Making a Fiber glass gas locker

[firstascent2002]

Hi there,

I have made a mould for a self draining gas locker that I wish to make for my boat. The next step as far as I can gather is to treat the inside of the mould with a PVA releasing agent, then paint with activated gel coat. How many coats do I need to put on? and do I apply the next layers of material onto wet get coat or wait for it to cure. Then I gather I need to apply a layer of tissue and after that CSM soaked with resin to the required thickness. Once cured I can open the mould and remove the finished item right? How do I go about gel coating the inside of the locker.

Thanks in advance

Jamie Dunn

 

[bigwow]

One thick coat of gel is usually enough, wait untill it goes green, not fully hard but not tacky, before laminating. I don't bother with tissue it's more trouble than it's worth. When finished you can coat the inside with flocoat which is gel mixed with parafin wax. Good luck it's easier than you think!

 

[Swagman]

All said above, but might be worth when first coat near green adding a second layer of gelcoat into the corner edges......normal brushisg pressures usually leads to those edges being thinner with a single coat - making them liable to cracking once possed from the mould.
JOHN

 

[firstascent2002]

Thanks for that I'll give it a crack this weekend

 

[VicS]

Are you using a fire retardant resin?

How thick are you making it to achieve the required degree of fire resistance?

 

[firstascent2002]

I'm aiming for 1 cm thick. Not using fire retardent resin. I know that is sub optimal but it is going to be a step up from the bottle stiiling loose in a locker s I now have!

 

[VicS]

A cm thicknes sounds a lot. Have you looked at the ones available from Calor outlets. I did not think they were even gell coated.
Not the easist site to find the right page but they are on here somewhere: http://www.calormarineshop.co.uk/