Cleaning up a mess (on my gelcoat)

Ask a question...get an answer (or two).
Post Reply
henryhey
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:13 pm
Location: NYC

Cleaning up a mess (on my gelcoat)

Post by henryhey »

Hi folks.

I have a Cape Dory 25 and last year did some substantial refitting including running lines back to the cockpit with new hardware mounted on the cabin top. I also refinished all of my brightwork with Signature Finish Honey Teak (good stuff if you don't know it).

I'm pretty happy with my work EXCEPT for dripping, spillage and over runs that ended up on my gelcoat.

How can I remove the signature finish (now long since dried) from my gelcoat? How about West System's epoxy (some used to fill balsa core deck where I mounted some hardware)? I really want to get it all cleaned up and I have no idea what to do other than to (gulp) paint.

I look forward to your advise.
Jason K
Boat Obsession Medal Finalist
Posts: 741
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:41 pm
Boat Name: Rambunctious
Boat Type: J/30
Location: Mandeville, LA
Contact:

Post by Jason K »

If the epoxy is full cured, it will be difficult, particularly if it's in non-skid. Be very careful with solvents; if they're strong enough to affect the epoxy, then they may also affect the gelcoat.

I would suggest careful application of heat and a good scraper.
- Jason King (formerly #218)
J/30 Rambunctious
http://www.rambunctiousracing.com
Hirilondë
Master of the Arcane
Posts: 1317
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:50 am
Boat Name: Hirilondë
Boat Type: 1967 Pearson Renegade
Location: Charlestown, RI

Post by Hirilondë »

#218 wrote:
I would suggest careful application of heat and a good scraper.
That's about all I can suggest. Maybe some fine sanding and then compounding. I can't imagine any solvent will attack either epoxy or "Honey Teak" and won't ruin gel coat. Were it simply dried varnish you could use lacquer thinner, toluene, MEKP or xylene, but now you are in the realm of harmful and unhealthy solvents. Read the MSDS for any of these you choose to try.
henryhey wrote:I also refinished all of my brightwork with Signature Finish Honey Teak (good stuff if you don't know it).
I don't like any 2 part clear finish for wood. You can't petrify wood no matter how hard you try. And the side projects it often leads to is part of it.
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
Ric in Richmond
Boat Obsession Medal Finalist
Posts: 518
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2005 12:26 am
Boat Name: Andiamo
Boat Type: Alberg 35
Location: Richmond VA

Post by Ric in Richmond »

The solution is at hand!!!

http://eastwood.resultspage.com/search? ... mit=Search

A paint nib fine file:

Image

You carefully file the offending substance off!!!!
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

~~~~~([\~~~([\~~([\~~~~~~([\~~([\~~~~~~
~~~~~~([\~~~~~~~([\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
Tim
Shipwright Extraordinaire
Posts: 5708
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2003 6:39 pm
Boat Name: Glissando
Boat Type: Pearson Triton
Location: Whitefield, ME
Contact:

Post by Tim »

At the risk of stating the obvious, next time I'd suggest you take the time to mask off your work area and avoid the spillage issues later. What seems like a lot of work at the time turns out to be quite preferable to the alternative.
---------------------------------------------------
Forum Founder--No Longer Participating
User avatar
Ceasar Choppy
Boat Obsession Medal Finalist
Posts: 622
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:05 am
Location: Port Starboard, MD

Post by Ceasar Choppy »

Taping is certainly the way to go, but I know from experience, when you are in the heat of the project-- even if you tape, you don't see where you spilled until its too late.

I've used Soy Strip paint stripper to get varnish off gelcoat with great results.

With epoxy, get out the 400 or 600 grit sandpaper and wet sand. It will take some time and you have to be very careful you don't sand through it. Use some "super-duty" compound and then some fine compound to finish it off.

If its in the non-skid, learn to love it instead. :)
Steve'O
Bottom Paint Application Technician
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:59 pm
Location: NY/NJ

Post by Steve'O »

I would agree with the heat and/or wetsanding. It's very difficult not to sand through the gelcoat, so one trick is to use a sanding block and to tape off the surrounding gelcoat with ductape. The ductape can absorb a lot of abuse. When the epoxy is almost level remove ductape and go to a finer grit.
Steve
"Good Hope"
Tripp/Lentsch 29
Case
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:59 pm

Post by Case »

For smooth gelcoat...

I use those straight razors from the hardware store. They look like rectangles. They are great for cutting varnish off the smooth gelcoat. They're also great for removing blue tape that decided to adhere itself to the gelcoat, despite it being a 30 day tape or something.

As for the nonskid... Heat gun with some thinner or acetone is best.

I know all about varnish splatters myself. Last year, Mother Nature was cruel to me TWICE. Both days, lovely smooth waters on the mooring, zero wind. Both times, halfway thru the varnishing, the wind piped up to 25 knots. The weather forecast in both cases called for little or no winds in both days...

- Case
Post Reply