anyone have a good experience putting down a good thin epoxy gloss coat with a roller? I have small microfiber roller I was going to try out, but wanted to see if anyone had a bad experience before I waste the epoxy.
I gave it a try… it went down real thin, but it left hundreds of little bubbles and microfibers in the gloss coat… For anyone thinking about it, stick with a chip brush.
Yeah, I’ve tried it too. The ‘plowing’ of resin with a brush is the only way to go for good results. Rollers pull the epoxy up and leave millions of tiny craters in the surface.
~Brian
microfibers in your resin and thousands of little bubbles ! been there done that! But I do use a roller west systems foam roller or Jen Poly Roller. The bubbles are because you are laying down the resin to thick. You probable were pouring the resin on and spreading it with the roller? Thats not how ! Put resin in large shallow pan dip the roller into the pan and role it out very thin ( thin, thin , thin !!) Just let the cloth soak it in ! If you have bubbles you are useing to much resin!!! Way to much , When the cloth is wet out there will be no shiney spots. Do a couple fast passes with a heat gun !! For fill coats do the same way, dip in the pan and role it out slowly, If the roller slips or slides you are putting down to much resin , Thin , thin , thin !! The roller will feal like it is trying to stick to the surface. You should have no shinners ! NONE! You can fallow that with more coats while the resin is still a little soft ! but not sticky !! For me its just like a good spray finish ! A lot of very thin coats. I would never even think about going back to a brush or squeege !!! The first 2 or 3 times you use a roller your going to screw up because your mind is stuck on useing a brush and the large amount of resin that goes down with a brush. When you were little and learned to ride a bike you would fall off ! But you didn't go back to a tryk cause it was easier or safer ~! Y ou kept on with the 2 wheel bike untill you got it !! Once you learn how to use a roller you will never go back to a brush ! Why ? Because a roller is cleaner, faster,uses much less resin and gives a better finish. Take your time! Pay your Dues ! You'll be a better craftsman for it and way ahead of those pushing epoxy around with a brush ! For Brian , The Aerialite resin works well with a roller , but the fast resin is a bit to fast !! Buy the way I cut my rollers into sections depending on how big a job is. I never use a roller wider than 4 and 1/2 inches. For a surfboard I use 3 inch wide. The rollers are not cleaned after just toss it !!
Nice post!
How many 3" rollers do you go through on a board?
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How many 3" rollers do you go through on a board?
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I'll take a guess: same amount of brushes you would go through, if you were using disposable brushes!
Rollers tend to suck epoxy up rather than lay it down in my experience with them.
Wood Ogre
Big thanks for the detailed tip. I'm planning to use the roller next time. But I think RR KK would be too fast, so I will probably go with the CE 2000.
Would you say it would be easier to tape down the laps, wet out these first, then flip the board and do the deck?
Sorry to hijack OP..
retrothis , your plan to tape down the laps and flipping sounds good. Don't let the resin get to hard before you cut the laps. Deanbonk yes rollers soak up resin but once the roller is satureated with resin, lays it down real good so that is a non issue.
I like to cut foam rollers in half lenght wise. Just like a half pipe. Then use like a squeege. Works great, does not pick up the epoxy ands makes a nice smooth coat. I dont like the black foam… some fall apart some dont… I stick with yellow foam rollers. Great for spreading glue on just about anything.