Howzit Kensurf, Don't add the catalyst until you are ready to gloss the board which means making sure the rail tape is firmly attached,leash plug is taped off and any fin boxes, then take about a 3 ft piece of tape and pull it over the board lengthwise with the adhesive side down so it picks up any dust or dirt from the board( might have to do it a couple of times ). Now the board should be ready to apply the gloss resin. I never wet sand just dry sand because when wet sanding you can't really see the results til you dry the board. You can hand sand it but don't press to hard since you will get some deep sanding ruts that will be hard to get rid of even if you use a circular motion. The beauty of using a grinder is the speed keeps you from making those deep ruts and you can increase the speed ( if you have a variable speed ) which kind of polishes the board between changing grits because the sandpapaer grit is wearing down. I start with 320 and a hard pad on the bottom to make sure it's flat with no ridges which can appear due to the brush strokes. Aloha,Kokua
thanks Kokua
you da man
next board I will use tyour advice
I agree with Honolulu, I’ve made my own UV gloss from premixed UV lam + sytrene + SA. This works much better than using UV sand + styrene + SA or pre-made UV gloss, especially true when it polishes. However, I only use it for repairs that need to be done fast, and I always add some catalyst. I would never use it on a full board, or anything else that I have more time allocated for. I feel the same about UV lam and hotcoats.
I’ve been using Kokua’s gloss recipe for years, and it gives great finishes with minimal sanding. I use about the same amount of catalyst as he does, or enough to get a 15-18 min gel depending on temp. I use a wide stick for stirring (small ones make alot of bubbles), stir in the middle moving toward the sides. Use a 3-4" brush (not too thick) to minimize stroke marks in the finish. Do not allow air movement over a wet glosscoat, so don’t do it outdoors.