Are these imperfections from the super 77? I am just using poly thinned with styrene for infusion. Is the poly not desolving the super 77??
It is only on curves or corners
Wish I had better pictures of it
this is kinda what they look like up close
every part I am popping I am getting these some more then others
Looks like “alligatoring” to me…too thin of gel coat, too hot or too much laminate at one time, or many other reasons.
might be too hot, These parts fully cured in about an hour and a half, do you have any close pictures of alligatoring so maybe I can compare? It is just one layer of carbon and 5 oz of continueus strand mat
I agree with Jim.
I assume it to be alligatoring also.
if you spray too thin on the gelcoat, the infusion will be exothreming and will cause it to alligator. The difference in ratio on catalyst will aslo do it as he said. I try to keep my duratec topcoat at 2% catalyst and my infusion catalyst at 1 - 1 1/2 % catalyst ratio. this will ensure that the infusion or a lamination doesnt effect the gelcoat.
I guess it is from being too thin. I have to really concentrate on spraying heavy into the tool in order to get it built up thick enough. I spray the flanges and check them for thickness as well.
I have a mold sprayed thicker this time and I am going to catalyze at 1 1/2
I guess I wasn’t specific enough. I meant to say keep the catalyst at a slightly lessor % on the resin than gel coat.
that is what I meant is 1 1/2 for the resin.
ok I sprayed about a half a quart of gel coat in it and catalyzed resin to 1% and it still did it and even worse. It is also discoloring my mold. Here is some pics. Also the look at the back of my laminate after I pull the peel ply. I have no leaks in my bag but I get thousands of little tiny air bubbles when it cures, but these are only on the backside they do not show on the carbon. Look at the varience in color of the fiberglass on the back. The part is completly clear when it infuses but as it cures it turns this milky kinda color in sections. I am pretty convinced it is my resin I am using is the problem. Look at the mold surface and you can see the discoloration.
WARNING : Big pictures for detail
The resin I am using is just normal polester resin and Marine UV gel coat, I am thinning the resin with styrene but it was doing this without it thinned as well
is that first picture the rear of the part :shock:
yeah
I am using 1 layer carbon and 2 layers of about 4oz of continues strand mat
mmmm… using poly is so fun
Evan…it is all PLASTCS! :lol:
Yes, but not all plastics are created equal
what VER would you suggest to infuse with? I am ditching the poly!!
ok, I infused it with the VER and it still did it, could someone look at my previous pictures and tell me from the newest close up if it alligatoring and if the tack spray could have ANYTHING?? to do with it?
When ever you put your gelcoat on the surface. remember these three things.
First…Weigh all components Properly.
Two…the gelcoat needs to be at a higher percentage of catalyst than the resin being put on top of it. I generally go with 2% for gelcoat and 1 1/2 % for my laminate or my infusion.
check for your manufacturers maximiums and minimums before you rely on these measurements.
Third…make sure that you spray the gelcoat on heavy enough. thin gel coat will aligator no matter how well you weasure or how much of a percentage difference you made.
I have’nt had many problems since we started doing this.
Our parts all have about .020 thickness on the gelcoat (duratec top coat 904-405 clear.
the gel coat is not scored on the surface, just where the gel coat meets the resin. I am catalizing the gel coat at 2% and letting sit over night and catalyzing the resin at 1%. So you don’t think that the tack spary had anything to do with it?