Folks as some will know ive taken on a restore of an 04 ranger. I bought a different trailer that the boat originally came with. I have enough gel coat to shoot it with gel but after all the sanding ive done on the boat it got me thinking whether or not be easier to just paint the fenders vs gel coating them. It believe it would be a lot less work to go that route. I have plenty of flake to add to the paint so i don't think you'd know the difference. Am i missing something?
Fenders? Single Stage Urethane. One blowout can trash your fenders. Too much work to gelcoat.
Rojoguio, Can you add flake to that type of paint?Originally Posted by rojoguio
Short answer, Yes. now the rest of the story.
Single Stage generally is formulated with metallics & pearls. They are solids that will color over added flake. That being said you can shoot to cover with color, mix some clear with the desired flake, shoot the flake, bury in more clear. Biggest problem is trapped solvents. Most inexperienced painters add solvents to get today's 2K Urethanes to spray out of 1.4 tip sizes. Multiple coats are required, the solvent is for too cold ambient temperature, not enough flash time is allowed before topcoating, and trapped solvents happens. Minor case, it takes a month before you can't mark it with your thumbnail. Worst case, "Solvent Pop", bubbles literally rise through the paint from the bottom up.
The $9 Harbor Freight HVLP will spray 2K well straight. No Solvents added. If you can't paint this will not be easy to get a good job. I have good guns, they are all for Basecoat/Clearcoat. HVLP guns need HVLP air fittings, I use Sharpe brand, they are awesome air fittings. Also a 3/8in air hose must be used, a water trap/air filter needs to be used on the gun.
You can spray your color, let it fully cure, sand and spray flake/clear, bury in 2 coats of clear.
Cut & Clear following the instructions below.
Spray your clear/flake kinda dry so the flake stays on top, let it flash to the point it feels close to dry, wait 20min if necessary then two heavy coats of clear allowing a lot of flash time between coats. Your done until you can't mark it with the corner of your thumbnail. Should take 2-3 days with this much paint.
When it is fully cured, carefully cut with 400 grit to level, shoot one un-reduced coat of clear, let it flash until almost no tack then shoot another coat with 10-15% reducer, the solids in the first coat will help support this second shine coat. You are flowing the first coat to a high gloss. It's a old painter trick to get Acrylic Enamel to shine. If this sound tough bring your fenders to a body shop.
Go base clear... mix your flake in the base spray with min 1.8 tip , couple coats of clear then wetsand and finish up with 2 to 3 more coats of clear.. wetsand and polish if needed.
I did my fiberglass fenders in paint about 10 years ago and they still look good and match the flake on the boat. I followed the same steps as when I did the top cap in gelcoat but with paint instead. Sprayed black base, then same flake as boat in clear and then a few coats of clear without flake, wet sand and polish. First time out and my fishing partner backs up the trailer onto a cable wire supporting a telephone pole. I cried a little but the fender held up pretty good. I'm pretty sure I added flex additive like we do with auto bumpers. In the end I think paint and gelcoat would've been about the same amount of work.
Really same amount of work? I was thinking painting the results would be smoother that the heavy orange peel of gel
To me it was almost the same amount as I had quite bit of sanding due to the flake.
The reason I do the "Shine" coat is it is much easier to cut to level with 400 grit, shoot a "Shine" coat over the top. If you can shoot a decent coat of clear no polishing is needed.
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