve read that gloss resin is the hardest to get right in the manufacturing process. From that, I take it that gloss resin is somehow different than Lam or Sanding resins.

Then I read on Swaylock’s that gloss is the same resin as the others, but with a little Surfacing Agent and Styrene added.

If it’s the same, why is it used to finish off a surfboard instead of Sanding resin? And why is it more tempermental than the others regarding temperature and humidity?

For the record, so far I’ve only bought the pre-made resins at Mitch’s. Can you guys who know, please enlighten me? Also, are there advantages or disadvantages to mixing your own? Thanks, Doug

2

Gloss might indeed start with regular lam resin, but it’s thinned out lots over both lam and hotcoat resin, and of course, wax added so it’s sandable.

I’m not good with techno’s, but it’s about twice as close to water in viscousity than lam resin.

3

I’ve had some wierd things happen when doing gloss coat. (only glossed two boards so far). PlusOneShaper has very good instructions that he gave me on Dec 30. Also some good feed back from WoodyWaveRider and Kokua. Thread title Glosscoat/Finishing resin.

4

Thanks for the big up Stingray, but you really shouldn’t put me in the same league as Kokua, he’s a legend and I’ve learnt most of what I know from him and the other barnicles.

gloss can be tempramental, every one I know has at same point had problems, premixed gloss is better as there is less to go wrong, but you can mix up gloss your self the dif from lam or hot coat is the amount of additives added. The explanation on 30 Dec was really nice and very comprahensive.

Because gloss is thinner and has more S.A in it it flows and runs more, which allows a thin coat that will to some extent level itself out more easly when applied correctly, main problems are caused by contanminates, air movment and applieing a too thick coat, because it’s thinner as it goes off there is a more pronounced shift in it’s composition from liquid to solid, this causes all sorts of wierd things that you would’nt expect to happen.

But getting a really glassy finish on a new board is a really nice feeling, if things go wrong don’t panic because theres nothing you can do, just wait for it to go off and sand off the gloss coat, prepare the board and start again.