Different colour gelcoats

[silverseal]

My old boat has a number of dinks over the years from anchors etc. I have bought some Plastic Padding gelcoat filler which is pure white, and fine for the hull.
The superstructure is more of a magnolia sort of colour and pure white stands out alarmingly. Anybody got any idea of how I could mix some compatible dye with the white to make it offwhite (brown pigment??), and possibly if any one knows of a source of pigment/dyes for polyester gelcoat

 

[ex-Gladys]

You need to go to a GRP specialist. They sell both pigments and resins. You will not get a perfect match because of sunlight and age fading the gelcoat, but it will be better than white....

 

[StephenSails]

You need clear gelcoat resin + mek and matching pigment.

Try

Blue Gee Ltd
Contact David Benoy


Telephone 01202 676612 Fax 01202 665209
Email blue.gee@virgin.net

 

[gjgm]

theres a few posts about on this.. maybe Kim should set up a FAQ...

I asked the maufacturer about tinting the p/pading paste.. they said dont!
Resin and pigments are easy enough to work with, maybe some silicate too for vertical surfaces to thicken it up a bit.
Try CFS-they are wholesale suppliers, but trade quantity just means you get enormous amount for same price as swindelry anyway! For off white,try white gelcoat, and then some red, black and yellow pigments.
Then just add a tablespoon of white gelcoat to a clean pot and add LESS than a drop at a time of some of the pigments until you get an idea of which ones to use. I m no artist- it took me about 2 hours.. then you can mix up half a pint or so when you have some clue of how much of which to add! Bear in mind it changes colour a bit when it sets, so you may want to separate a little off and add some catalyst and smear a finger on the boat to see how it is hardened, and adjust colour again.
For off white, you should manage to get not a bad amateur match, but I can see why most pros have years of experience!
One thing, gelocat wont set unless blocked from air.. celephane or something. Or use topcoat, which is gelcoat with wax added to achieve the same. Note you cant build up with topcoat..it MUST be the final coat only
Then you have alot of compounding and polishing. To be honest, its a pig by hand. Toolstation do a powerful polisher for £40.. its a bit heavy, but not nearly as tiring as weeks polishing!
Lastly, you really want temperature at 15degrees or so- winter isnt ideal.
Time? at least a day to be honest, but once you have a stock of matched gelcoat you re set up for any further dings!

 

[Viking]

There is a company. I think its JOTUN, who make a range of two pack Gelcoat fillers for such problems. They do a range of shades from white through to a beige. I have the product on board the boat which I will be visiting tomorrow and I can get you the details...

 

[silverseal]

Spoke to Blue Gee, and they have a range of precolored gelcoats inclusing both parchment and magnolia - looks like taking a quick trip to Poole with a hatch cover to colour match it.

Thanks for the advice