Gloss coat question.....

The bead is done before the gloss coat. Lam, hotcoat, lay bead…sand board to a perfect flat 150 grit. Blow off dust and lay tape line… Do gloss coat, … Pull tape and lightly grits to polish…perfect, done.

Resin is only the glue for the fiberglass. If you are a crappy glasser and want a little extra protection… Or you are a great glasses,and want to protect the color work… Then put a sacrificial layer of 4 oz on the board. You can use the 4 oz as your sand through layer. But never use additional resin to build up wobbles and sand thrus… Poly resin will just crack when stressed, not to mention adding tons of weight…and as Gene said, just gloss over the exposed weave.

Dude you got answers from some of the best surfboard craftsman of all time…

4oz sacrificial layer - great idea thanks.
“The bead is done before the gloss coat” - the hotcoat bead is done before the gloss coat. The bead OF the gloss coat is what I am asking about!

I have asked this before but in case any of the pros on this thread have any suggestions… for some (seemingly random) reason I sometimes get streaks in the gloss coat. They make sanding/polishing a lot more work than it should be. not sure what I am doing wrong, weirdly I used the EXACT same mixture for top and bottom of board, but the top didn’t have any streaks, it was lovely and glassy, but the bottom had streaks as shown here:

The only thing I can think of is QUANTITY of resin, as everything else was the same (temp, cat amount, brush strokes). Maybe I put a bit more on the top so it flowed out nicer and maybe I was a bit more frugal on the bottom, i.e not enough to get a nice layer thick enough to seal up smooth. Any logic to that? If not, any other suggestions appreciated

I’ll say it again, Probably time to pump the brakes a bit. Sit back, and read some more. Study, dig… Think through your problems, ask yourself what your doing each step and what you are actually trying to accomplish.

how do you know those streaks are causing you to do WAY more work than anyone else??? (Ps they aren’t, id probably be more concerned with eliminating what looks like dry spots in your lamination) What and who are you comparing your work to?? If you understood what each step was doing, what was in each ingredient and how they worked together you would have a foundation to build on.

It seems maybe you don’t know what you don’t know… it’s an achievement to even get to a place that you understand how much you don’t know, from their you can seek bigger answers.

You seem pretty pumped, that’s good, all I’m saying is shoot for a place that isn’t spoon fed.

And who am I to suggest anything?? No one really. Just another no name.

Thanks for the input. Not sure what some of the comments actually mean though, such as “shoot for a place that isn’t spoon fed” - eh?

“Think through your problems, ask yourself what your doing each step and what you are actually trying to accomplish.” - very general and to be honest meaningless to me. I do think through my problems, with what knowledge I have, which isn’t much, hence the questions when I can’t solve a problem. I know what I am trying to accomplish. I want a gloss coat on the board, so I apply a gloss coat to a board. how would any thinking about what I want to accomplish avoid streaks? There is a reason for the streaks, I have varied catalyst amounts, wax in styrene amounts, types of resin, temperatures of the room, even used a dehumidifier. I have read all instructions and watched countless videos. I don’t think I can “sit back” and “think” any more, I have done a few very nice jobs, but sometimes I get these streaks. Where do I go from here, other than asking some more experienced people for their ideas of what might be causing the streaks? That’s what I am doing here.

“how do you know those streaks are causing you to do WAY more work than anyone else???” - I have seen videos and read many tutorials on gloss coating and never seen them or read them mentioned in guides I have read, but no that doesn’t mean I can be certain other people don’t have the same problem every time too, although I doubt the pro glassers do, as sometimes I don’t get streaks so I know (through some more of that “thinking” you talked about) that it IS possible NOT to have streaks! Hence, whats left is to find out the cause, back to asking the question here, seems the next logical step to me. Receiving an answer of “sit back and think more” isn’t exactly helpful, unless you know in the deep recesses of my mind I must secretly know the solution myself.

“what was in each ingredient and how they worked together you would have a foundation to build on.” - I do know what each component and chemical is doing. I have a foundation to build on, some very nice boards, just this glitch causes me a headache so hoping someone knows the cause. If not, I will just sand them out, no biggie, but asking is the intelligent thing to do, especially when there are some serious experts available who often can solve such a problem in a short single sentence.

“It seems maybe you don’t know what you don’t know… it’s an achievement to even get to a place that you understand how much you don’t know, from their you can seek bigger answers.” - If I wanted church I would go there. :). That’s about the most meaningless platitude I have ever read. It might sound fluffy and meaningful, but it really isn’t. I do know what I don’t know, WHATS CAUSING THE STREAKS! There was a hint in my question about “whats causing the streaks” :wink:
From there you can seek bigger answers… what you mean… like my question here?! Duh,

Thanks for your input, not sure how to make use of it though really. The one thing I think I can take from it is that maybe streaks are experienced by others so maybe sanding them out is just normal and something everyone experiences. If so, that would have made a quicker and less religiously vague post. But also if so… why do some people not get streaks (i have spoken to people who said they don’t get streaks, and suggested I dehumidify, for example)???

I am not sure if I am pumped as I have no control to compare myself to. Compared to a one board a year guy I am pumped I suppose, i do love making boards and all the boards I have made are surfing well and look decent to my eye so I am pretty happy and keen to make more. I can do most of the build to a decent standard (I think), gloss coating is one of the few remaining areas which I still struggle to get right, but again, if you’re saying streaks are just fine and i need to ignore em, that’s fine too, if I know that to be the case. If so, it was worth posting the question and worth reading your answer! :0)

Good luck.

Can’t help on the streaks. I would guess that the resin went off before it had time to pull flat, so temp, catalyst implicated, but its more than 10 years since I worked with smelly, so I’m out of touch.
Where are you putting the tape when you gloss? It may be easier to get rid of the edge if you tape along mid rail. Bring the tape up to rail bottom when you need to glass in an edge.
Works for me but I am a real hack who surfs so-so looking boards in epic waves :wink:

hey guy, stop asking so much question you ever have all answers and too much, do the job the best you can look what happened and try to fix problems. with poly finish coat mix well wax styren and work quick, that’s your problem.

Thanks, I prefer knowledge to luck but appreciate the sentiment and luck certainly helps

“Works for me but I am a real hack who surfs so-so looking boards in epic waves” - hahaha, I surf beautiful looking boards in ocean ripples :smiley:

“I would guess that the resin went off before it had time to pull flat” - thanks very much. Yes I have tried reducing catalyst to see if that helps it have time to settle properly but I suspect I might be being too tight ass about my resin so next time will try a slower cure but a bit more resin to let it swim around a bit and pull flat. thanks again

“stop asking so much question” I haven’t yet seen any forum rules trying to ban or limit questions but when I see a limit or rule, I will certainly abide by it. As for your request, no, I won’t do as you say. Hows about you ignore all my posts? Then it wouldn’t affect you would it, oh but then you wouldn’t get to dish salt around, so I guess that won’t work for you.

“do the job the best you can look what happened and try to fix problems.” - I really do think resin must get to people’s heads sometimes. Erm. thats PRECISELY what I AM DOING you numb nut. the “try to fix problems” part comes form asking for advice, reading and learning, things I am clearly doing.

“with poly finish coat mix well wax styren and work quick, that’s your problem.” - it obviously isn’t my problem. I mix twice as much as anyone else I ever seen do it. I lay the resin down twice as fast (lately) as anyone I ever seen do it. So no, that’s not the problem, but if you don’t like my questions why the hell are you answering them? Choose your lane buddy and try sticking to it.

2017-2108 TL;dr award winner

For your consideration. Epoxy resin
Picture of top and bottom of board by first time builder, 17 year old man. Third coat(your gloss coat) epoxy shown ready for sanding starting at 180grit. I watched him brush it on as a first time user. I didn’t lift a finger except for pointing him to the Green Room blanco resin with west coast fast hardener. This Green Room epoxy resin was also used for the lamination with regular fast hardener. and filler coats with west coast fast hardener. Very uncomplicated 2 parts resin to 1 part hardener. No other additives or tricks or consideration needed. What was he doing so right???


those streaks are from over working the resin, you didn’t let the wax to rise in time. Put to stuff on, tip it out…walk away. True rookie mistake, you kept brushing the resin, and the wax didn’t have time to rise.

Brush it on…walk away… put the brush down…walk away.

Use a quality wide brush, extra catalyst + 2% extra SA + 5% styrene, I recommend Reichhold gloss but Sylmar is OK. Mix this very well, I use a paint stick and a Starbucks venti-size cup for a LB. Temp should be no lower than 70F. Pour wide band lengthwise, start at middle and single stroke rail-to-rail then go back and do the other end. Empty brush as it loads; this cross-stroking removes excess. Then single stroke full length end to end, light brush pressure. Walk away until drips at tape stop, then pull tape and leave it. Wax streaks are generally caused by overbrushing, but can happen at low temps or not enough catalyst. Gloss needs more cat than hotcoats. I have yet to see streaks that would not sand/polish out on my stuff and I generally start at 320 grit (depends on zits).

For your consideration. Using 3 year old green room blanco resin with west coast fast hardener. Pics of board sanded and taped off for deck final coat(your “gloss” coat). I wash with soap and water and clean rag dry prior to applying last coat of resin. Last pic is the knotted plank I built the board around,



Environmental conditions
Glassing area hot house temp: 95 F 1645 hours. Temp slowly dropping .
Beer Temp: 34 F
Lime slices for beer: 34 F
Pics of 4 " double thick disposable chip brush from amazon for $2.47
Costco red solo cup 15 oz with non smearing outer red color infused to cup
Technique: 3 year old green room resin with west coast fast hardener: 5 oz Dixie cup x 2 resin and 5 oz same Dixie cup hardener x 1. Stupid simple. Mix and poor entire resin line nose to tail. Leave cup upside down in middle of board to get all epoxy from cup. Red color \from cup will not leach on board with this quality Costco solo cup. Stroke 4" chip brush rail to rail from nose to tail to fully cover board with resin. Then nose to tail strokes starting in center then working to rail and repeating on other side.
Put cup and brush down. Grab open beer.




Pull tape 30 minutes later. Look at and admire the wood plank that you built the whole board around. Tape and cup and Brush disposables. Hand made in Hawaii. Think about how lucky I was to run in to an actual rocket scientist in 1984 who turned me on to epoxy, EPS, Vacuum bagging wind surfing boards. Life changing moment.





streaks and ridges are usually from playing with the gloss with your brush too much or having the resin kick before it has a chance to flatten out. You can use thinner like Styrene, Xylene or denatured Alcohol depending on if its poly or epoxy.
Sometime a hairdryer can help you flatten out trouble spots during the curing phase.

Finally if you can not take down the over lap with a flat razor blade at a sharp angle then your gloss coat is probably too think or your tape is too thick

if you did the gloss coat right then you should be able to make a quick pass with a razor and then finish it off with 600/800/1200 wet/dry paper and water. I like using foam like an XPS block with wet/dry and water with a dab of dish soap for lubricant to take down and blend in the overlap ridge. some guys can get the whole think down with the razor. Check out Cleanline’s DVD on glassing, its a good one. Doing the bottom by hand is soul soothing but prone to lumps compared to using a heavy milwaukee or makita quickly to flatten the surface evenly

Otis Schaper has a bunch of you tube videos on glassing as well that are good.
Otis is a reknown production glasser in hawaii and Charlie BB30 knows his stuff as well especially epoxy.

Helter Again - I’d say the gloss you laid down turned out pretty damn good! Pro paint shops have down draft booths, temperature controls (hot and cold), screens over the vents to keep bugs out, etc. They also have heaters to bake the finish. Pro gloss booths aren’t quite as nice usually but they’re not doing paint jobs on expensive cars and motorcycles either.
Assuming you’re doing it in a garage, I’d say don’t sweat the small stuff. Just use some wet/dry sandpaper, go through the grits to get the surface finish you desire and buff if you want. Are you running your thoroughly mixed (but not yet catalyzed) resin through a filter cone before adding catalyst and applying to board?
I’d be stoked if my gloss coats all came out like that and I’ve been doing it for a long time…