Colouring Gelcoat Filler

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sparkie

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Has anyone got a suggestion for colouring white gelcoat filler? I only need a thimbleful to fill a few old screwholes in my cream coachroof, so not worth buying a proper kit. Would oil paint or acrylic (nicked from SWMBO's art box) work??

Any ideas gratefully received.
 
Chandlers sell kits from 'Blue gee'.
Or get a BS???? colour chart from a commercial paint place, then buy the right gel or pigment.
CFSNET were very helpful.
 
Hi, yes I've seen the kits for sale, retailing at about £20 + post, but as I only need a very small amount it seems a bit wasteful, especially as the shelf life is quite short. SWMBO's paint box is a lot cheaper but I'm not sure if it will work, maybe I'll just try it and hope for the best.
 
cornell_b said:
just match the color before adding fixer. paint colors are used by some over here without a problem.
Click to expand...

I bought a painting set of 15 small tubes of acrilic paint and a couple of brushes in a pound shop. I practiced with a gelcoat repair kit to get the colour right-or as right as I could-and then added some hardener. I did not use it-it started raining-but it went off OK and was a fair match when hard. Our boat is also a creamy beige colour. Worth a punt.
 
Sorry... are people saying that normal acrylic paints can be used to add slight tones to white gelcoat? That would be excellent news! :eek:

I have some gelcoat repairs that need doing on a 40 year old white hull. Obviously it isn't gonna be brilliant white now (if it ever was) and I would rather not buy a number of the repair packs that come with a raft of other bits I already have. I just want the white (poly?) gelcoat and catalyst and to be able to 'tint' it where required. I have a wide selection of acrylic and oil paints at home already so if I could use them without ferkin up the gelcoat I would be a very happy chappy .
 
The pigment from magazine print will take gelcoat from hi white to cream. Just wipe the gelcoat over the coloured bit of advert etc you want (likely yellow to make cream) and it will pick it up .
 
tcm said:
The pigment from magazine print will take gelcoat from hi white to cream. Just wipe the gelcoat over the coloured bit of advert etc you want (likely yellow to make cream) and it will pick it up .
Click to expand...

Mmmmm... Interesting although it sounds a bit hit and miss to me :rolleyes:

Back to my question... can normal acrylic paints be used to tint white gelcoat without ferkin it all up?
 
"sounds a bit hit and miss" - it’s *all*( a bit hit and miss - you have minutes to get to the correct colour?

You vna buy the pigments at t’proper shop, but for most tiny amounts, wipe the stuff over and area of yellow will turn it cream.

Not tried adding acrylic paints
 
tcm said:
"sounds a bit hit and miss" - it’s *all*( a bit hit and miss - you have minutes to get to the correct colour?

You vna buy the pigments at t’proper shop, but for most tiny amounts, wipe the stuff over and area of yellow will turn it cream.

Not tried adding acrylic paints
Click to expand...

Why so? Until you add the catalyst the mix isn't going to do anything.
 
The proper stuff is not expensive, for instance
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Magnolia-...UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item35bf6560dd

I've used gelcoat filler and all sorts of bodges, but getting the right pigment is the only way that won't fade to a different colour eventually.
There are a couple of repairs I've done which I can only see because I know where to look.
OTOH, I've done some using gelcoat filler that looked ok for 6 months, then progressively went greyer than the surrounding original.

If it's your own boat, it is worth being a bit methodical, so that if you mix the pigments exactly right, you can repeat the mix more easily.
 
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