Hey guys/ gals, So I am happily moving along with my build. I am almost finished with the inside of the kayak and ready to move on to the outside of the hull. I was reading the manual and noticed that once I fillet the seams, apply the 3" glass tape, and clear epoxy all surfaces…I need to apply a second coat within in a specified period of time depending on the epoxy hardening time. Well, I applied the first coat a few days ago and was unable to get back to it as of yet…Is this a problem? what should I do to apply the second coat? I am assuming a light sanding. There is not much else I can do. Thanks in advance.
Assuming you don’t have the amine blush a light sanding or scrubing with one of those green scrub spunges (I can’t think of the name right now), followed by a good wipe down should do the trick. I don’t think I sanded inbetween but I wiped it clean. Some will suggest wiping it down with a mild solvent or something.
Is there something I am looking to take off other than Amine Blush because I do not have any blushing? Will a new coat of epoxy adhere well to a fully dry and cured coat? Thanks
Dan
Hi Dan,
It will part like there is oil under the fresh resin within an hour of putting it on if there is anything on the surface but it sounds like you should be fine most slow hardners don't blush.
Alcohol or Acetone wipe usually takes off things like fingerprints, tape residue and other contaminates.
Thank you for your replies. I have found a good source of info in the "Tips for Boat Builders" CLC epoxy tips & FAQ's.
- What is BLUSH, and how do I remove it? - Blush may form over the Fast mix hardener and resin. The Slow mix will not blush. Blush is noticeable as a slippery film formed over the cured surface. It can be removed with warm water and a sponge (rinse and wipe).
This was very helpful to me. I was thinking the that amine blush would be white-ish or milky. I did not realize that it was the slippery film. The reason I say this is because I used US Compoites Medium Hardner and I do have a slippery film. I will try the warm water and a sponge and see how it works out. The US composites Epoxy I have for the Exterior is a slow hardner/non-blushing so I will not need to worry about it from now on. Thanks again! I am excited to get this beauty finished.
Here is an update on my situation. So, I wiped down the areas really well rinsed the sponge and wiped them down 2 more times with a good rubbing. I applied a epoxy to a small area and soon after noticed that the fresh epoxy was separating. This was very disappointing to me. I guess I will need to try out the mild solvent idea. I am currious how well the acetone works or alcohol. These areas are not really going to be seen much (Bow and Stern) but I take pride in every little thing that comes out nice. I do not like to see any sloppiness.
Overall, I am happy because I learned my lesson before moving on to the Cockpit. When you follow the instructions eveything comes out nice and takes much less time. I should have made sure to apply a second coat instead of letting it cure for 3 days.
Danno:
Above you asked a second question, unrelated to amine blush, which has not yet been answered.
"Will a new coat of epoxy adhere well to a fully dry and cured coat?"
The answer is "no". Fresh epoxy does not chemically bond to a fully cured epoxy surface, so the surface must be "keyed" or roughed up by sanding to allow a mechanical bond before re-coating.