polyurethane paint

Brian,
Did you paint a fiberglass hull?

Brian82683 wrote: yes I did, its a master craft if that makes you feel a little better. lol

Yup, a MC deserves paint! I'm not a big fan of Epihanes. I've heard nothing but horror stories about their bright work finishes. I tried it one because I won a can of it at an ACBS raffle and didn't care the way it brushed. Others too didn't like it's ease of brushing but the most common problem is it's adhesion. One friend had it come off in large sheets! I also know it's not meant to be sanded and buffed. How long did you let it cure? You may need to wait a week on two and I suggest putting it out in the hot sun. How fine of wet dry paper did you go before buffing? I suggest going at least to 2000. or finer. Then, start with the least abrasive compound. I happen to like Finesse for my bright work. See if it will cut the wet sanding marks. Go courser only if the least abrasive compound doesn't do the job. Keep in mind you are dealing with a relatively soft top coat.

I sprayed it but even still i wasn't trilled with the initial results. It doesn't look bad by any means but if I could go back in time I would have used gel. There was a spot that I touched up with a brush and i also didn't care for how it brushed. I also used the spray reducer with is quicker than the brush. The top of the boat looks like gel it flattens better the the sides did.

I ended up calling epifanes directly as it appears no one uses this paint and couldn't offer me advice, I was advised to use 3m imerial compound and follow up with finesse it 2. This worked. It still looks like a painted boat but a shiny painted boat. as for the time frame I attempted to compound with meguires after 48 hrs. They didn't see an issue with it but thought 7 days was better. Once I get it back on the trailer ill put it in the sun for a few days

So thats what it looks like, when I do the mustang Ill probably use gel

Thanks! for the record I will use gel in the future, I meant to mention before I have heard the horror stories of it coming off in sheets.    scary!

Geeze Pete you're comparing Varnish to a 2 part polyurethane paint. Not really Apples to apples.

I have only used Epi's single stage poly urethane paint but was able to wet sand and buff after a full cure which with the one part was several days, the longer wait the harder it gets therefore better buffing results. brushing requires thinner but on vertical surfaces it's real hard to avoid sages because this is a very slow cure paint. Also the slow cure allows every dust particle, dog hair and flying insect to find your boat before it's dry. Several light coats is always better.   I sprayed and brushed, really need to thin beyond what they recommend for good results when spraying.   When brushing it will slowly flow out and 'most' of your brush strokes will disappear but it will still need a wetsand and buff. Roll and tip for best results.

Now back to Pete!   LOL. you know darn well Varnish success is all in the prep work. I have 12 coats of Epiphanes on the Hurricane with no adhesion problems.   I will grant you the "it does't buff well" comment though.    But you only have to buff if you don't have a clean room to apply it, the out of the can gloss is amazing but once you break the surface with compound or wetsanding you will not get it fully back. I would bet any failed varnish job is the result of bad prep. You also have to prepare the varnish before applying as in the correct amount of thinner,this also varies depending on what coat you're working on,ie Build coats or finals. Setting the can of varnish in a bucket of warm water while working with it really makes it flow nice. Roll and tip here also, even the best brushes are no match for a disposable foam brush for tipping. There are thousands of boats with an Epi finish, if it didn't work they're be out of business.

Brian82683 wrote: well played, is the hurricane a clear coat paint or colored paint that you applied 12 coats?

the varnish on all stained wood has 12 coats,

all painted surfaces are 3 coats of one part urethane then wet sanded with 2000 and buffed. I used both petit easypoxy and interlux one part. If I could go back with a 2 part now I would but I'd have to sand all the way back down to my barrier base which is 2 part. A 2 part over a one part base will blister the underbase right off from the heat generated during the cure.

81nautique wrote: Geeze Pete you're comparing Varnish to a 2 part polyurethane paint. Not really Apples to apples.

Alan,
I missed that the paint was 2 part. However, I still stand by my recommendations on wet sanding and then buffing.

As far as the adhesion problem goes, I'm still hearing about problems and a couple recently. The first question I ask is about the prep work. It's a tricky question since these are what I consider to be pro restorers. They followed the recommended prep and still have issues. The general consensus is from scratch it's good but not over other finishes.