coloring resin

[Clamboni]

I'm kind of new to the fiberglassing thing. I'm thinking of building a livewell from plywood and glassing it for watertightness. My question is does anyone know of a colored resin that I can use, I'd like to make the inside of the livewell white so I can see the fish better to get them out for the weigh-in. I would like to make it nice, and I'd rather not have the unfinished color of the glass inside there. Can I paint the inside then cover the paint with resin, or would it not stick or weaken it? Any help is appreciated.

 

[HeadHunt]

Re: coloring resin

I would consider using Starboard instead of plywood.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: coloring resin

Clamboni, You can color poly or epoxy resin with standard colorants found in marine stores. read the instructions on the colorant, since somtimes you need to add more hardener to the resin when you use colorant. Also, I recommend you color each coat of resin to assure the color is opaque.<br /><br />You may want to use foam as a basis for the livewell. It will be plenty strong when glassed. It will be insulated as well and much lighter in weight which are advantages. If you use epoxy resin, any foam will work. Use urethane foam with Poly resin, since other foams will melt.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: coloring resin

what about just gel coating the inside.....just like a brand new boat?

 

[BillP]

Re: coloring resin

It's called pigment and you mix it with regular resin for color. It comes in transparent or opaque. You can mix it in the resin when glassing or do a coat over the top...but like posted above, gelcoat is the way to go.

 

[CTD]

Re: coloring resin

I built an ice chest into the floor of my boat. I used the blue foam sheets, epoxy resin, mat, then cloth, then two layers of colored (white) resin. Looks and works good.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: coloring resin

I used several applications of white pigmented epoxy on my bilge. Although it did not cover well (like red stripe in cloth and other imperfections) it looked real good for a couple of weeks. Then it started to yellow a bit. I will need to overpaint it, with Interlux Brightsides, to make it like I want it.

 

[Realgun]

Re: coloring resin

Pgmented epoxy is not U.V. tolerant at all hence the yellowing. Do yourself a favor and use Gelcoat. It will be U.V. resistant and will hold up to what you are going to use it for.<br /><br />If you sand cured epoxy and then wipe with alcohol or acetone you can put gelcoat on and get a good bond.

 

[Realgun]

Re: coloring resin

Pgmented epoxy is not U.V. tolerant at all hence the yellowing. Do yourself a favor and use Gelcoat. It will be U.V. resistant and will hold up to what you are going to use it for.<br /><br />If you sand cured epoxy and then wipe with alcohol or acetone you can put gelcoat on and get a good bond.

 

[Red Rider]

Re: coloring resin

To get epoxy to be U.V. tolerant (color won't fade) you have to add pigments that contains Ti-pure (spelling???) This is the Dupont brand name for titanium dioxide. I protect items from being distroyed by U.V. and colors from fading<br /><br />It is added to PVC pipe, plastic buckets, lawn furniture, coolers, other plastics, or plastic like products, that will be exposed to U.V. It comes as a very fine white powder. I can tell you where to get a semi-truck load of it but as for smaller quantities I don't know.<br /><br />I guess you just have to read the contents on the label and make sure that it has titanium dioxide in it.