painting a restoration

Hey folks, I’m restoring a beater board that, while now water-tight, is just so ugly to the eye (it looks like a bruised apple) that I MUST do something to make it presentable to the public. I’m thinking sand the whole thing and spray paint it…Anybody done this and have recommendations (paint type)? Anybody got a better idea? Thanks, Swaylock

Hey folks,>>> I’m restoring a beater board that, while now water-tight, is just so ugly > to the eye (it looks like a bruised apple) that I MUST do something to > make it presentable to the public. I’m thinking sand the whole thing and > spray paint it…Anybody done this and have recommendations (paint type)? > Anybody got a better idea?>>> Thanks, Swaylock Treat that restoration just like an automobile: prep/sand, prime, spray with an automotive polyurethane in color(s) of your choice, then a urethane clear coat and buff/finish according to their specs/products. I have`nt personally done this, but have witnessed the results. Your “beater” may end up looking more like a Corvette…

Mike: Dale is right the results can be quite good. From having done a couple let me share some of my disappointments. 1.Clean and sand the board first, removal of all wax, oils etc. is critical. Acetone for final cleaning. 2.Make sure you fill and sand the repair areas well. Take the sanding down to at least 120 if not 220, all the imperfections will show and may be highlighted by the paint spray over it. Any cracks or voids will look worse on the fresh new shiny surface so fill carefully. 3.Use good 3M tape not cheap stuff. you will see the difference in how the paint bleeds and creeps under the edges of cheap stuff. Take care to apply the tape and thouroughly apply it (press it down with the likes of a tongue blade or edge of razorblade) 4. Several thin spray coats is better than one thick one. LET THEM DRY WELL. 5. For some reason the cheaper the spray paint the better it works?? we’re talking $0.99 stuff but finding colors is hard at this price point. Stick with plain old acrylic spray paint, nothing fancy. 6.If you are doing clear coat acrylic you might consider using semi-gloss or satin for the colors (they don’t show imperfections as bad as gloss). Plan on a couple of clear coats this is the only thing that will preserve the color layers and it will still scratch off eventually. tom.>>> Hey folks,>>> I’m restoring a beater board that, while now water-tight, is just so ugly > to the eye (it looks like a bruised apple) that I MUST do something to > make it presentable to the public. I’m thinking sand the whole thing and > spray paint it…Anybody done this and have recommendations (paint type)? > Anybody got a better idea?>>> Thanks, Swaylock

Mike:>>> Dale is right the results can be quite good. From having done a couple let > me share some of my disappointments. 1.Clean and sand the board first, > removal of all wax, oils etc. is critical. Acetone for final cleaning. > 2.Make sure you fill and sand the repair areas well. Take the sanding down > to at least 120 if not 220, all the imperfections will show and may be > highlighted by the paint spray over it. Any cracks or voids will look > worse on the fresh new shiny surface so fill carefully. 3.Use good 3M tape > not cheap stuff. you will see the difference in how the paint bleeds and > creeps under the edges of cheap stuff. Take care to apply the tape and > thouroughly apply it (press it down with the likes of a tongue blade or > edge of razorblade) 4. Several thin spray coats is better than one thick > one. LET THEM DRY WELL. 5. For some reason the cheaper the spray paint the > better it works?? we’re talking $0.99 stuff but finding colors is hard at > this price point. Stick with plain old acrylic spray paint, nothing fancy. > 6.If you are doing clear coat acrylic you might consider using semi-gloss > or satin for the colors (they don’t show imperfections as bad as gloss). > Plan on a couple of clear coats this is the only thing that will preserve > the color layers and it will still scratch off eventually.>>> tom. Some clarification is needed: although standard automotive “rattle can” aerosols can definitely do a clean looking and inexpensive paint job (this Ive done), I was referring to the type of sprayed, catalyzed, polyurethane paints only available through professional auto/body paint shops, from companies like PPG, Ditzler, DuPont, etc. These fillers/primers/paints/clearcoats are quite toxic, and must be applied with proper care, preferably via spraybooth, autogun equipment, outside air supply, temp/humidity control, etc., but the results can be nothing short of dramatic... like I said before, think "custom showcar"! A less expensive and easier alternative to this approach would be to access (from the same automotive paint source) the older lacquer or synthetic enamel-based (such as DuPonts" Centauri") automotive paint systems which are easier to work with and less toxic when sprayed. This paint`s durability will not be as good as the polyurethane, but for a wall-hanger, way more than enough.

Mike:>>> Dale is right the results can be quite good. From having done a couple let > me share some of my disappointments. 1.Clean and sand the board first, > removal of all wax, oils etc. is critical. Acetone for final cleaning. > 2.Make sure you fill and sand the repair areas well. Take the sanding down > to at least 120 if not 220, all the imperfections will show and may be > highlighted by the paint spray over it. Any cracks or voids will look > worse on the fresh new shiny surface so fill carefully. 3.Use good 3M tape > not cheap stuff. you will see the difference in how the paint bleeds and > creeps under the edges of cheap stuff. Take care to apply the tape and > thouroughly apply it (press it down with the likes of a tongue blade or > edge of razorblade) 4. Several thin spray coats is better than one thick > one. LET THEM DRY WELL. 5. For some reason the cheaper the spray paint the > better it works?? we’re talking $0.99 stuff but finding colors is hard at > this price point. Stick with plain old acrylic spray paint, nothing fancy. > 6.If you are doing clear coat acrylic you might consider using semi-gloss > or satin for the colors (they don’t show imperfections as bad as gloss). > Plan on a couple of clear coats this is the only thing that will preserve > the color layers and it will still scratch off eventually.>>> tom. The tapes that I have found (and are commonly available) that work the best around resin, epoxy, paints, strong solvent-based adhesives and caulking are the (tan, normal strength adhesion) 3M “Painters Tape" and the (lime-greenish, high-tack) 3M "Lacquer Paint" Tape. The other one thats also handy for heat and chemical resistance is 3Ms (bright blue) "Low Tack" tape... the safest procedure is to pull them all off A.S.A.P., regardless of 3Ms advertising claims. Where I live, these tapes generally cost me about $3.49 to $3.99 each for a 1” wide roll, but they can definitely pay for themselves in the long run (as opposed to the cheap stuff), especially if you`re working with “hot” materials.

You can spray “GEL GLOSS” too! Herb.

Where do I get that? Is that the brand name?>>> You can spray “GEL GLOSS” too! Herb.

Where do I get that? Is that the brand name?..It’s a polyester resin that is used in the marine and automotive industry.It is sprayed on or in a mold using a casting type resin(casting resin= wax goes to the bottom,rather than rising to the surface).Herb…oh yea, Try a marine paint/manufacturer supply store for more info.

Hey folks,>>> I’m restoring a beater board that, while now water-tight, is just so ugly > to the eye (it looks like a bruised apple) that I MUST do something to > make it presentable to the public. I’m thinking sand the whole thing and > spray paint it…Anybody done this and have recommendations (paint type)? > Anybody got a better idea?>>> Thanks, Swaylock OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS SAND DOWN AND RECOAT WITH OPAQUE PIGMENTED HOTCOAT, UTILIZE IBM 233 TAPE TO TAPE OFF AREAS (SUCH AS ORIGINAL LAMS) THEN FILL/SURFACE WITH A CLEAR GLOSS. WHAT IS THE ORIGINAL NAME OF BOARD?

It is a 7’8" Roger Hinds gun with a 1/2" stringer that has served me VERY well. It got run over when someone dropped in on me - ended up looking like whitey got to it. I love it too much to give up on it. Thanks for all the help fellas…this one is going to be resurrected! Mike

Surfhungry: Not to move this thread too far off course… but what can you share about hotcoat pigmenting. I’ve done one and had a tough time getting the proper opacity. I think that the pigments I used may have been the problem (small tubes from boat supply store). Needed a medium/bright blue opaque so I ended up using a portion of white with a lot of medium blue pigment.Opaque black for resin pins was difficult as well. I’ve seen a line of pigments made specifically for surfboards that come in higher volume and perhaps premixed for opacity. Any tips or preferences? Another question that I’ve seen a little bit of discussion on is related to problems with getting even color density with certain types of cloth when doing opaques or tints. What considerations are there when doing color lams of certain colors and various types of cloth? Yellow tint seemed easy, light blue was splotchy, red? (Opaques I’ve seen from BYB looked like there were lots of voids with the weave showing in some spots.) Tom. > OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS SAND DOWN AND RECOAT WITH OPAQUE PIGMENTED > HOTCOAT, UTILIZE IBM 233 TAPE TO TAPE OFF AREAS (SUCH AS ORIGINAL LAMS) > THEN FILL/SURFACE WITH A CLEAR GLOSS. WHAT IS THE ORIGINAL NAME OF BOARD?

Surfhungry:>>> Not to move this thread too far off course… but what can you share about > hotcoat pigmenting. I’ve done one and had a tough time getting the proper > opacity. I think that the pigments I used may have been the problem (small > tubes from boat supply store). Needed a medium/bright blue opaque so I > ended up using a portion of white with a lot of medium blue pigment.Opaque > black for resin pins was difficult as well. I’ve seen a line of pigments > made specifically for surfboards that come in higher volume and perhaps > premixed for opacity. Any tips or preferences? Another question that I’ve > seen a little bit of discussion on is related to problems with getting > even color density with certain types of cloth when doing opaques or > tints. What considerations are there when doing color lams of certain > colors and various types of cloth? Yellow tint seemed easy, light blue was > splotchy, red? (Opaques I’ve seen from BYB looked like there were lots of > voids with the weave showing in some spots.)>>> Tom. DO A TEST BATCH WITHOUT CATALIST,PAINT IT ON,MAYBE ADD MORE COLOR, THEN CATALIZE. AND PAINT ON THICKER, CUZ IT WILL RUN OFF BEFORE JELLING. THE GOOD PIGMENTS ARE LONG GONE WHEN LEAD WAS REMOVED YEARS AGO. NO NEED FOR VOLAN WITH TINTS 6OZ e CLOTH IS FINE. IF YOUR WORRIED ABOUT STRENGTH OR THE RETRO LOOK/FEEL GET A HEAVIER FOAM(CLASSIC). LOTSA WHITE WITH ANY COLOR SHOULD DO IT OR NO WHITE FOR THAT TINT LOOK. HOME DEPOT HAS PIGMENT TUBES IN THE PAINT DEPARTMENT THAT WORK. TO HIDE DEFECTS OR WHATEVER ONE COULD LITERALLY LAM WITH PIGMENT THEN HOTCOAT WITH SAME COLOR PIGMENT TO

Thanks for the insight. Having fun witht the clear tints right now and I stumbled through black and blue pins by trial and error using white for opacity and back to black with lots more black. The opaque lams had me worried though, you saved me a lots of testing. I suppose you’ve seen some of the Cooperfish showpieces? Clyde Beatty’s glasswork looks mighty fine! (www.cooperfishsurfboards.com) Thanks again for the post. Tom