West systems and painting

[blueskyracer]

What does everybody use to get the waxy film off of West Systems epoxy? Will warm soapy water work? Maybe I should melt it off with my weed burner! LOL

Also, back when I was painting there were not a lot of options. Now there is Acrylic Enamel, Acrylic Lacquer, Acrylic Urethane and I am sure more. What does everyone recommend? Also is there a primer that everyone prefers?

Out here in the sticks we have to go for miles to get to the big city. We do most of our shopping on line and wait for the brown truck. Anyone know of a good online paint store? I have been looking at the Autocolorlibrary so far.

[Tomtall]

Removing blush

Straight from the "West System" home page. Google is a wonderful tool!

Cure epoxy - Amine blush can appear as a wax-like film on cured epoxy surfaces. It is a byproduct of the curing process and may be more noticeable in cool, moist conditions. Amine blush can clog sandpaper and inhibit subsequent bonding, but it is water soluble and can easily be removed. It's a good idea to assume it has formed on any cured epoxy surface.

To remove blush, wash the surface with clean water ( not solvent) and an abrasive pad such as a Scotch-Brite. Dry the surface with paper towels to remove the dissolved blush before it dries on the surface. Sand any remaining glossy areas with 80-grit sandpaper. Wet-sanding will also remove the amine blush. If a release fabric is applied over the surface of fresh epoxy, amine blush will be removed when the release fabric is peeled from the cured epoxy and no additional sanding is required.



Epoxy surfaces that are still tacky may be bonded to or coated with mixed resin/hardener without washing or sanding. Before applying coatings other than epoxy (paints, bottom paints, varnishes, gelcoats, etc), allow epoxy surfaces to cure fully, then wash and sand.


Paints for epoxy coatings - Again from the "West Systen" home page can be viewed here -http://www.westsystem.com.au/west_sy...final_coatings

Myself - I like Pettit "Easy Poxy" paint - http://www.pettitpaint.com/

Highest Gloss Topside Enamel
Tough, Weather Resistant Finish
Easy to Apply, Excellent Brushability

Easypoxy is a highly rated, one-part polyurethane topside paint improved by the addition of silicone for a brilliant shine and easy brushability. It also contains ultraviolet filters which enhance the already superior gloss retention and durability of polyurethane. This results in a topside finish that is exceptionally easy to apply and produces a lasting gelcoat-like brilliance, with a minimum of effort. Easypoxy is available in white and twenty-five popular topside colors.

Everyone has thier favorite method of paint and prep. Good Luck!

[blueskyracer]

Thanks Tom, I Google everything and I don't know why I didn't this time. It must be my Mad Cow! This really helps.

I was tempted to go with Pettit paints but they just don't have the shades of color I am looking for.

[kampkurz]

Paint and Such!

I think it's always good to listen to the veterans. Many years ago..on the shores of KampKurz, I was informed that " S##t looks good out front." I think it was none other than Billy Allen that set me straight that evening. I hope that helps. KampKurz

[krazy karl]

Paint

Thanks Tom, I Google everything and I don't know why I didn't this time. It must be my Mad Cow! This really helps.

I was tempted to go with Pettit paints but they just don't have the shades of color I am looking for.

I have used the one part polyurethane Petit paint with very good results. It comes out very smooth and shiny no matter the method of application. The cost is pretty good when you consider that my paint supplier told me a couple of weeks ago that any custom mixed automotive paint would start at roughly $100 and go up depending on what I wanted. I used a generic auto paint but now wish I( had gone with the Petit.
kk

[mercguy]

What does everybody use to get the waxy film off of West Systems epoxy? Will warm soapy water work? Maybe I should melt it off with my weed burner! LOL

Also, back when I was painting there were not a lot of options. Now there is Acrylic Enamel, Acrylic Lacquer, Acrylic Urethane and I am sure more. What does everyone recommend? Also is there a primer that everyone prefers?

Out here in the sticks we have to go for miles to get to the big city. We do most of our shopping on line and wait for the brown truck. Anyone know of a good online paint store? I have been looking at the Autocolorlibrary so far.

Mike, feel free to call me, if you want. I have painted over 30 boats (and quite a few in Reg10) using West and urethane................

[Jack Stotts]

Hey Daren, how have you applied the paint in you painting efforts? Wondering how the Pettit comes out when brushed on. Need your guidance. Jack

[blueskyracer]

I have used the one part polyurethane Petit paint with very good results. It comes out very smooth and shiny no matter the method of application. The cost is pretty good when you consider that my paint supplier told me a couple of weeks ago that any custom mixed automotive paint would start at roughly $100 and go up depending on what I wanted. I used a generic auto paint but now wish I( had gone with the Petit.
kk

Karl, I think I may have to be not so picky plus my budget is running thin. I am going to give Easypoxy a try. I found a place on line that sells it for $26 a quart. Auto paint with the reducer and hardner is expensive for two colors.

Could just run in primer like the "Pimp Killer" but I think he used the stuff you put down on a garage floor with the sprikle on chips. Sure makes him fast!

[mercguy]

Hey Daren, how have you applied the paint in you painting efforts? Wondering how the Pettit comes out when brushed on. Need your guidance. Jack

Jack, I use an HVLP spray gun to apply both epoxy and the top coat (urethane)...........

[Jack Stotts]

Mike, how are you going to apply the Easypoy? I'm wondering how it comes out when brushed on vs spraying. Keep us posted if you can. Jack

[Bill Huson]

Petit . . .

Hey Daren, how have you applied the paint in you painting efforts? Wondering how the Pettit comes out when brushed on. Need your guidance. Jack

EasyPoxy is like Pettit HobbyPoxy. Foam brushes work well but you gotta watch out for foam bits shedding off. I did not thin Petit epoxy. No. No way. Heat it. My model paint jobs were small, so you might have to scale up the plan. Large coffee can with a few "church key" vents popped in the side and inverted over a 100 Watt light bulb. Kept the tin of epoxy paint on top to warm `er up. About 100-110 deg F is what I was looking for. Paint goes on smooth, flows out to a nice gloss, and chills to ambient air temp to prevent further flow as in runs and sags. YMMV

[Bill Huson]

my latest experiment . . .

Yes, amine blush washes off. Goes away quick with a 3M Scotchbrite scrubber pad, but make sure you rinse the pad in clear water frequently.

I'm testing shellac over WEST resin. Reason: Shellac kicks tail for moisture sealing. Shellac is better than multiple coats of WEST (heavy) and better than a variety of varnishes including the super poly U varnishes. So I figure roll on a coat of WEST to seal the plywood and provide a base for gluing on the usual stringers, frames and whatnot, then use Shellac to seal the assembled interior. Fast. Shellac is speedy drying. Smells rather nice (denatured alky). And it is considered fairly toxin free by the various Fed nanny organizations. Another advantage, way cheaper than sealing the interior with multiple coats of WEST resin.

[jeff55v]

redneck paint job...

I painted a hydro in '07 with about 10 cans of krylon.

...just kidding. (Daren is now busy cleaning up the coffee that he just spewed all over his computer monitor!)

I read a book about auto painting. The auto paint store charged me about $200 for all the paint, thinners, hardeners, etc. I forgot what I paid for the HVLP gun. I used a one step urethane. It turned out really good. But I admit it was kind of a pain in the butt considering the work it took me to do it in my garage.(what a mess) My next paint job will be done by somebody else.

[Dave M]

Costs

If you use a quality automotive paint, such as Dupont, you can spend well over $400 - $500.00 for a three color paint job. Remember, Reds cost a lot more than black. Anything that is mixed with red in the recipie will cost a lot more. My last paint job on the FEH cost just over $400.00 with only two colors, purple and silver. WIth the automotive paints you also usually need to apply a clear coat to UV protect it. This stuff alone is around $100.00 a gallon for the cheaper stuff. I stop and think about how many cars are in this world and I no longer wonder why Dupont throws so much money at Nascar....

If you like simple colors without a lot of flash, I would go with the cheaper applications as mentioned, and applying them is easy. It all depends on the look you want. If they have your color in the color charts, go for it ! Remember, paint sands off if you don't like it !

[ebss011]

Paint

Try House of Colors Paint, We just used 5 different colors, primer, base,and reducer. 1400 hundo later you wont miss it on the water! TOPGUN