Gel coat Pigments

[firstascent2002]

First, I posted alittel while ago to ask for some advise about getting the mast of mu seal 22 down. All went well and she is happy on her new trailer in coventry (15 miles from the center of england...perfect for a sea boat.)

Now the refurb starts and so some questions

1) What products can you add to gel coat to pigment it. I need to match a pale bathroom blue that was typical of boats of that era as I've got a fair few dings to repair.

2) Are there any tricks for drilling acrylic so as not so shatter the edges (am replacing the windows)

Thanks in advance...not sure I'd have been brave enough to drop the mast without the loud chorous of "it will be fine"

jamie

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[MLBURGE]

I only use pigments from my grp supplier they come in most colours and different sized tins.

Ive never tried it but i have heard of enamel paint being used as a pigment in grp model boats the tiny 'model making' tins might be worth a try.

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[stephenh]

You would be extremely ill advised to add oil paint to polyester, the two are not on speaking terms !!
Try instead :

http://www.scottbader.com/pub.nsf/Content/UK_Comp_Pigments

for examples and advice and then order through your local swindlery ?

Hint - find a discrete area and rub it well down for the original unfaded colour, if you match the pigment in your inevitably faded areas then your new , supposedly correct colour will fade even more..

good luck - I have never matched a colour exactly right yet - any advice on colour matching out there ?

Stephen



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[maxi]

Gel pigments are readily available, in packs of three colours from the nastier chandleries, or in individual pots of colour from the better establishments. Alternatively you will find supplies under "Glass Fibre supplies" in Yellow pages.

Be warned, a little goes a long way, the amount that you can get onto a matchhead
can make a radical colour change to a pot of gel coat. My advice is to persuade a competent artist to mix the colour for you, they understand how colours work together.

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[gjgm]

Blue -Gee , I think , make these 3 tiny pot packs, Other suggestion would be to ask around the boat yard/marina workshops and ask them to let you know if they are doing a repair on something similar, and you can get small quantity of mixed gel off them. Getting a really good match is a top specialist job, and top specialist prices. But trying to mix small quantities as a one off probably isnt economical.

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[fastjedi]

I've just bough a gel coat repair kit in cream from YBW marine store (Compass) .... Not tried it yet ... but it looks fine (also available in pale blue)

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[Spuddy]

on your no. 2 query:
You might be able to track down a special slow spiral twist drill for plastics from a really decent tool dealers. The ordinary ones are for steel and snatch at the acrylic which causes the shattering. Or... what I do is modify a standard drill by grinding the end so it's not quite so pointy and also grinding a little bit off the end of each flute so they hit the material like a low vertical cliff rather than like the end of a chisel. Could try a bit of cutting fluid as well - forgotten what it is for acrylic cos I never use it. Putting a little patch of masking tape over the hole to be stops the shallower drill point skidding around.

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[Stemar]

Re: drilling acrylic

I'm no expert, but I'd try (on an offcut first):

1. Very slow speed drilling
2. Use a wood drill rather than a metal one - they are shaped to cut a softer material, so shouldn't snatch as much.
3. As a lubricant, try water with a little washing up liquid or white spirit . (Depending on the actual plastic, white spirit may soften it - not what you want!)
4. Keep the pressure very light
5. Drill your holes slightly oversize for the screws you're using

Good luck

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