Anyone have any luck spraying poly resin?
I’ve done a fair bit of spraying with Duratec, but that stuff is pricey! even 2pac polyurethane is cheaper
Just wondering if anyone out there has a formula for thinning and spraying silmar or an equivalent
cheers guys
Kit
(Edit: just to clarify - I’m meaning spraying the resin through a 1.5mm tip gun as a clear coat)
Been thinking about this myself lately. No reason you couldn’t thin with styrene and spray on just like a gel coat, think canoe , yacht, boat etc. I’ll give it a shot when I get a chance or if you do it let us know how it goes.
Cheers
Daren
Hey Kit,
While I have’nt done it, I’ve thought about it…
There might be a limit to how thin resin can be taken before its properties and ability to cure properly are affected…but thats only a speculation.
The answer there would be an Automotive “Putty Gun”, in which the nozzle is really large for thick fluid.
Also, thinned resin would take way longer to gel than 2pac so you would get runs anyewhere near a rail guaranteed.
But…Suncure! - It could be the instant full gloss that eludes us…except for the overspray wastage never going off…groan…
Yeah, it’s full of pro’s and con’s. See if you get around to having a go before me.
Josh
But…Suncure! - It could be the instant full gloss that eludes us…except for the overspray wastage never going off…groan…
Maybe mix in a small amount of MEKP?
True Deanbo…
For someone who has’nt done it yet, I’m counting a lot of negatives - Like :-leave a skerrick of resin in the gun and its a goner…
Ok, but time to stop speculatin’ and get practical…
Josh
after 50 yrs you guys want to re invent the wheel (best of luck)
good brush
warm room
good gloss resin
good knowledge
canot be chalenged.
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But…Suncure!
Yep, thats my line of thinking! 
Duratec is MEKP cured, poly clear coat.
It has some good applications, such as when you’re loading it up thick, there is no solvent-pop
It’s really good, but not much point using it, as it’s expensive and still takes ages to cure.
I’ve tried using suncure in it, with OK results, but the price makes it a non-issue.
So, spraying standard poly would be the go.
Maybe I can find a gel coat that will go through my 1.5 tip.
I’m not too keen to go spend another few hundred on a 2.5mm gun or a putty gun.
Anyone know what the maximum amount of styrene you can add to Poly resin is? (%)
good brush
warm room
good gloss resin
good knowledge
canot be chalenged.
If we didn’t think up new ways there wouldn’t ever be any improvements…
Gotta keep pushing the boundaries, keep challenging the status quo
Spraying poly is no big deal, but doing it cheaply is worth looking into
Labour savings and cost savings…
Hey Huie…
That is my line of thinking too, at the end of the day…especially on the wastage factor, like:- When you have gloss coats so down that alls’ left per side is what washes out of the brush.
Line em’ up 3 a pot. 10 sides on 9ft’ers down before lunch.
But, If the youngster’s want to have a go, then who am I?..LOL.
Hey man, were you around at the time when they did’nt even bother cutting them back, pimples and all straight to the showroom?
I heard it was Midget started cutting and buffing, setting the standard and everyone hated it!?
(Buffing:- wish it on your worst enemy…)
Josh
hey josh i started doing my glosses in 1959
by the early sixtys dion resins were the best resin i have ever used
it took no time to get our glosses right to cut rails &out they went
i had the best gloss coater working for me ( to bad about the dope)
yea i guess midget was wet rubbing first i started about 67
been doing it ever since
in saying all that the time you spend to get a showroom finish
must be reflected in the price.
kit surfboard building is not boatbuilding
never will be.
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Huie,
During a short stint at Bennett I spotted a couple of oldies on which, I was assured, the uncut finish was original.
And I’ve had the pleasure of grinding into big white onion rings on an otherwise untouched Keyo, a tell-tale ridge along the rail apex.
Bring back the standard I say!
Sheesh…that guy Brawner who hoarded all those original Hobies…had the right idea…
Josh
Aw man, let me have my fun 
Thats good, I don’t know much about boats!
Wheres the adventurous spirit!
You push the boundaries in every other aspect of construction, but not this one?
I would of thought that you’d be all for it
I suppose “stick with what you know best” rings true.
you get the results, theres no doubt about that.
I’m always interested in an easier way, I guess thats just my curse
Yeah, but think of this: people have been looking for ways of making boards in the best and most economical manners for more than 60 years. Spraying poly is nothing new and, as you said, it’s been used in many different industries for long. Do you seriously believe that no one thought of doing that on boards before? Actually, as far as I remember (I made my first board in 1969 and many people here have been in it for much longer), I have heard tales of people doing it but, weirdly enough, it seemed that it never became the industry standard… Although I never tried that myself, I believe that there must be a bunch of good reasons for NOT doing it.
I’m not saying that new ways should not be explored, just the opposite in fact… I’m constantly on the look for new materials and new ways of using them. But some ideas just seem to be dead ends, so to speak. Now, go and do it, don’t take my words for it. Maybe you will think of something never thought of on the way. I sincerely wish you do. Post results.
Do you seriously believe that no one thought of doing that on boards before?
Sorry didn’t mean it like that! I’m sure it’s been done!
I couldn’t find any mention of it on Sways, which is very unusual
I was just light-heartedly protesting about being told to stop searching for different methods and stick with the traditional way…
The fun I get out of board building is through exploring different methods.
I’m not sure what Huie means about this “not being boat building”, as the majority of the compsand methods find their roots in boatbuilding.
Boat builders also switched to spraying gelcoat a long time ago
I’m sure there is a good reason why it never became the surfboard industry standard.
But I don’t think it would be a question of quality?
More likely tradition, resistance to change, and the fact that a paint brush costs much less than a spray gun?
I’d love to know the real reason, but I guess i’ll have to try it and find out for myself
I’ll keep looking into it for sure.
Cheers for all your input guys!!
KKSurf, I was not meaning to be rude or something. As I said, do it. I’m pretty sure that if it’s not currently done the reason is it is not worth it, production-wise.
(But you might very well be the one to find out THE right way to do it and make it worth it.)
well man i been doing it my own way in the jewellery industry for a long time
im very fast and neat i can make a wedding ring from a bar in about ten minutes
and resize a ring in 2 minutes polished is my record (not bad for 30$ )
working efficently is about finding the fastest and cleanest methods with minimal energy
so i rekon you should look for ways to do this
but you need to get something for your energy, a better result
better hourly rates for example
most people are not rewarded for efficency so they go into some sort of slowmo timewarp in there jobs like zombies
i just get the fcker done and go surfing
my question to you kit is how would you know if you had a better method if you hadnt mastered a previous method
you havent got a yardstick to work to
post me an honest out the door and close up of your gloss with a spray and then do a industry style one with a brush and rubbing
this is my last one and i think its was pretty crappy
im on to number 6 and theres at least 20 or 30 to go before i got it down pat
there would be an hour and a half in it i guess
but ive done 2pac sprays before and it takes time as well
but the poly gloss boards are holding up far better in durability
look a hell of a lot better and are easier to repair
Don’t worry Balsa, I understood, thanks man
I just didn’t want it to seem like I was claiming something as my own idea, when it’s not a new idea at all
Paul, very very good point
how would you know if you had a better method if you hadnt mastered a previous method
The main point I have is exactly that!
To master brushed glosses requires a whole lot of skill, and practice practice practice
I have great respect for glassers, hotcoaters and glossers who work at that level, very highly skilled, highly trained people.
The whole point of what i’m trying to do is find a more accessible way!
The fact that you have to take that process to the level of an art form in order to get acceptable results mystifies me…
Surely a better way is worthy of investigation? A method that allows the average Joe to get a killer finish, without spending years in a glass shop perfecting the art.
This is where Huie tells me there are no short-cuts
The amount of progress we have made with compsands is unbelievable
Paul, your build times are better than anyone in the business, all because you tried different methods and found a better way.
Of course there were no “traditional” methods, so we didn’t know we were breaking “the rules”.
My 2pac sprays are far from perfect, but they are 90% of the way there, with no training, very little time invested, and the process is super quick.
So it just makes sense to me to explore that area a bit more.
I’m interested to see what it takes to get the last 10% - it may be too hard, maybe not
I am old school.Glossed a lot of boards.Reichold gloss resin set off hot in a cold room and flowed on with a good brush takes 3 minutes.I use to shoot 6 sides at a time.I saw some boards out of Santa Cruz that had polished urethane finishes that were unreal.Polyester is only good for spraying in a mold.Just my opinion. RBrucker
Cheers Cleanlines
It’s the sanding/polishing time i’m trying to minimise, how long does that take? And taping off the rails, coming back to pull the tape, etc
Just spent the morning on the phone trying to track down sprayable poly
Looks like Duratec is whats on offer, not much else that is appropriate.
So I guess i’ve found the reason!
I’ll stick to Durepox for the moment
thanks guys
There is a lot of new stuff on the market but I am not familiar with it.Polishing is the secret.There is no material I know of that will give you a mirror finish without polishing.This includes spray finishes.The auto industry has made great advances in polishing technology in the last few years.I have polished both polyester and linear urthane (chromaclear,awlgrip etc.) and its the same thing.Sand and then rubbing compound.Some of the new foam pads made for rubbing compound are unreal.You can see people doing this on Utube.The miracles of modern technology.All you young guys have to do is come online and search.When I started I had to kiss ass and be very humble in order for anyone to teach me anything.Have fun. R. Brucker