Filler, repairs and undercoats for chips, scratches and blisters

Nicholas123 said:
If you read what I posted you would see that none of mine 'fell out' & it's at least half the cost of what you suggest.It can be painted perfectly so why pay over the odds?
The fact is doing up old boats is a juggling act you can pay an arm & a leg trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear but if your just going to throw your money around you might just as well buy a newer boat in the first place :cool:
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I know you said it had not fallen out. But why take the risk for a few quid using a product that was never designed for the purpose, when tried and tested products are readily available? The cost of the filler is tiny compared with the cost of the painting, particularly as the OP is having the final coat applied professionally.

There is a time and place for being a cheapskate - but this is not one of them.
 
Robert Wilson said:
Some logic in that, but firstly I can't afford a new/newer boat, secondly (most importantly) I love Khamsin and want to have her looking "good" and thirdly I enjoy DIY and learning more about boat maintenance.
She'll never be a "silk purse" but I'm proud of her and she suits my sailing, so I'll do the best my limited "purse" allows.

But thanks for your comments
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Same here mate I was just trying to help you save money. :)
 
Tranona said:
I know you said it had not fallen out. But why take the risk for a few quid using a product that was never designed for the purpose, when tried and tested products are readily available? The cost of the filler is tiny compared with the cost of the painting, particularly as the OP is having the final coat applied professionally.

There is a time and place for being a cheapskate - but this is not one of them.
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What I recommended is perfectly good fibreglass filler,if you don't trust it yourself because of a lack of personal experience that is your prerogative but........ I believe you bought a new boat recently Tranona.Lets say it cost you £100,000,would you have bought the same boat if it cost you £200,000? It is the same principle.

PS: Oh & on the subject of products "that were never designed for the purpose,when tried and tested products are available." It occurs to me that the advent of osmosis rather belies that notion.Sometimes it helps if you can think on your feet ;)
 
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Nicholas123 said:
What I recommended is perfectly good fibreglass filler,if you don't trust it yourself because of a lack of personal experience that is your prerogative but........ I believe you bought a new boat recently Tranona.Lets say it cost you £100,000,would you have bought the same boat if it cost you £200,000? It is the same principle.

PS: Oh & on the subject of products "that were never designed for the purpose,when tried and tested products are available." It occurs to me that the advent of osmosis rather belies that notion.Sometimes it helps if you can think on your feet ;)
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I am well aware of keeping costs down, having built and owned boats for nigh on 40 years, most of the time on a very limited budget. Along the way i have learned the hard way when to use the "proper" stuff. This is one of those situations where economising is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

It is irrelevant how much I paid for my boat. My advice is based on the OPs situation, not mine, although I did exactly the same when I tackled a similar job on one of my boats - for the second time having been a cheapskate the first time around.

Imagine how he would feel after the number of hours (30 so far!) he will spend preparing it, buying expensive paint, getting a professional to do the finish coats, to find it is less than perfect - for the want of the price of a couple of pints of beer.

BTW I looked up the product you used. The manufacturers specifically say it is for use for filling wood - nothing else. Remember their slogan "It does what it says on the tin". It is not polyester or epoxy, so why on earth would anyone use it on a GRP boat? Not against Ronseal products - they have uses on boats. I have always used their polyurethane varnishes inside and their floor varnish on cabin soles. But would never use a wood based product on GRP when epoxy based products with a proven track record are freely available.

Sorry to go on about this but it is not good to recommend products that are simply not suitable for the job.
 
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Tranona said:
I am well aware of keeping costs down, having built and owned boats for nigh on 40 years, most of the time on a very limited budget. Along the way i have learned the hard way when to use the "proper" stuff. This is one of those situations where economising is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

It is irrelevant how much I paid for my boat. My advice is based on the OPs situation, not mine, although I did exactly the same when I tackled a similar job on one of my boats - for the second time having been a cheapskate the first time around.

Imagine how he would feel after the number of hours (30 so far!) he will spend preparing it, buying expensive paint, getting a professional to do the finish coats, to find it is less than perfect - for the want of the price of a couple of pints of beer.

BTW I looked up the product you used. The manufacturers specifically say it is for use for filling wood - nothing else. Remember their slogan "It does what it says on the tin". It is not polyester or epoxy, so why on earth would anyone use it on a GRP boat? Not against Ronseal products - they have uses on boats. I have always used their polyurethane varnishes inside and their floor varnish on cabin soles. But would never use a wood based product on GRP when epoxy based products with a proven track record are freely available.

Sorry to go on about this but it is not good to recommend products that are simply not suitable for the job.
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That's nonsense.I have used it for years even under the waterline & it has worked perfectly.It is clearly fibreglass filler & the idea that going to all the lengths you advocate will only add the cost of a couple of pints of beer is ridiculous.
Not everyone is as well off as you & can afford to gold plate everything.
 
Nicholas123 said:
I bought some of this stuff. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370429516588 Piece of cake.

PS: & if you buy the stuff I recommended it's easy to sand down/file/shape generally.Infact a pleasure to work with. Just don't expect it to hold your mast up.
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Interesting comment. What urges you to say that? Not that I would have thought about mast repairs!

mick butterworth said:
try this suff http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...liput.TRS0&_nkw=milliput+epoxy+putty&_sacat=0 works well setts under water sands to a smooth finish mick
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Putty? Easy to work with? Good for repairs "on-the-hoof"?
Probably not the most applicable to repairs when the boat is out of the water?

Thanks to you both
 
Robert Wilson said:
Just a thought folks.
Is there a filler (epoxy etc etc) which can be "thinned" to make spreading easier into fine scratches, small dings etc?
If so, any comments on it's application and effectiveness?
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I add fibreglass resin to alter it's consistency depending on the job.The only complaint I have is that it goes off very quickly in about ten minutes so you have to be quick & I have wasted a lot on the big jobs I have done.I would prefer it to be about an hour.On the plus side if you return to it before it has set completely it is very easy to remove the excess & make finishing easier.
 
Thanks. Another tube/tin/jar to add to next week's shopping list. If I have time as SWMBO has decided she wants to change her car, and last time she said I was no help at all and was totally disinterested.
To be fair to myself, after I had advised on the merits of numerous internal combustion engine vehicles of varying manufacture and performance, I became somewhat disinterested when the question arose:-
"Which colour do you think?"
 
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