I have read from a few of you that you gelcoat your molds before putting them away to prevent scratching. My question is are you using waxed gelcoat?
I’ve always tried to lay up my glass withing a few hours of the gelcoat curing to ensure a good bond. With a larger mold I’ve been working with I gues I laid the glass too soon and I got some pattern bleed through. Could I leave the waxed gelcoat for a day or two before laying in glass? Also what are the real benifits of using waxed?
Thanks
Using waxed gelcoat means the exposed side will be less tacky, if tacky at all. Its also better if, for whatever reason, you need to sand it when its cured.
^^ yep, using liquid wax in the gel coat is great for spraying gel coat over a plug for a surface coat. The wax will seal off the air and allow the cured surface of the gel coat to be tack-free for easier sanding. If you ever run out of polyester primer (ie: duratec), you can spray down some gel coat instead, I have found about 20 to 25 mils is about perfect for plugs.
Thanks guys.
So how long can I leave the waxed gelcoat before I have to apply the next layer to ensure a good bond?
You don’t need to use wax gel coat for anything except for top coating or like repairing a boat hull after an accident.
Only use reg. gel coat for the egg shell coating until it “B” stages (fist thing is to make a small batch up and watch the stages as it cures…), gels up and then lay in your reinforcements and finish glassing it. 
But to the OP…I have use reg. gel coat molds and put them away for 6 months to a year and then pulled them out and if the layer didn’t peel off (I use semi. perm. releases…) I have just gone ahead and lay it up as regular.
But then, this is mostly Nascar Sat. racing parts which rubbing is racing!