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Im lookin at a Champ 202 that has a new clear gelcoat, but there are some rougher spots in it kind of like a orange peal.
Could this be sanded and buffed smooth again? The clear looks good but its just a little rough in spots, is this from a bad sanding job after it was sprayed?
Thanks!!
Collin C.
<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Cheatham200 »</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Im lookin at a Champ 202 that has a new clear gelcoat, but there are some rougher spots in it kind of like a orange peal.
Could this be sanded and buffed smooth again? The clear looks good but its just a little rough in spots, is this from a bad sanding job after it was sprayed?
Thanks!!
Collin C.</td></tr></table>
Without knowing all the variables you can't get a real good answer.
Is the new clear actual Gelcoat or an Auto clear coat ?
If it is Gelcoat, how thick was it sprayed ?
If it's clear gelcoat and it has been sprayed a nominal thickness you may be able to sand the orange peel out.
Gelcoat is not self leveling like paint and when sprayed on the outside of a hull will start to cure while it still has the orange peel like look to it.
Once cured it is wet sanded to a smooth gloss. It would have been sanded once already if it was sprayed with clear gelcoat, so without knowing how thick the clear is, you have to be careful not to sand thru the orange peel spots as they should have been sanded once already.
I was told it was a Gel Clear coat, not the automotive clear.
It looks good, but i was just curious about the orange peel spots.
I guess it would work for a while, but i just want it to look perfect.
I have painted a few autos and I have had "orange peel". This is normally operator error and I have never had any luck sanding it out. Any paint supply shop will tell you it can't be done. JMHO. You can sure try, but I would not count on it turning out. This should be taken care of by the applicator with no questions ask. Surprises me that a reputable shop would let it out the door!!! Mike
<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by marinesashore »</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I have painted a few autos and I have had "orange peel". This is normally operator error and I have never had any luck sanding it out. Any paint supply shop will tell you it can't be done. JMHO. You can sure try, but I would not count on it turning out. This should be taken care of by the applicator with no questions ask. Surprises me that a reputable shop would let it out the door!!! Mike</td></tr></table>
Marineashore, gelcoat is not anything like paint. Yes, you cannot sand orange peel out of paint, and 99 % of the time it is operator error.
But gelcoat is a polyester resin, which does not self level like paint. When sprayed on the outside of an object it will always cure with an orange peel look to it.
Gelcoat is meant to be sprayed into a highly polished fiberglass female mold and it lays flat against the slick mold and takes on the glasslike appearance of the polished mold.
When gelcoat is sprayed on the outside of a boat, as in a repair, or in a complete re gelcoating, it will cure with orange peel.
That is why it is so expensive to have a boat re gelcoated. You are paying for the labor $$$$$ to have the final coat wet sanded smooth to remove the orange peel and put a smooth , glossy surface to the gelcoat like it would have when it comes out of a factory mold.
yes you can sand the orange peel out you just have to be very careful and watch what your doing so you don't sand through and hit the flake if you hit the flake and silver it it's time to break out the spray gun ask the owner who did the work and more than likely they will be glad to slick it down for ya i have been doing glass work for 17 years and sometimes this does happen
I have always wondered about how the factory did it, this is good info. Thanks, I learned something today!