Sealing Epoxy/Micro

flickroll · #1 09-07-2009, 09:16 AM

I have a few fiberglass parts that I have toiled over and are now ready for finishing. Right now they are nicely contoured, and I used epoxy/micro for the final shaping. What's the next step? Can I shoot it as is with K36? Or will I need to seal it first with something else? Like an epoxy primer? Or squeegee on a THIN layer of epoxy? Or any of the above? All of the pieces have areas of un-microed glass showing. In other words, either polyester resin or export resin is showing. Other parts of the piece have the epoxy/micro. Thanks

flickroll · #2 09-07-2009, 04:57 PM

Bump up again....

ChiefPilot · #3 09-07-2009, 06:54 PM

You can seal it with a thin coat of epoxy. I thin the epoxy with acetone so that it is fairly viscous, then brush it on. Doing so will fill the half-open microballons. The idea is to build a very thin epoxy "shell" upon which to lay the paint.

DanH · #4 09-07-2009, 07:28 PM

Squeege three coats of West, allowing each to tack firm between coats. Do not thin it. Block sand with 180. Do not break through the epoxy skin.

I just did two cowl sections, two exit ramps, an inlet scoop, a spinner, two spinner trim parts, an oil door and a plenum cover, all with just two coats of West. Results were about what I expected. Parts that didn't need much blocking (like the spinner) showed zero pinholes when shot with a primer check; two epoxy coats was plenty. The upper cowl half got a lot of custom glass work, so blocking only two coats cut through in a few places at high spots. Result was a few pinholes at those highs. Tells you real quick if your profiling was any good. Three or four epoxy coats would have been better.

Do a search...old subject