Have you used Ecklers Gelcoat, please step in.
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Have you used Ecklers Gelcoat, please step in.
I'm a few week away from completing the chassis on the 65 and need to start planning for the body prep. The rear quarters have been replaced, luggage rack holes filled in, and new jigged front end is on order. The doors need holes filled where the 70’s vintage mirrors were installed and all other glass is ok. Car has been stripped down to bare fiberglass.
My original thoughts were to use slick sand over the bare fiberglass but have since decided to use gelcoat based on the aftermarket panel vendor saying to gelcoat prior to paint.
How many coats and how long did it take you to block sand the gelcoat? Ecklers website says it takes 2 gal. per car which seems like a lot.
Some people are putting Slick Sand over the gelcoat, is this really necessary or will a 2K primer surfacer be fine?
My thoughts were somewhere along the lines of Gelcoat, block with 80 grit, K38, block with 220 grit, K38, wet sand with 600 grit, basecoat, clearcoat.
Thanks for any insight into all this.
My original thoughts were to use slick sand over the bare fiberglass but have since decided to use gelcoat based on the aftermarket panel vendor saying to gelcoat prior to paint.
How many coats and how long did it take you to block sand the gelcoat? Ecklers website says it takes 2 gal. per car which seems like a lot.
Some people are putting Slick Sand over the gelcoat, is this really necessary or will a 2K primer surfacer be fine?
My thoughts were somewhere along the lines of Gelcoat, block with 80 grit, K38, block with 220 grit, K38, wet sand with 600 grit, basecoat, clearcoat.
Thanks for any insight into all this.
#2
Safety Car
You do not really want to block the gelcoat. It is not thick enough to support block sanding like a primer/surfacer. The only purpose of gelcoat is to seal down old repairs and new panels. I will only use a Gallon on a ragtop, but you will probably need more for a coupe.
I spray two heavy wet coats of gelcoat, and then just wet sand enough to remove the wax layer, and then preceed as usual with primer surfacer.
The Ecklers gelcoat is a bitch to sand, as the wax really clogs the paper. The best way to sand is with 80 grit wet-or-dry paper, as it will not clog as bad. Use warm soapy water to keep the paper flushed, and it will cut pretty good. You must sand every inch of the gelcoat or any area where wax is left, the suceeding coats of primer will not stick. Sand just enough to put a nice 80 grit scratch pattern down, and do not try to flatten the panels with a block. You will get the gelcoat so thin in places that it will not do what it is intended to do. Besides, K-38 or SlickSand sands a whole lot easier than gelcoat does.
I have always used the Ecklers gelocat in the past, but I think that I am going to switch to the Evercoat gelcoat on future projects. The PVA curing layer is so much easier to remove than the parrafin wax layer used by the Ecklers gelcoat. With PVA, you just spray the PVA over the finished gelcoat, and you can remove it the next day with warm water and a scrub pad!
Regards, John McGraw
I spray two heavy wet coats of gelcoat, and then just wet sand enough to remove the wax layer, and then preceed as usual with primer surfacer.
The Ecklers gelcoat is a bitch to sand, as the wax really clogs the paper. The best way to sand is with 80 grit wet-or-dry paper, as it will not clog as bad. Use warm soapy water to keep the paper flushed, and it will cut pretty good. You must sand every inch of the gelcoat or any area where wax is left, the suceeding coats of primer will not stick. Sand just enough to put a nice 80 grit scratch pattern down, and do not try to flatten the panels with a block. You will get the gelcoat so thin in places that it will not do what it is intended to do. Besides, K-38 or SlickSand sands a whole lot easier than gelcoat does.
I have always used the Ecklers gelocat in the past, but I think that I am going to switch to the Evercoat gelcoat on future projects. The PVA curing layer is so much easier to remove than the parrafin wax layer used by the Ecklers gelcoat. With PVA, you just spray the PVA over the finished gelcoat, and you can remove it the next day with warm water and a scrub pad!
Regards, John McGraw
#3
Race Director
I used it and I think it worked as advertised. My body work has stood up under it on my car now for about 15 years. I didn't have as much luck spraying it as John as I did have to pretty aggressively sand it to get the orange peel off. It uses a hardner so you have to be a little careful with temperature and mixing so that it doesn't go off in you gun. I would not suggest using it in door jambs or underside of the hood due to the sanding difficulty. The parafin that skims the surface is a pain to deal with and someone posted a good idea on how to deal with it a few years ago. Unfortunately CRS has kicked in and I can't remember the details. Maybe someone will chime in again. Don't expect it to be a cure for stress cracks as I use to read years ago. They will come back through it if not properly repaired. Also, if spraying at home cover everything, especially the floor and for some distance out in the driveway. It will overspray coat everything.
Dan
Dan
#4
Team Owner
Thread Starter
You do not really want to block the gelcoat. It is not thick enough to support block sanding like a primer/surfacer. The only purpose of gelcoat is to seal down old repairs and new panels. I will only use a Gallon on a ragtop, but you will probably need more for a coupe.
I spray two heavy wet coats of gelcoat, and then just wet sand enough to remove the wax layer, and then preceed as usual with primer surfacer. Regards, John McGraw
I spray two heavy wet coats of gelcoat, and then just wet sand enough to remove the wax layer, and then preceed as usual with primer surfacer. Regards, John McGraw
The Ecklers gelcoat is a bitch to sand, as the wax really clogs the paper. The best way to sand is with 80 grit wet-or-dry paper, as it will not clog as bad. Use warm soapy water to keep the paper flushed, and it will cut pretty good. You must sand every inch of the gelcoat or any area where wax is left, the suceeding coats of primer will not stick. Sand just enough to put a nice 80 grit scratch pattern down, and do not try to flatten the panels with a block. You will get the gelcoat so thin in places that it will not do what it is intended to do. Besides, K-38 or SlickSand sands a whole lot easier than gelcoat does.
have always used the Ecklers gelocat in the past, but I think that I am going to switch to the Evercoat gelcoat on future projects. The PVA curing layer is so much easier to remove than the parrafin wax layer used by the Ecklers gelcoat. With PVA, you just spray the PVA over the finished gelcoat, and you can remove it the next day with warm water and a scrub pad!
#6
Safety Car
Dennis,
I think that the Evercoat is going to be my chioce for all future work. The PVA is water-based, and you just spray a layer on after all gelcoat is done.
Gelcoat of any kind, is very thick and does not like to shoot through guns with small fluid needles. A 1.8mm fluid needle is about the minimum. and I use a 2.5mm fluid needls in the gun I use for gelcoat.
Be very careful about how much you catalyze, especially in hot weather. You can absoultely ruin a gun, as the stuff can set up very fast and you have to have some acetone ready to clean the gun if it starts to kick. This only becomes a real problem with guns with small fluid needles, as these guns put the material down agonizingly slow!
With a 1.8mm nozzle on a gravity feen gun, you should be able to empty a quart cup in less than 5 minutes.
Regards, John McGraw
I think that the Evercoat is going to be my chioce for all future work. The PVA is water-based, and you just spray a layer on after all gelcoat is done.
Gelcoat of any kind, is very thick and does not like to shoot through guns with small fluid needles. A 1.8mm fluid needle is about the minimum. and I use a 2.5mm fluid needls in the gun I use for gelcoat.
Be very careful about how much you catalyze, especially in hot weather. You can absoultely ruin a gun, as the stuff can set up very fast and you have to have some acetone ready to clean the gun if it starts to kick. This only becomes a real problem with guns with small fluid needles, as these guns put the material down agonizingly slow!
With a 1.8mm nozzle on a gravity feen gun, you should be able to empty a quart cup in less than 5 minutes.
Regards, John McGraw
#7
Melting Slicks
Although I have never used gelcoat on a vette. I am thinking why not use a gelcoat gun. I have one I have used for molds in the past and it works perfect when doing molds. I am just starting another vette and I may just try gelcoat on this one. So I'm looking at ways to spray it. I would only use gelcoat and PVA. The Ecklers stuff is way to much work.Any thoughts On using a gelcaot gun? John, are you using an old Binks #7 or a gravity feed gun?
#8
Safety Car
Brian,
I use a SATA KLC RP gravity feed gun. I would never buy something this expensive for just gelcoat, but it serves as my primer gun as well. I have shot gelcoat from my old Binks# 7 gun, but it is much slower and makes much more orange peel. The faster you can apply the stuff, the smoother it will lay. This type of gun would have fluid needles too large for the PVA, and you would want to use something more like a 1.3mm.
The PVA is almost watery in consistency.
Regards, John McGraw
I use a SATA KLC RP gravity feed gun. I would never buy something this expensive for just gelcoat, but it serves as my primer gun as well. I have shot gelcoat from my old Binks# 7 gun, but it is much slower and makes much more orange peel. The faster you can apply the stuff, the smoother it will lay. This type of gun would have fluid needles too large for the PVA, and you would want to use something more like a 1.3mm.
The PVA is almost watery in consistency.
Regards, John McGraw
Last edited by John McGraw; 07-31-2007 at 10:13 AM.