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**waterlogged882** · 10-21-2021, 01:26 AM

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**Ironhorse** · 10-21-2021, 09:46 AM

Wow that flake pops!!

**dhanni848** · 10-21-2021, 11:18 AM

Ohhhhh yes!

**WhiskeyTango** · 10-23-2021, 05:57 PM

Starting to figure this out. I sanded again with a DA and got the rest of the orange peel off. It also resulted in no longer being able to feel the lines between the colors. I then progressed to 2000 grit and buffed with a wool pad and 3m gelcoat compound. It’s better but not perfect - still some swirl marks.

But not bad looking for a $19 chunk of Menards plywood.

I now feel like my plan is good enough to start gelcoating things that will actually be seen…

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**waterlogged882** · 10-23-2021, 05:59 PM

Looks great.

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**86Skier** · 10-23-2021, 06:17 PM

Love this thread... can't stop checking in.

Keep it up and keep the pics coming! Looking great!

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

**bret** · 10-23-2021, 07:26 PM

That looks great, love the color combo!

**barefoot** · 10-23-2021, 08:37 PM

That looks amazing! Nicely done!

**Prostar 190** · 10-24-2021, 04:42 PM

Originally posted by WhiskeyTango View Post

Starting to figure this out. I sanded again with a DA and got the rest of the orange peel off. It also resulted in no longer being able to feel the lines between the colors. I then progressed to 2000 grit and buffed with a wool pad and 3m gelcoat compound. It’s better but not perfect - still some swirl marks.

But not bad looking for a $19 chunk of Menards plywood.

I now feel like my plan is good enough to start gelcoating things that will actually be seen…

Looks great!

**WhiskeyTango** · 10-24-2021, 06:12 PM

Spraying the big parts will undoubtedly be a two man job given that you can’t mix ahead of time or it gels in the cup, and if the sprayed gel cures too much between coats you can have problems. It also takes as long to rinse the gun and mix a cup as it does to spray one.

No helpers today so tried to get a few smaller parts going by myself. The small rectangular parts are vents for the bow, stern and doghouse.

The gray on the doghouse will get sanded and then taped prior to flake and clear.

Clear takes forever to cure so it’s sitting in the sun to warm up more.

Plenty of orange peel. I bought more sandpaper…

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**waterlogged882** · 10-24-2021, 07:00 PM

Platform is hi-test.

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**1redTA** · 10-24-2021, 07:30 PM

thank you for chronicling your gel coat process! I hope to use your and other members experience in one day refinishing my 81

**WhiskeyTango** · 10-31-2021, 08:13 PM

Platform progress. This took HOURS of sanding and buffing. My goal of this boat being on the water next summer suddenly seems lofty.

The last 4 pics are after 2000 grit and then three stages of compound. If you look closely, you can see the swirls disappear. I’m learning…

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