Glasspar Painting

[lehkyc]

hey guys, sorry if this is posted in the wrong section, please direct me in the right way if it is. im new here and im on my second boat restore. its a glasspar avalon. im no pro, just a 19 year old who loves boats. i did a 17 foot glastron last year it came out nice, surely not professional but respectable nonetheless. not sure what year the glasspar is but my biggest issue is when using interlux topside paint. it comes out nice, shiny. but there are dust specs everywhere!! i am not looking for a flawless job as i am not going over board on this project. but i see other peoples paint jobs and they look wonderful. i cannot figure out why im having this problem. iv used the roll tip method. any help will be greatly appreciated. here are two pictures of how the boat sits now. thanks!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Glasspar Painting

hi lehkyc. great job so far. I'm no painter, but I suppose the dust could be caused/cure by a couple methods. I suppose the easiest is to reduce/eliminate the dust in the painting area in the first place. I think you'll find a lot of guys paint outside under a cover, rather than in an enclosed area, which can/does naturally trap dust and particulates that can eventually settle into the paint. Wet sanding between coats should also help to even out the finish a bit. You may also want to try painting on a relatively humid day, or in a relatively humid environment to help keep dust at a minimum. Wet, heavy dust floats around a little less than very dry, light dust. You can also try spraying down the floor of the garage before you start painting, so you don't kick up dust as you walk around the boat. Lots of professional spray booths have running water around the interior perimeter (sometimes even running down the walls), like a little mote, to help trap and wash away particulates. of course they can control the cure time by adjusting the heat and humidity, but he idea is the same. try spray painting a piece of scrap with a pie plate of water near by. you'll be amazed how much paint lands and is trapped in the dish that would other wise just keep swirling around along with dust and other debris. good luck. keep us posted.

 

[lehkyc]

Re: Glasspar Painting

good thoughts, i do paint in a garage, but it is in no way a clean room. i might try sanding down my final coat a bit and the hose the garage floor down and try one more time. thanks for the response!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Glasspar Painting

Wet the floor, place a box fan in the garge door path and close the door down to the top of the fan. Use some painters plastic or garbage bags and tape off the door so the fan can draw the air out of the garage. Turn on the fan and wait 30 mins. Always to a wet sanding between coats using 320 grit. After the final coat, "Clay" the surface (see link) and it will be smooth as glass. Wax and buff and it'll shine like the sun.

Detailing with a Clay Bar

 

[lehkyc]

Re: Glasspar Painting

the clay bar wont do damage to the interlux? i know its not the toughest paint in the world. i have heard it does wonders on cars.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Glasspar Painting

I used it on my Rustoleum with added hardener and it worked great. Smooth as glass.

 

[andgott]

Re: Glasspar Painting

Be VERY CAREFUL with the interlux topside paints (I assume you're using brightsides single part??) before attempting any kind of wet sanding/buffing, including the clay bar... They are very soft paints, and in my experience do NOT like to be wet sanded/buffed! Do a test area that's out of the way first.

 

[lehkyc]

Re: Glasspar Painting

will do, ill find a small area near the rub rail and give it a try, unfortunately i cant do that until the weather gets much warmer here in cinci. but thanks for the tips guys i really appreciate it and ill post back here whenever the weather breaks and i get to try it out.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Glasspar Painting

Be VERY CAREFUL with the interlux topside paints (I assume you're using brightsides single part??) before attempting any kind of wet sanding/buffing, including the clay bar... They are very soft paints, and in my experience do NOT like to be wet sanded/buffed! Do a test area that's out of the way first.

I would tend to agree.

If you have a paint that claims itself to be a " linear polyurethane " it is more then likely you Do NOT want to start sanding and buffing on it.

There are only 2 LPU products that I know of that are worth the effort/expense .. one is AwlGrip and the other is Sterling.

Could the Alternative Paints suit your application/expectation ?? I cant say for sure. I can say for 90% of the time .. a novice with proper conditions and expensive materials may not give better results compared to a Pro with Improper conditions and less expensive materials.

That being said..its up to each individual on how much time/effort/cost one will expend on a project. Knowing ones own limitations is Key to ones desired outcome.

Yes Material knowledge is Key to the outcome on any given project ( some paints can Not be sanded and buffed ). However some other materials Love to be sanded and buffed. ..

Know your own limitations/time/experience/$$ and location.

YD.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Glasspar Painting

This ^^^^^ B true. Having never used Interlux I should have never commented. Sorry for the mis-information.