Gelcoat

Thanks Brent. I just checked with them and they do sell in quart size. That is their minimum volume. (About $170 for a quart ($140) and then their hardener and thickener make the 170, then there is the shipping. (to WA state is $40).

I just ordered from a Seattle company, Gel-coat Products

http://www.gelcoatproducts.com/

and would rate them 10 out of 10 for service. Next day Fed Ex, C-Dory color that is a dead on match, and helpful phone support as well as a great web site.

$130 for a quart, split into 2 containers, one pint liquid, and one pint paste, both with wax (but that is optional) and $5 for the catalyst.

I now have plenty for next time.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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hardee":32n4juhd said:
... split into 2 containers, one pint liquid, and one pint paste, both with wax (but that is optional) and $5 for the catalyst.

I now have plenty for next time.
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Harvey,

What is the shelf life when packaged that way?
 
C-Dawg":32yleesl said:
hardee":32yleesl said:
... split into 2 containers, one pint liquid, and one pint paste, both with wax (but that is optional) and $5 for the catalyst.

I now have plenty for next time.
Click to expand...
Harvey,

What is the shelf life when packaged that way?
Click to expand...

From talking with "Al" when I ordered, they offer 6 months shelf life, depending on storage at room temp. It could last up to a year or more. The FG guy that did the first part of my work says he has had some work at over a year.

It comes in 1 pint cans, like a paint can.

I found that I could mix the liquid and paste together to get the consistency I wanted, (almost like honey) and then spread it with an acid brush. The brush marks don't stay, and the edges thin out some. For some areas I am brushing it on like that, for a few places the paste was great to spread in with a plastic spreader (putty knife style).

I'm only mixing a table spoon at a time, and it sets off with 3-5 drops of hardener.

Clean up is easy with Acetone.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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BrentB":3q8t4csd said:
I keep gelcoat in cans as full as possible to reduce the air space in the refrig as I read it increases shelf life.
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As you use the product, what do use to replace the gelcoat?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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hardee":5qqxl25j said:
BrentB":5qqxl25j said:
I keep gelcoat in cans as full as possible to reduce the air space in the refrig as I read it increases shelf life.
Click to expand...

As you use the product, what do use to replace the gelcoat?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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I am down about 1/3 in each can. I am really curious how to reduce the air space? Marbles, balloon, what else?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Oxygen is the culprit. Introduce a slow stream of nitrogen while the lid is barely cracked, and push it shut after 5 minutes of purging. I think the propellant in dust free aerosal cans might be a good purging gas, also.
 
Keeping cool--refer or freezer. My dad taught me a trick hears ago--slowly breath into the can (happened to be varnish), but the same for gel coat--The exhaled breath has higher CO2. 5% and lower oxygen 15%--78% is nitrogen...

Compressed gas dust off type of cans use various compressive propellants often one of the modern refrigerant gases (used to use propane or butane--no longer)
(3M uses 1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE, which is H 152a refrigerant. Any of these can cause toxic reactions if inhaled by a human--but I don't see any problems using this to displace air (20% oxygen).
 
Thank you. I have heard of keeping apples in the fridge, in a bag and breathing into the bag to keep them crisp longer. Didn't think about doing that into the can.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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hardee":1qbz57cj said:
Thank you. I have heard of keeping apples in the fridge, in a bag and breathing into the bag to keep them crisp longer. Didn't think about doing that into the can.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
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Stick to the dust off. Moisture in your breath. Plus, 15% oxygen in exhaled breath is still too much.

Definitely do not inhale the dust off gas!
 
Dave, Thanks for not just saying I'm just full of hot air :lol:

I have a can of "Dust Destroyer" a "Compressed Gas Duster", by Falcon Safety Products. It does not say what the propellant or "gas" is anywhere on the can but there is a fine print line that says it contains "difluoroethane".

At least that is as much as I can find so far.

Thanks for the support here.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey, same stuff, different name, per thataway's remarks:

3M uses 1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE, which is H 152a refrigerant.

This is the non-ozone-depleting substitute for the old Freon in refrigerators, etc. A whiff is OK, but avoid breathing copious quantities.
 
I don't know if Dave has any experience with 1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE as a "preservative". I certainly don't. There are some reasons I would avoid it--although as I indicated I do have a can of it in my computer supplies.

The problem I see is getting rid of the oxygen which is in the can--do you pull a vacuum, and then replace that with some inert gas? How much "flooding" with the 1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE does one have to do, to displace a significant amount of oxygen? I don't know. It is denser than air. My refrigeration experience is mostly with R 12 and R 22, in building refrigeration systems for boats back a few years ago. Although I had large amounts of both polyester and epoxy resin, I never used any gas to store it.

1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE, is inflammable. It can be explosive: (LEL/UEL 3.9% / 16.9%. ) Burning it can produce both hydrogen fluoride and phosgene-- extremely toxic substances. Direct inhalation of concentrations of the gas is often fatal and there are a number of recorded deaths from "recreational' inhalation--thus an agent is added to the gas in the "Dust off" called a "bitterant" to make the gas less palatable to inhale.

If you want a relatively in-expensive source of inert gasses: "Private Reserve" is a combination of Nitrogen, CO2, and Argon used for preserving wine--from about $8.25 a can. I have not used that either...but it seems a more sensible way, than using a potential explosive and toxic gas. Also bottled nitrogen is available from welding supplies some tire stores, and paintball nitrogen tanks (but check to see if air or nitrogen).

Although the "breath" method only reduces the oxygen by 25%- I have used it and keep gel coat in a refrigerator, away from light. I suspect if I really wanted to extend it further, I would go to the nitrogen/combo--or perhaps pure nitrogen....but probably not 1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE.


Here is the MSD
 
Thataway wrote: The problem I see is getting rid of the oxygen which is in the can--do you pull a vacuum, and then replace that with some inert gas? How much "flooding" with the 1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE does one have to do, to displace a significant amount of oxygen? I don't know. It is denser than air.

I have not checked the toxicity because the stuff is sold for use as a dust remover. I figure incidental exposure in purging, done in a well ventilated space, cannot be much greater than what happens when you blow dust off a camera lens, etc. Anybody who "huffs" it to get high is already brain dead and no amount of contrary advice from me will stop them.

As to purging the air: just crack the can lid, insert the small plastic tube, end ABOVE the liquid level, and run a gentle stream into the can for 30 seconds, reverse the insertion, and immediately close the lid. This would be for pint cans or smaller. Double for quart containers. And, no, it will not remove all the oxygen. But it will be a lot better than blowing exhaled air in!

Fluorocarbons are soluble in gel coat resins. Consequently, the closed container will achieve a reduced pressure. The usual paint can lid will be a little tougher to remove, but nothing a flat bladed screwdriver will have trouble with.
 
"I just ordered from a Seattle company, Gel-coat Products

http://www.gelcoatproducts.com/

and would rate them 10 out of 10 for service. Next day Fed Ex, C-Dory color that is a dead on match,..."
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I have a Cabernet, I called D-Dory factory got the number from them, called Gel Coat Products, and they looked it up on there listing, by boat mfg, year and color and sent me the right color. I don't have the numbers here now, they are at the boat. Will try and add them here later. GCP were good folks, helpful and patient.

I did 5 layers, well not really, but 5 batches of Gel coat, sanded between and finished with sanding in this order. 200, 280, 360, then changed to wet sanding with 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000, and finished with 1500. Then did a rubbing, polishing compound. Looks pretty nice, now. Probably the shiniest part of my boat is the bottom.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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