It’s easy to use too much or too little product. However, there are many variables to achieving a great-looking finish. Put a few droplets on the applicator, rub it in the panel, leave it for a few minutes to flash, and wipe off with a microfiber cloth. You can just buy a $50 bottle and does it out in your driveway, right? Wrong! It’s called detailing for a reason.įor all their amazing properties, ceramic coatings are a double-edged sword. However, do you want to spend $500-$1,000 to get your car coated by a professional detailer? Of course not. There’s nothing more effective and durable in the car care world than a professionally applied nano-ceramic coating. But most of all, ceramic coatings produce a hydrophobic surface that sheds water on its own, prevents pretty much anything from sticking, and leaves a super sleek, high-gloss finish. Of course, it’s not a bed liner, so don’t expect miracles. The coating can even absorb light mechanical damage and fine abrasion from dust, dirt, and salt, though the paint can still get scratched or smashed by flying rocks. They provide phenomenal, long-lasting protection to your paint from UV degradation and chemical erosion - bird droppings, tree sap, acid rain, and others. Check in more than one spot for consistency.If you’re reading this article, you’re probably considering applying a ceramic coating on your car. In this picture the largest wet tooth is the 15mil tooth and the next clean tooth is the 20 mil tooth, the gelcoat is between 15-20 mils thick (.015-0.02"). The thickness of the gelcoat is between the last tooth to come up with gelcoat on it and the next clean tooth. Gelcoat Mil Gauge, Measures Wet Film Thickness Slow moving fans can also be used to move the styrene out of the mold cavity. If you do not have that ability, make sure to check low spots in the mold as well as high spots for the cure rate of the gelcoat. If you have the ability to do so, rotate the mold so that while the gelcoat is curing the styrene vapors can pour out of the mold. Because styrene is heavier than air it will pool at the bottom of a mold cavity and slow down the cure of the gelcoat located in the bottom or lower parts of a mold. Styrene vapors will inhibit and slow the cure of gelcoat. Thicker layers are more prone to cracking under stress. For applications under the waterline a thickness of 20-24 mils aids in blister prevention and is better than thinner layers. Gelcoat can be applied in coats up to 24mils. If your coating is too thin and the temperature is too low, it will not cure properly. As the gelcoat cures, it develops heat that helps it complete the cure cycle. Our standard gelcoats are designed to cure in films as thin as 12mils (0.012 inches) however, we recommend that you apply them in coats of 18-20 mils to get the best cure, hide, and print block. Gelcoat that is over-initiated can result in excessive shrinking and premature release from the mold. Keeping good notes will help you build a database of initiator levels for temperatures that you encounter frequently. At 77F 1.8% MEKP will provide a gel time of 10-17 minutes. Generally speaking and depending on the temperature a catalyst ratio of between 1.2% to 3% will give you the proper cure rate. Gelcoat should be initiated (catalyzed) to set up to the point that you can touch it with a glove and not have it come up on your finger in 45-60 minutes from application. Keep in mind that molds stored in areas that are not climate controlled may not reach room temperature for quite some time. We use the infrared and a wall thermometer to check ambient temperature of the workspace. We like to use an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the mold surface and gelcoat. with an optimum range being between 70-75F. Temperatures should be between 60-80 degrees F. There are 3 variables that affect proper cure: temperature, film thickness, and initiator level. This is often witnessed as premature fading, dulling of the gelcoat surface, or chalking. Incomplete cure will result in poor durability of the gelcoat. Gelcoats are based on a thermoset resin that requires an initiator and proper temperatures to cure thoroughly. Correct application of gelcoat is critical to get the optimum performance from it. Gel coat is typically the first layer of a part to be applied. Gelcoat is a resin system that is filled with colorants and thickening agents and applied to a mold surface to form the cosmetic and weathering coating of a composite part.
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