Hi, Last night I glosscoated my shortboard with 1% catalyst and 2% S.A added into lam resin, stirred it for 4 minutes. Until the gas bubble gone, started to glosscoat. 12 hours later, I found almost the deck cured non-tack while the rails still wet and tacky. It was the same happen to my hotcoated skimboard, the rails still wet and tacky. The wax raised to the surface form a milky protection which I sanded it off later turning into a polished look. The problem is the rails of both case never cure~~~~~… What’s the problem? Can anyone help me~~~~~~~~~~… Any input should be much appreciated. Regards, Crabie
Add more catalyst next time. Don’t be shy…hot coats and gloss coat are suppose to kick quick. Some gloss resins take forever to kick, but over night…not! You can also throw some sun cure catalyst into the mix if your balls tend to be on the small side! That way if it doesn’t cure just set it in the sun for a few minutes.
Howzit Crabie, sounds like your mixture wasn’t right. How much gloss resin were you using? For a longboard I use 20 ozs gloss resin 10% styrene about 2-3% S.A. and 25ccs catalyst. Will kick in about 10 to 15 mins. Aloha, Kokua
Howzit Crabie, sounds like your mixture wasn’t right. How much gloss resin were you using? For a longboard I use 20 ozs gloss resin 10% styrene about 2-3% S.A. and 25ccs catalyst. Will kick in about 10 to 15 mins, I try to wait until temp is about 75 to 78 degrees to do them but that’s not feasable. Aloha, Kokua
Crabie - I know you were trying to make your own surfacing agent. What ratio styrene to wax did you end up using?
Crabie: All of these are good answers/questions. Kokua can do the numbers in his sleep I’m sure. One thing that was that you do a lot of epoxy, right? (not a lot of regular polyester work?). I’ve had similar experience with old catalyst that has sat around exposed to sunlight on the bench or just aged over time. It isn’t as potent as when fresh. Could your catalyst be the culprit? Tom S.
Thanks Kokua, I mixed the resin into two plastic cup with 250ml volume each. The cup comes with measurement and it’s just cost me US$ 25 c. The board I glosscoated is a 5’10" shortboard, I only used up one cup of resin. I can see your mixing in which the catalyst around 4% with 10% styrene ( where 1 oz = 30 ml, 20 oz resin = 600 ml or cc, 25 cc cat = 25/600 x 100% = 4% ). When I mix my resin with s.a., a 2% s.a. turns the resin into a little bit yellowish, so I m afraid an extra 10% styrene makes the board more yellowish than before. BTW, I’ll try your formula tonight. Once again, thanks for your sharing. Regards, Crabie
Thanks Tom, Yup you re right, I m a epoxy guy not used to be familar with polyester resin. I bought the lam resin in the local shop where they put the resin & cat in a place that sunlight never reach. The resin was sealed in a gallon pack, the shop guy measures the cat. from another container. Since it got no lable about the expire date, I have no idea of how fresh it is. Regards, Crabie
Hey John, I mixed 1 part of paraffin wax into 16 parts styrene. Regards, Crabie
That would be about 6% which sounds correct. I don’t think that is the problem.
If it got too cold at night sometimes that makes it not cure right ive noticed. One time glossed a board b4 we took off then at night temp dropped way down. then never seemed to cure right. I would say try a lil more cat. next time and maybetry it in the mornin so it cn get thedays heat to cure it. http://dirtyglassing.com