I’m interested to know about different methods of setting up UV lighting for curing UV-cure resins. Kokua, you mentioned retrofitting your shop about a year ago, any updates? Does anyone just a window box setup (using natural sunlight)? Two other questions: minimum ambient termerature using UV-cure? AND what are the results with gloss coats? Thanks, Rob Olliges
I use my garage with the door shut, Once i am ready to cure, I open her up. temps - i have cured in the dead of winter. Nice bright sunny day cures right up. Just keep where you are laminating as warm as possible. If you have bright sun in the winter it will cure a bit slower than the summer but you get just as good a cure. Gloss coat and UV is a bad combo!!! i have tried several times and never got a good cure, or a smooth finish! even hotcoat and UV is a bad combo I feel.
ive never had a problem with UV hotcoats, however I have a UV curing box, Gloss however I would recommend using mekp http://www.paradoxdistribution.com
the surf source recommends adding catalyst in your hotcoat for uv resin. i use this technique and so far, it’s been trouble free. just get it starting to kick so the wax is rising then give it the uv. cures freakin’ hard!!!
Yeah I have had people say that works as well, theres no harm in mixing the 2 so its all good, its all trial and errorwith our UV hotcoats we kick it for like 30 seconds let it rest for 5 minutes and kick it the rest of the way, No issues. http://www.surfboardglassing.com
i use 6 uv bulbs mounted in (3) 4ft shop lights.($20 bulbs from FG Hawaii) the shop lights are mounted on a little wooden stand with wheels. one shop light for each rail, one for the deck. a $5 timer controls the lights. 2-3 minutes, then roll the stand 4ft. really simple and convenient. you can go do other stuff 'till the timer kicks. then flip and hit the laps for a few seconds. i have had no problem with hotcoats, same cure procedure as surflab.
Howzit Rob, I set my lights up with 4 fixtures. 2 fixtures end to end on each side above and just inside the rail line. I put extra chain hangers so I can lower the lights to just above the board. So far this year we’ve been blessed with lots of sunny days so I haven’t used the box all that much but it seems to work just fine. Aloha, Kokua